Playing Games

Listening to the Voices of Children to Tailor a Mindfulness Intervention

Abstract

This field report describes a community-based project that incorporates game playing to enhance an existing mindfulness-based stress reduction approach for children. The first phase of the project involved content analysis of children’s diary recordings their experiences of participating in a mindfulness intervention. In the second phase, focus groups conducted with a group of these children guided the development of a game-playing script that could be used in delivery of a mindfulness program. Significant lessons are offered regarding incorporating gameplaying into a mindfulness program that recognizes the voices of children and respects and values their experiences.