Counting has always been a helpful emotional regulation tool for my son. I mean numbers are just his thing.
Of course it's not surprising that a kid with hypernumeracy would find counting soothing. Backwards. Forwards. It doesn't really matter. You start counting with him and it's like, poof! Physical stress and anxiety gone just like that.
So, when we started working on mindfulness skills and strategies with him, it made sense to keep using those interests of his. That's something you'll hear me say a lot around here, by the way. Use your child's interests. Lean into them.
Anyway, we already knew that numbers were helpful for him when it came to calming down or regulating (see our free calm down hero book for instance). So why not use them in other ways too? You know, make them part of his regular mindfulness practice and routine.
Well, that's where this counting sounds mindfulness walk comes in. It's a great way to use my son's interests, sneak in a little mindful practice, and get some physical exercise. Stretch our bodies and our minds, as the saying goes.
Counting Sounds Mindfulness Walk: How it Works
No special mindfulness training is required here. No fancy materials either. You just need your feet and your ears. It's quite simple.
All you have to do is go outside for a walk. Then listen for the noises and sounds around you, taking note of what you hear as you walk. Then simply count up how many different sounds you hear. That's it.
For instance, you might hear a bird tweet in the distance. One.
Then you might hear the sound of a car driving by. Two.
Next, a twig snaps and cracks as you step down onto it. Three.
Then you notice the rustle of the leaves as the wind blows. Four.
And so on...You can see how soothing it would be to count the sounds during mindful walking sessions like this.
Additionally, you could bring a small notebook along if you wanted. Then you can keep track of all the different sounds you hear and how often you hear them during your mindfulness walking exercise.
So that's it. I love how easy this counting sounds mindfulness walk is! It's nothing fancy by any means, but it's still quite powerful. Definitely give it a try and see how it goes!
