MindUP 3-7 is a schools-based curriculum for children between 3 to 7 years old aimed at supporting social and emotional development. It is delivered by teachers to groups of children over 15 sessions of 20 to 30 minutes duration. These sessions can be taught in 15-week blocks or spread across the school year.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
3 to 7 years old
School-based
MindUP is a universal, schools-based social and emotional learning curriculum made available in separate versions for multiple age groups. The version described here is for children aged 3 to 7.
MindUP is delivered by classroom teachers over 15 lessons of 20 to 30 minutes duration, which can either be spread across the school year or taught in a 15-week block. A core part of the intervention is mindfulness breathing practice with focus on a single sound, which is intended to be practised three times a day. The duration of this practice starts at around 30 seconds and increases to around 60 seconds as children gain experience of the technique.
The first nine lessons involve activities aimed at building children’s self-regulatory and self-awareness skills through knowledge about brain functionality to help children understand how their mind works. During these first sessions, children are also introduced to mindfulness breathing techniques.
The last five sessions provide children with strategies for increasing their relationship skills. Examples of these strategies include perspective taking, practising optimism, and gratitude lessons.
Each lesson includes interactive activities and a mix of individual and group work. Additionally, children are encouraged to engage in core mindfulness strategies three times a day throughout the curriculum.
3 to 7 years old
Preschool and primary school children.
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
The ability to control thoughts, emotions, and behaviours is critical for success at school and in adulthood.
Science-based assumption
Classroom-based activities are useful in supporting children’s ability to concentrate and social and emotional self-regulatory skills.
Science-based assumption
All school-aged children can benefit from activities aimed at increasing their social and emotional awareness and regulation.
Intervention
Children learn:
Mindfulness techniques aimed at increasing their concentration and awareness capabilities
Strategies for managing their emotions and behaviour
Strategies for interacting positively with others.
Short-term
Children learn and can successfully apply mindfulness and emotion regulation techniques in the classroom.
Medium-term
Children demonstrate improved concentration skills and classroom achievement.
Long-term
Children achieve greater attainment at school
Children are better able to manage their emotions and behaviour in adolescence and adulthood.
Children aged 3 to 7.
MindUP 3-7 is delivered in 15 sessions of 20 to 30 minutes’ duration each by one practitioner, to groups of children. Children also practise breathing exercises (30 to 60 seconds) in class three times a day.
Children participate in classes incorporating interaction and both individual and group work, which cover mindfulness-based strategies to focus attention, regulate emotions, and engage in prosocial behaviours. Children are taught age-appropriate neuroscience underpinning the strategies. Children also participate in a regular mindfulness practice.
The practitioner who delivers this intervention is a qualified teacher.
The practitioners have 26 hours of intervention training. Booster training of practitioners is not required.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by two MindUP consultants with five days of curriculum training, and a MindUP school lead who is a teacher or member of the leadership team at the school offering MindUP.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Teachers receive digital decks to teach each of the 15 lessons. Ongoing CPD sessions for MindUP school leads are provided.
Email address: hello@mindup.org
Website: www.mindup.org
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
MindUP 3-7’s most rigorous evidence comes from a single, quasi-experimental study conducted in the United States which is consistent with Foundations’ Level 2 evidence strength threshold.
This study identified statistically significant improvements in teacher-reports of children’s attention, planning and memory skills, in particular working memory and planning and organising, and vocabulary and literacy skills.
MindUP 3-7 has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the intervention caused the improvement.
| Identified in search | 7 |
| Studies reviewed | 1 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 1 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 6 |
| Study design | QED (quasi-experimental design) |
| Country | United States |
| Sample characteristics | Participants were 47 pre-kindergarten students (average age 4.54 years) from an urban elementary school in southwestern United States |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
|
| Population risk factors | Economic disadvantage (72% qualified for free or reduced-price school meals) |
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes |
|
| Other outcomes | None reported |
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Thierry, K. L., Bryant, H. L., Nobles, S. S. & Norris, K. S. (2016) Two-year impact of a mindfulness-based program on preschoolers’ self-regulation and academic performance. Early Education and Development. 27 (6), 805–821. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
De Carvalho, J. S., Marques Pinto, A. & Marôco, J. (2017) Results of a mindfulness-based social-emotional learning program on Portuguese elementary students and teachers: A quasi-experimental study. Mindfulness. 8, 337–350. This reference refers to a quasi-experimental design, conducted in Portugal.
Harpin, S. B., Rossie, A. & Kim, AK. (2016) Behavioral impacts of a mindfulness pilot intervention for elementary school students. Education. 137 (2), 149–156. This reference refers to a quasi-experimental design, conducted in the USA.
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Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation’s terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
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Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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