Sit Back, Relax, and…Color a Mandala?

Sep 17, 2010 by sfitzell

When a student has a large or challenging assignment, it is easy for them to become frustrated, stressed and unfocused.  When other relaxation techniques such as deep-breathing fail, coloring a mandala may be the answer to relieving the student’s stress.

A mandala is a geometric or pictorial design often enclosed in a circle.  Coloring one can help to calm the mind and kindle creativity.

How they work:

• Coloring from the center to the edge broadens attention
• Coloring from the edge to the center focuses attention
• Relaxes the body
• Activates the right brain
• Visual prompt/structural map for writing feelings in a poem, song or composition

A good source for mandalas can be found at http://www.mandali.com

Mandalas can also be a useful tool in the classroom to help calm a rowdy, inattentive class, or help students focus before a test.