Book Review: Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents)

| By: Committee for Children

by Eline Snel. Includes a 60-minute audio CD of guided exercises read by Myla Kabat-Zinn.

Reading level: adult (audio CD with guided meditations for kindergarten and older)

“Because mindfulness is really about attention and the awareness that arises from paying attention on purpose, in the moment, and non-judgmentally, it is at its core universal.… And, as we have seen, it is basic to learning anything.” In his lengthy and fascinating introduction to Eline Snel’s Sitting Still Like a Frog, Jon Kabat-Zinn, world-famous author and creator of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program, provides a solid foundation for the benefits of teaching mindfulness in schools and homes: “Studies in both medicine and neuroscience are showing that mindfulness is an essential life skill that can have profound consequences in terms of both physical and mental health.”

Though once considered the domain of yogis and alternative therapists, mindfulness is in fact gaining broad acceptance among mental health professionals as an adjunct to treatment. Sitting Still Like a Frog introduces families to an accessible approach to mindfulness meditation. Snel recognizes that many children are more than capable of focusing attention, living in the moment, and even sitting still. She eases the young reader into the practice with such kid-friendly concepts as training your “attention muscle,” weathering one’s internal storms, and allowing the “conveyer belt of worries” to keep moving along and out.

Step-by-step, low-pressure chapters provide readers with explanations, anecdotes, and activities. The most appealing sections are those that reflect Snel’s personal experiences as a parent and teacher, and that demonstrate how mindfulness practices, done over time—even for a few minutes a day or week—have a real impact on students’ stress levels, self-confidence, and focus. 

The audio CD, read by Myla Kabat-Zinn, has a very slow, calming yet fun quality that will especially appeal to children. Breathing exercises are the main focus, along with activities like The Spaghetti Test (a progressive relaxation exercise) and a lesson that helps listeners deal with difficulty (reflecting on positive feelings, comforting sad feelings).