The Brain and Intentional Stillness Primary
Students explore the neuroscience behind the actions for stillness. This lesson explains how intentional stillness affects the brain — from reducing stress hormone levels to strengthening neural pathways associated with focus, emotional regulation, and wellbeing — giving students a scientific foundation for the practice.
Learning Outcomes
Outcome 1:
Explain the basic neuroscience of stress and relaxation responses
Outcome 2:
Understand how intentional stillness and mindfulness affect the brain
Outcome 3:
Identify the brain regions involved in stress, focus, and emotional regulation
Outcome 4:
Connect scientific understanding to personal experience of stillness practices
What's included
A quick look at the classroom-ready resources that come with this lesson.
Contributing Experts
People who helped produce this lesson.
Amy Bradshaw
Amy Bradshaw is an strategic school leader with 20+ years experience. Multi Academy Trust Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead and teaching experience at every stage. Qualified Mindfulness practitioner for adults and children and Bounce Forward Associate Trainer. Amy is passionate about making mental health the golden thread that runs through the heart of school and communities.
About the Organisation
Bounce Forward is a registered charity on a mission to transform how we think about mental health, shifting the narrative from deficit and crisis to strength, prevention, and psychological fitness. They create evidence-based programmes, curricula, and training that give young people, school staff, and the adults around children the knowledge, language, and daily habits to build genuine mental resilience. From whole-staff training to five-year school curricula, everything they do is practical, grounded in science, and designed to make a lasting difference not just in the moment, but across a lifetime.