Abstract

This study investigates the benefits of a mindfulness/relaxation and yoga program on 20 students from a Grade 1 class in the Montreal area. The students included 14 boys and 6 girls ranging from 6 to 7 years of age. Terry Orlick (2004) explained that the earlier children learn strategies to deal with stressors, the better off they will be at dealing with them throughout their lives. Yoga and mindfulness/relaxation were the two strategies used in the classroom to help children deal with daily stressors. The short version of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC-I0) (March, 1997) was used prior to the intervention to assess the anxiety levels in the children. Student journal writing, teacher-researcher journal writing, a mid-treatment questionnaire to see which the children preferred, yoga or mindfulness/relaxation, and a Mood Inventory were the instruments used in this study. Results suggest that children benefitted somewhat from the yoga and mindfulness/relaxation sessions. Children also enjoyed the activities. The findings support the integration of such programs in the daily lives of the children through the school curriculum.