Here are five more mindfulness activities you can try when you’re ready to branch out from mindful meditation. Each of these are things you can combine with popular hobbies or even do with other people.

As with all mindfulness activities, there’s no trick to learning to do them mindfully. It just takes practice. Pick one you like and practice it until you get it down. If it proves too hard for you at first, move on to a different one.

1.) Mindfulness Apps

If you want some outside help with your mindfulness practice, consider trying one of these apps. There are many on the market today. Many of them are free but some do require a small subscription fee. Examples include Headspace, Calm, and Noom Mood. I personally have tried several and have found that Calm is one of my favorites.

All of these apps are designed to help you be more mindful, some through guided mindfulness meditations and some through various activities. They’re a good way to mix up your practice and try a lot of new things!

2.) Mindful Body Scanning

This activity is exactly what it sounds like. Either sit or lie down in a quiet place. Take some deep breaths to calm your mind and body. Now scan your body slowly, mindfully, and notice every aspect of your body and how it works.

Also look for any spots of pain, tension, or discomfort. Do you notice anything wrong? See if you can release any problem spots with massage or relaxation exercises.

3.) Mindful Art

Another activity that is just what it sounds like. Do you like making art? Try doing it mindfully instead of getting lost in the flow. You can do any kind of art this way, from painting to sculpting. Remember the coloring books a few years back that were popular and we still see them at bookstores. This is an example of mindful art.

4.) Mindful Crafts

Crafting is another activity that lends itself well to mindfulness. Some crafts require more focus than others to begin with (lapidary requires your full attention, while you can watch TV while knitting, for example) but try to approach any crafts you like to make mindfully and see how it improves your practice!

5.) Mindful Dancing

Dancing is one of the best activities for mindfulness practice! You don’t need to do any particular kind of dance or form for this activity; in fact, those can be counterproductive. Instead, turn on some music you like and let it move you. Notice how your body wants to move and let it. Don’t think about it; just notice how your body reacts and let it flow.