Susan Kaiser Greenland

Susan Kaiser Greenland is an internationally recognized leader in teaching mindfulness and meditation to children, teens, and families. She played a foundational role in making mindfulness practices developmentally appropriate for young people and helped to pioneer activity-based mindfulness with her first book The Mindful Child. Her second book, Mindful Games, offers simple explanations of complex concepts, methods, and themes while expanding upon her work developing activity-based mindfulness games. Susan and her husband, the author Seth Greenland, founded The Inner Kids Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that taught secular mindfulness in schools and community-based programs in the greater Los Angeles area from 2001 through 2009. In 2006, Susan was recognized as a “Champion for our Children” by First 5 LA, the largest and most influential children’s advocacy group in Los Angeles. Susan was on the clinical team of the Pediatric Pain Clinic at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, co-investigator on several UCLA research studies on the impact of mindfulness in education, and a collaborator on an investigation of mindful eating for children and caregivers. Research on the Inner Kids elementary school program has been published in the Journal of Applied School Psychology. Her website is www.susankaisergreenland.com.

"Mindful Games is a remarkable book. It interweaves engaging and practical mindfulness exercises for children with a sophisticated and nuanced exploration of the psychology and insight wisdoms underlying them. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone with children in their lives—indeed, for anyone at all. Highly recommended." —Joseph Goldstein, author of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening

"Susan Kaiser Greenland captures the essence of mindfulness in a way that very few people can. As an experienced practitioner and teacher, her insight shines through on every page, and Mindful Games will undoubtedly be a wonderful resource for every parent and child alike." —Andy Puddicombe, founder of Headspace

"Children who are born and grow up in today’s world face unprecedented psychological challenges that are not of their own making but were thrust upon them by earlier generations. This means that we adults have a moral responsibility to do all we can to help young people develop the cognitive and emotional skills that will enable them not only to survive but to flourish in the world they have inherited from us. Susan Kaiser Greenland’s Mindful Games is a very welcome and important companion volume to her groundbreaking earlier book The Mindful Child. I recommend it highly for its bountiful wisdom and skillful means, based on many years of her pioneering work in this field." —B. Alan Wallace, author of The Attention Revolution

"Susan Kaiser Greenland, the pioneer in bringing mindfulness to young children, has done it again! Mindful Games is not only a fun way to teach and learn mindfulness but a truly wise way as well. Buy an extra copy because Mindful Games is destined to be one of the most beloved, well-worn references for parents, professionals, and kids alike." —Christopher Willard, PsyD, author of Growing Up Mindful

"Wise, practical, captivating, and fun, Mindful Games blends a life’s work of the devoted, humble, and brilliant Susan Kaiser Greenland into an at once useful and fascinating masterpiece. Illuminating ancient contemplative principles and applying them for serious and playful everyday use in practical exercises for youth and their families, this magnificent book offers us a powerful means for utilizing science-proven ways to strengthen a child or teen’s mind by supporting the development of their brains and interpersonal relationships. You may even find, as I have, that these insightful ideas and games will enhance your own life as well. Soak in these words of wisdom, and enjoy the journey!" —Daniel J. Siegel, MD, author, Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human

"A wonderful, fun, and engaging way to bring mindfulness into a child’s life." —Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

"Susan Kaiser Greenland has played a foundational role in making mindfulness practices developmentally appropriate for young people. In Mindful Games, she builds on her previous work by emphasizing play and creativity in teaching mindfulness skills. This is truly the way forward for making mindfulness a true exploration rather than just another chore or "to do" for our kids." —Chris McKenna, Program Director, Mindful Schools (www.mindfulschools.org)

"The practical benefits of mindfulness are wide-ranging and undeniable. This wonderful book helps bring this transformative practice into the routines of those who will carry it into the future: our children." —Congressman Tim Ryan

"In Mindful Games, Susan Kaiser Greenland offers a highly engaging and easy-to-understand set of activities to use with groups of children. All the games support understanding and empathy—and seem like fun! Susan draws on her own deep understanding of meditation and mindfulness practice, as well as her extensive knowledge of child development and research. Although written for adults working with groups of children, this book is certain to enrich the lives of any reader." —Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness

"In her marvelous new book, Susan Kaiser Greenland provides a whole new alphabet for raising better children as well as our best selves." —Surya Das, author of Awakening the Buddha Within