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Using mindfulness to support young children’s well-being in the nursery school

Sandra Lyndon, Abi Horn, Debra Laxton

Journal of Early Childhood Research November 11, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/1476718x251385079 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative action research Peer reviewed
Sample size 33
Population Children aged 3–4 years and early years professionals in nursery schools in the South of England
Intervention Mindfulness practices
Topics Meditation
Keywords Pre school Trainer Qualitative research Metacognition Action research Narrative Creativity Developmental psychology Action physics Applied psychology Intervention counseling Early childhood education Multimethodology Psychotherapist
Key findings Mindfulness practices support young children's well-being and self-regulation in nursery settings.

Abstract

This paper explores how a mindfulness approach can support young children’s well-being in nursery schools. The research draws on a small-scale qualitative research project with four maintained nursery schools in the South of England. In total there were 33 participants including 5 early years professionals and 27 children aged between 3 and 4 years. An action research approach was adopted involving the nursery schools in each stage of the project. Mixed methods were used including semi-structured interviews, narrative observations and reflective journals. In line with previous research, the findings from this study suggest that mindfulness supports children’s well-being and self-regulation. Key factors integral to the success of the project included: the role of the Mindfulness Champion; high-quality training, and an adaptable and flexible approach. In conclusion it is argued that mindfulness practices are an appropriate way of supporting children’s well-being in the early years; and that a Train The Trainer (TTT) approach is cost effective and sustainable.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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