How I Found Relax Kids – I think it was through a Book in a holistic shop called Angel Times in Limerick. I recently found a journal from 2009 and one of my intentions for that year was to do Relax Kids Training, things changed a lot for me that year and I didn’t actually take the Training until 2012, I travelled to Manchester and had the most amazing experience training with Marneta. Some beautiful and synchronistic opportunities arose from there and my local community were very supportive of my Relax Kids vision.
Greatest Achievement – In 2014 I became the Trainer in Ireland and over the next few years I also did Baby Mindful & Charge Up Training. I have trained over 400 Coaches & Teachers and in the 2021/22 School Year was delivering sessions to over 1000 Children per week. My largest sessions was for International Day of Happiness in 2017 we had over 300 Children and my smallest class has been with just 2 children, the magic of Relax Kids is the adaptability. I also organised a Relax Kids event in Stormont – Parliament Building’s Belfast. These have all been amazing experiences and I also feel that the greatest achievement in when a child shares their experience and how simple fun practices have empowered them in a challenging situation.
What do I love about being a coach – Everything! Knowing I am doing what I can to make a difference for future generations and being part of the Relax Kids Community of like minded coaches and head office team who are passionate about the same things that I am.
How has it helped me as a person. Living the 7 Steps is the key to life. Relax Kids has enhanced my life so much, I get to spend me day doing something I am passionate about and I have met the most incredible people over the past 10 years some who I consider my closest friends.
Before going to bed, you want to be able to switch off and be calm, in order to get the perfect nights sleep. If you are restless and have things playing on your mind, you’re not going to get a good quality rest.
Our book – ‘The Dream Machine’ can help us settle down for the night. With 100,000 combinations of story meditation, there are so many journeys to get yourself lost in. You can choose from a number of portals, such as the yellow haze, the green smoke, the purple sky and blue glass, just to name a few.
From there, you can take your magic carpet to beautiful destinations such as the woods of enchantment, whispering grasslands, the rainbow waterfall or the sleepy stream, where you can allow yourself to feel the warmth of the sun and let yourself completely relax.
Going on your own unique adventure will allow all your thoughts to float through your mind, letting you feel calm and quiet.
If you want to pick up a copy of ‘The Dream Machine’, you can do so here:
Children can now make up their own POSITACULAR and SPECMARKABLE affirmation words with this UNITASTIC flip flap book!
WHEN I’M FEELING…
This self-read flap book allows children to mix and match their relaxation and mindfulness exercises to create their own unique story meditations.
WHAT CAN I BE TODAY?
This self-read split page book allows children to create their very own unique and positive affirmations.
LET’S ALL BEE
Let’s all Bee is a fun and interactive book that helps the under fives self-regulate and learn calming tools as they read, listen, sound, wiggle and giggle.
22/4 Today we celebrate Earth Day, an international awareness day to combat worrying environmental issues like climate change, greenhouse gases, and global warming.
Most of us are aware of the threat these issues cause to our planet and our future generations. And many of us take steps to reduce our carbon footprint.
There are also plenty of signs that suggest governments are taking the matter seriously as well. Recycling is now a legal requirement in the UK. Renewable energy technology like wind farms have become a common and reassuring sight in the countryside. Plus, many public transport providers are now using much more environmentally-friendly technology, with diesel-electric hybrid busses running in London and around the globe.
Perhaps this has led many of us to believe that enough is being done to address the threat of climate change. A poll has revealed that levels of public concern for environmental issues are lower than they have been in over 20 years! The poll by GlobeScan revealed that only 49% of people surveyed thought that climate change was a very serious concern.
Unfortunately, this lack of concern is at odds with the growing body of evidence that environmental damage is more of a threat than ever!
Climate change is still a very real and growing problem, and each of us must take responsibility for our planet. Here are a few things you can do at home:
REDUCE YOUR EMISSIONS
Burning fossil fuels causes irreparable damage to our planet. Try to reduce your emissions as much as possible. If it’s not too far, try to commit to walking or cycling to school -even if it’s just one day a week you could cut your emissions by up to 20%!
If that’s not possible, why not carpool? If there are other parents at your child’s school that live near you, organise to share the journey. Speak to your school and see if they can help you set something up!
REPLENISH THE PLANET!
Plant a tree in your garden. This is a lovely way to teach children about the environment. Your tree will grow up to help produce oxygen, reduce carbon, provide food and shelter for animals, insects and all sorts of micro organisms!
TEACH CHILDREN TO APPRECIATE NATURE
It is important to teach children to love and respect nature from a young age. Our https://relaxkids.com/product/nature/ features 16 calming nature-themed meditations for children, which will teach them about nature whilst also helping them relax!
When the weather is less than desired it is difficult to appreciate our country, but here are a few reasons why living in the UK is so lovely.
Greens: The rainy weather really helps feed our environment and keeps our fields and plants looking stunning. The different shades of green are wonderful and vary throughout the year.
Seasons: Some find this a hindrance, I never know what to wear! But actually, the seasons are truly wonderful, they give us the opportunity to be able to experience the same landscape under different conditions, so we can see how things change and develop in different situations.
Proximity: We are so close to everything! We are able to just jump on a plane or a boat and be in a different country with ease, so we can learn lots about our world.
Cultures: Our world is so diverse and now, many people from all walks of life can share their own backgrounds with each other. It is so lovely to be able to share stories with people from different backgrounds and learn about life elsewhere.
These are just a few reasons why life is grand, why not tell us about where you live and what you appreciate about the area that you are from, wherever in the world you might be!
Do you have or know a teen who is struggling at the moment?
We have created a new range of audios to support young people and the myriad of issues they are going through.
Each audio has 5 longer tracks that take young people on a journey through the corridors of their mind. They learn how to change their thought patterns, relax their nervous system and power up their brains.
Each track takes teens through the corridors of their mind to find a door leading to a chamber where they find all the tools and techniques they need to overcome what they are going through.
Silence for many of us is terrifying and even just a few moments of silence on the radio or TV can seem to last much longer. We are so used to filling up every gap of silence either with the sound of the radio, music or TV.
Here are some tips to bring more silence into your life.
1. Turn off background noise for a while (TV, radio and music) and just enjoy being with your own thoughts
2 Get up a few minutes earlier, sit up in bed or on the sofa and spend a few moments quiet. You can use the moments to plan the day, practice being grateful for everything in your life or just being mindful and silent.
3. Set up a time of the day to practice 15 mins meditation or sitting in silence. If you need some assistance, you could try a relaxation CD such as the Relax Kids Nature CD or simply be aware of your body and your feelings. https://relaxkids.com/product/nature/
4. Go out and spend a few moments in nature. Wrap up warm if it is cold and just enjoy being quiet and listening to the sounds around you.
Getting out of the house does wonders for our mental health and it is well known that children’s wellbeing increases when they are out in nature.
Have you tried Forest Bathing or ‘Shinrin-yoku’’? It is Japanese for absorbing nature’ and is all about getting out in nature to reduce stress, improve mood and increase energy levels and sleep.
It’s important to get children outside as much as possible, to stimulate their brains away from all the technology distractions they face in today’s world.
Here are some Forest Bathing tips:
Go for a walk, after school, on the weekend, or in the evening. Feel the crunch of the ground beneath your feet, listen to the birds chirp and admire the beautiful colours. Feel the wind on your face. Look up at a tree and notice the shapes of the branches and leaves. Breathe in the fresh outdoor air and feel invigorated. Pick up a leaf and notice every detail on it.
You may even like to play an outdoor scavenger hunt where children have to find something green, something made of wood, something hard and something soft etc.
Try these Nature Exercises – indoors or out
Green Breaths – Lie or sit down and place your hand on your tummy. Breathe in and out gently and feel your tummy rising and falling. Now, as you breathe in, imagine you are breathing green light. It feels very calming and peaceful. Now breathe the green light out into the room. Fill the whole room with soft green light. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.
Butterfly Massage – You may like to try these massage strokes on your child’s back or encourage siblings to give each other a relaxing massage. Imagine your thumbs are a caterpillar crawling up your child’s spine. Slowly and gently walk up the sides of the spine like a caterpillar. Walk right up to the neck and down again. Now, rub the back to warm it up. Finally practice some butterfly strokes and flutter your fingers all over your child’s head, neck and back.
If you can’t get outside, our Nature audio brings the quiet of nature inside children’s heads and is like Forest Bathing for the mind – without even needing to put on their coats!
The Nature audio includes 16 calming nature relaxation that help soothe anxieties and calm the nerves. Examples include: lying in the soft grass, sitting in a peaceful cave and flying like a bird. These relaxations aim to develop confidence and creativity.
The Nature audio is the ultimate endorphin kick and immunity boost. The tracks on this audio will help children feel amazing, by releasing the same positive endorphins as a trip to the sea side, while teaching them important relaxation techniques that will help them manage their emotions as they journey through life.
Try our Nature CD or Nature MP3 and go out an explore all the nature that is around you!
‘My 10 year old son was finding it difficult to get to sleep and was often still awake at midnight. After success with the Nature meditations CD, we now have 2 more and Jack really enjoys picking which one to listen to and choosing which track to start on. Each night is a new meditation adventure for him instead of being a nightmare’ – parent
Here is our simple plan to help your child manage their SATs
We all love Spring Time, but unfortunately it is the time of SATs and tests which can be confusing and stressful for parents and children. SATs help teachers to learn more about how well your child is doing in their core subjects. Your child will be tested and assessed in Maths, English (and possibly Science).
There are 6 weeks to go before SATs and so now is a great time to help them prepare so they feel relaxed and confident.
Week 1: Prepare
Do some research and find out about SATs tests for your child’s age group.
Take an interest and talk to your child about their SATs.
Reassure your child that they don’t need to feel anxious or worried as they will only be asked questions on things that they have already learnt.
Set up a relaxation corner. Fill it with soft cushions, beautiful fabrics or maybe a comfy chair. Creating a corner of the room that is special is a great way to encourage your child to enjoy relaxing. Candles, incense and relaxing music will all add to the calm and atmosphere of this special space.
Regular relaxation will help your child’s concentration. Try our https://relaxkids.com/product/concentration/ Concentration CD if your child struggles with focus and concentration – just 3 minutes before study can make a big difference.
Week 5: Fun!
Ensure that alongside study and relaxation, your child has plenty of fun. Regular breaks are essential. If your child feels under pressure, they will feel stressed and tired.
Set up times where they can play on the bike or Wii or do whatever they enjoy. Exercise will give them a fabulous boost both mentally and physically.
Week 6: Affirm
Reassure and Praise your child for all their hard work.
Make a list of all the things that they are good at.
After all the fun of easter egg hunts, easter games, and lots and lots of chocolate, there’s no better time to do some relaxation! Try these Spring time exercises at
Easter Egg – Imagine that you are a chocolate easter egg outside in the sunshine. You feel yourself melting slowly. Feel your whole body becoming relaxed and letting go as you melt and sink further into the floor.
Green Breaths – Lie down on the floor or bed and put your hand on your tummy. Breathe in and out gently and feel your tummy rising and falling. Now, as you breathe in, imagine you are breathing green light. It feels very calming and peaceful. Now breathe the green light out into the room. Fill the whole room with soft green light. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.
Butterfly Massage – You may like to try these massage strokes on your child’s back or encourage siblings to give each other a relaxing massage. Imagine your thumbs are a caterpillar crawling up your child’s spine. Slowly and gently walk up the sides of the spine like a caterpillar. Walk right up to the neck and down again. Now, rub the back to warm it up. Finally practice some butterfly strokes and flutter your fingers all over your child’s head, neck and back.
Years and years ago, we sat, as families and communities around the blazing orange camp fire each night telling stories, jokes, sharing ideas and going over each day.
We felt connected.
But our modern day campfire has turned into a blue light.
Each night we sit around our digital camp fires (some separate, some together) and watch stories and laugh and are entertained, but despite connection to the worldwide we just don’t have that feeling of deep connection.
Added to this disconnect, we know, the blue light at night can have a damaging affect on our sleep and health, so exacerbating the problem.
And now, we all feel rather zoomed and videoed out.
Here are 3 things we can do to help get ourselves and our families back to feeling calm and connected again.
Nature, Nurture and Nourishment.
Nature – helps us feel more connected because we are nature. Walking, scavenger hunts, appreciating being in nature, breathing in fresh air, blowing on dandelions, getting exercise outside, sun rays and looking at greens and blues is all so so good for your child’s brain. This doesn’t have to be big expensive days out – just a little more time in garden, your local park or town walks appreciating the nature peeking through pavements. Spend as much time outside with shoes off and feel the grass or earth between your toes.
Nurture – giving your child attention, affection and lots of affirmation can literally help grow their brain and help empower them, build resilience. In our Relax Kids classes, we do lots of this to help children feel calm confident and creative.
Nourishment – nourishment through not just good food, but good thoughts, words and deeds as well as plenty of rest and relaxation.
Try one or all of the magic 3 and notice how you feel.
The Relax Kids Nature audio gives children a chance to experience nature at home.
It brings the quiet of nature inside children’s heads and is like Forest bathing for the mind that gives all the healthy benefits without even needing to put on their coats!
The Nature audio includes 16 calming nature relaxation that help soothe anxieties and calm the nerves. Examples include: lying in the soft grass, sitting in a peaceful cave and flying like a bird. These relaxations aim to develop confidence and creativity.
The Nature audio is the ultimate endorphin kick and immunity boost. The tracks on this audio will help children feel amazing, by releasing the same positive endorphins as a trip to the sea side, while teaching them important relaxation techniques that will help them manage their emotions as they journey through life.
Try our Nature CD or Nature MP3 and go out an explore all the nature that is around you!
This month, we are appreciating nature and making sure we spend as much time out in nature – to rest and restore our health and wellbeing.
Here are some nature exercises for you to try with the family.
Wind bathing Wind bathing helps restore balance and harmony to your system. Stand outside on a windy day and feel the wind touching your skin and hair. Turn around and let the wind touch your whole body.
Sun Massage Stand in the sunshine. Focus on your skin and notice how the warm sun feels on your face and body. Turn around slowly allowing the sun to massage your skin.
Colour Bath Choose a colour in nature – blue or green. Stand still and focus on that colour. Notice how it makes you feel. Breathe in and out slowly and feel as if you are relaxing in a lovely colour bath.
Cloud Watching Look up at the clouds and watch them move. Notice the shapes and how they change. What shapes are they?
Nature Sensing As you stand in the garden or park, notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell and notice how you feel inside.
Fractal Tracing Look at a tree in the distance and relax your eyes and with soft eyes follow the shape of the tree.
The Relax Kids Nature audio gives children a chance to experience nature at home.
It brings the quiet of nature inside children’s heads and is like Forest bathing for the mind that gives all the healthy benefits without even needing to put on their coats!
The Nature audio includes 16 calming nature relaxation that help soothe anxieties and calm the nerves. Examples include: lying in the soft grass, sitting in a peaceful cave and flying like a bird. These relaxations aim to develop confidence and creativity.
The Nature audio is the ultimate endorphin kick and immunity boost. The tracks on this audio will help children feel amazing, by releasing the same positive endorphins as a trip to the sea side, while teaching them important relaxation techniques that will help them manage their emotions as they journey through life.
Try our Nature CD or Nature MP3 and go out an explore all the nature that is around you!
People who experience nature are happiest, says Happiness Report
The report, known as the Happiness Index, was carried out by the Office of National Statistics, and launched by the government to find out what they can do to improve lives.
The report provides a refreshing alternative to the traditional national statistics reports (e.g. Gross Domestic Product) which focus on household income, employment, health and education as a means to determine national success.
The Happiness Index places a greater emphasis on national well being. The questions in the report are designed provide a more in depth overview of what makes really Britons happy. Questions included:
Are you satisfied with life?
Are you satisfied with your husband, wife or partner?
Are you happy in your job?Do you feel involved in your neighbourhood?
How often do you visit nature?
Topping the happiness scale in England, was the small county of Rutland, famed for its beautiful countryside and scenic water reservoir. With over 80 percent of people living in Rutland reporting the highest happiness levels (between 7-10) on a scale of 0-10.
This followed a trend of rural or seaside counties consistently scoring highly in the happiness ratings.
Although all of us might not be lucky enough to live in the countryside or by the sea, there’s nothing to stop us reaping the benefits of nature at home!
Dr D.R.Hamilton in his book, Why Kindness is Good for You, explains how thinking about something and doing something can have the same effect on your brain.
He uses the simple example of moving our little finger. If we spent an hour moving our little finger back and forth, the part of our brain responsible for moving our little finger will have grown. However, new research shows that if we were to just think about moving our finger back and forth for the same amount of time, the same part of our brain -that responsible for moving our little finger, will have also grown! (Why Kindness is Good for You, p.54).
Thinking the same thought or stimulating the same part of the brain (as in the part responsible for kindness), will over a period of time create new pathways in our brain, to make that thought, action or feeling come more naturally.
The Relax Kids Nature CD gives children a chance to experience nature at home. The tracks on this CD will help children feel amazing, by releasing the same positive endorphins as a trip to the sea side, while teaching them important relaxation techniques that will help them manage their emotions as they journey through life.
Try reading this visualisation at home with your child:
Close your eyes, be very still and imagine you are lying down on the beach.
Feel the warm sand underneath your body.
You can hear the waves of the sea.
Now very gently you are going to relax each part of your body.
Start with your feet, let your toes completely relax and become soft. Let this feeling spread gently through your feet. Now squeeze your legs and gently let them go. Feel all the tension in your legs being released as they become relaxed and soft.
Squeeze the muscles in your tummy and let go completely.
Stretch your back as long as you can and relax.
Can you feel your back sinking into the sand?
Now let your shoulders and neck become soft, as all the tension melts away.
Squeeze your arms as tight as you can and let them go.
Allow your arms to feel heavy as they sink into the sand.
Squeeze your fingers into a tight fist, and now uncurl them slowly and rest them on the golden sand.
Scrunch your face into a tiny ball and let go and relax.
Let your head completely relax: relax your eyes, your ears, your cheeks, your forehead.
Become completely still and relaxed.
Feel the warm sun on your face and body as you sink further into the powdery sand.
Stay there for a few more moments, enjoying the feeling of being completely relaxed.
For more visualisations like this one, try our Nature CD, with 16 relaxing nature visualisations, including flying like a bird, floating down a river, and stars in the sky.
Life is so busy for most of us and we often don’t have time to relax. Mindful walking is a great way to de-stress while doing something that we all do.
Mindful walking allows us to feel calm and in control again even for just a few moments. It’s a great way to take time out without the pressure of sitting still and meditating.
You may like to make a special time to do your mindful walk in the morning or evening or just incorporate it into your daily walk to the shops or work. If you have a dog, you might like to try some mindful walking as part of your daily dog walk. This is a great exercise to teach children.
1 As you walk, become aware of your breathing. Continue to breathe in and out steadily.
2 Be aware of how your feet touch the ground. Notice what part of your foot touches the ground first and how it feels as it touches and leaves the ground.
3 Become aware of your legs and hips as you move. Do you feel any tension?
4 Become aware of your arms swinging as you walk.
5 Notice how the air feels against your skin.
6 Be aware of the colours and shapes around you.
7 Become aware of the smells around you as you walk.
8 Continue to be aware of your breathing and every sensation in your body as you walk.
The Relax Kids Nature audio gives children a chance to experience nature at home.
It brings the quiet of nature inside children’s heads and is like Forest bathing for the mind that gives all the healthy benefits without even needing to put on their coats!
The Nature audio includes 16 calming nature relaxation that help soothe anxieties and calm the nerves. Examples include: lying in the soft grass, sitting in a peaceful cave and flying like a bird. These relaxations aim to develop confidence and creativity.
The Nature audio is the ultimate endorphin kick and immunity boost. The tracks on this audio will help children feel amazing, by releasing the same positive endorphins as a trip to the sea side, while teaching them important relaxation techniques that will help them manage their emotions as they journey through life.
Here are some simple and fun activities to do with the children this Easter holiday!
Themed walks
Complete a ‘colour palette walk’ and note down the shades and tones you spot.
A ‘Fruits of the Forest’ walk would allow children to collect stones, leaves and other special gifts from nature. You could even plan a ‘Treasure Hunt’ or an Easter Egg hunt where you could create a route together with your child and have a gift set up at the finish line for reaching your final destination!
Holiday Journal
Try and see how many different types of leaves you can find. These can then be taken home and pressed into a lovely spring scrapbook to which all the family can contribute. Write poems and stories inspired by the break.
Easter picnics
Pack a basket full of your favourite foods and set out a blanket in your lounge or get out in the garden or park.
Forest sculptures
Construct your own statue using things found from mother nature.
Plant something
Give something back to nature, whether it is something you have found on one of your holiday adventures or the seeds from your fruits Remember to thank the great outdoors for the fun it has provided you with over this break. Have a listen to the tracks below.
Winding Down
The Relax Kids Nature Meditations CD is a great way to finish off those busy days and relax your children and yet preserve their encounter with the great outdoors, in a productive, comforting way. https://relaxkids.com/product/nature/
