Peace starts within: a body scan

For a few minutes pupils move their attention through the body – from feet to the top of the head – noticing how it feels without judging.

Steps

1. A Peace Day talk: peace in the world starts with calm inside ourselves. How can we tell whether we're calm or upset?
2. Pupils sit upright, feet on the floor, eyes closed or looking down.
3. The teacher slowly guides attention: feet, calves, knees, tummy, back, hands, shoulders, neck, face, top of the head.
4. At each part pupils just notice: warmth, coolness, tension, tingling – nothing needs to change.
5. Finish with three deeper breaths. Pupils write one word: how they feel now.

Tip: A good routine before a test. If someone doesn't want to close their eyes, they can look at one spot on the desk.