Month: May 2023

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๐Ÿ’œ Congratulations to our featured coach – Emma Vance ๐Ÿ’œ

” My name is Emma Vance, and I have been a Relax Kids coach since 2017.  I live in Dunbar (Sunny Dunny) just outside Edinburgh, on the East Coast of Scotland. 

The reason that I began my Relax Kids journey was due to my concern about the lack of mental health support and provision for teenagers. My job at the time, involved working with teenagers who needed that extra  bit of support to realise their potential, remove barriers in their life and gain a positive destination. I was part of a team that delivered employment and educational programmes for teenagers and at one point, was the team leader of Princes Trust Team programmes. I began to become quite concerned as to the number of young people presenting with Mental Health issues who had to wait months to seen by Mental Health professionals to get support. I decided I wanted to do something practical that could help and felt that Relax Kids could be a perfect solution. 

I was quite fortunate in that my children’s Primary school head teacher (immediately) after I completed my training thought that Relax Kids would be a great programme to bring into her school and secured funding. We were then able to secure funds for a full year group of 120 kids for an entire year and I have not looked back. As someone who has worked largely with primary-aged kids, I believe that early intervention is crucial. I also have been fortunate enough to deliver Just Relax workshops for adults in several settings; as part of staff development, teachers on their university teaching courses, parentsโ€™ workshops, etc. I have experience of working with social work, nurseries, after-school clubs, primary schools, beavers, brownies, and guides. I have also delivered a Relax Kids birthday party. I have also delivered Summer Relax Kids programmes on the beach, in forests, and even in a large Yurt surrounded by Alpacas. I absolutely love the variety it offers and the fact that everyone can benefit from Relax Kids, no matter what their age.

Lockdown meant a change in the way I worked, and very quickly went online with some of the schools with which I was working. I was doubtful about online delivery at the start, but soon realised that it worked much better that I expected and still made an impact, I was really pleased that children could still benefit from Relax Kids online.

I currently work on various contracts with different primary schools delivering Relax Kids on a weekly basis. I was lucky enough to gain funding to work with two young carer groups within my local school. I have worked in partnership with Active Schools since 2017, delivering 6-week blocks to primary aged children 4 times a year.

I love the Relax Kids programme as it is wonderful to see how the techniques can really benefit children. I have had so many children telling me how much the 5-finger breathing exercise has helped them get to sleep, or how much they love getting a massage at bedtime. I think itโ€™s a win when you can also get parents to come along to a session, so that they in turn learn to how to use the techniques at home.  

I believe Relax  Kids has improved me as a parent, and I often employ the strategies with my own kids. Another success came when my child injured their ankle and said, “If I didn’t know Relax  Kids breathing techniques, I couldnโ€™t have coped with the pain” while lying in A&E. it made me realise how crucial it is for our kids to understand how their breath may actually benefit them in a variety of circumstances. I also think the support and help we get from Relax Kids HQ is second to none. I really benefit from the Facebook groups for ideas and coming from a training background, I think it is truly amazing to see all the training materials and resources we get as part of our licence. 

I think my most special moment would have been delivering the Relax Kids session on a local beach in partnership with a couple of local organisations. It was just a perfect setting, with the waves breaking in the background. It even started raining, but none of the children complained because of how much they enjoyed the benefits of having the session on the beach.”

www.facebook.com/relaxkidseastlothianemma

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Exercises for May

If your child is attending our Relax Kids classes, these exercises will support them in between classes.  If they are not attending classes, these exercises are a great introduction to relaxation

Under the Sea relaxation exercises

Sea Breathing

Lie down on your back, put your hand on your tummy and imagine you are breathing in and out like the waves. Take in a deep soft breath, and breathe out softly. Keep breathing in and out rhythmically like the tide coming in and going out, coming in and going out. Feel yourself becoming more and more relaxed.

Lie down on your back, with your legs and arms apart. Stay very still and imagine you are a sleepy starfish resting at the bottom of the ocean. Breathe in and, as you breathe out relax your arms. Breathe in and as you breathe out, relax your legs. Breathe in, and as you breathe out, relax your head. See how still you can be at the bottom of the ocean, resting like a sleepy starfish. Say to yourself, ‘I am calm and quiet, I am calm and quiet.โ€™

Relaxing on the Beach

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. 

Extract from best selling book  ‘The Wishing Starโ€™ –https://relaxkids.com/product/the-wishing-star/

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Top Marks

Larna-Mai reviewed our Concentration CD

Say hello to the lovely Larna-Mai, aged 7, who is our latest Official Relax Kids Reviewer.  She was eager to receive the https://relaxkids.com/product/concentration/  and could not wait to give it a listen.

“I love this CD because it makes me feel calm”, Larna-Mai told us. The album is designed to help children relax and focus. 

“I love track number five, the peace button”, she said.

“I think this CD is good for people who feel anxious”, she said.

Activities such as progressive muscle relaxation, visual imagery, positive affirmations and breathing techniques have been used to help reduce hyperactivity and lack of concentration in children.

Larna-Mai proudly said, “I give it a 10/10โ€.

You can browse our range of CDs https://relaxkids.com/store/product-category/cds/ 

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Mindfulness in Schools

Meditation and mindfulness are becoming more and more popular in schools.  

With the rise in child stress and mental health issues, it is becoming more and more important for pupils to take time out and experience calm in their stressful lives.

Mindfulness and relaxation can help pupils manage their anxieties and worries and gives them tools for life.  

Regular relaxation is particularly useful to counteract exam stress.

Introduce simple relaxation and mindfulness techniques into your classroom.

Benefits

Mindfulness and relaxation in schools gives pupils the following benefits:

  • Self awareness
  • Emotional literacy
  • Behavioural and social skills
  • Self-esteem and confidence
  • Positive thinking
  • Anger management
  • Listening skills, concentration and focus
  • imagination and creativity
  • Aids hyperactivity, ADHD, Autism and behavioural problems

Learning Outcomes

Physical Outcomes: relaxes muscles, calms nerves, boosts immune system, general wellbeing.

Mental Outcomes: sharpens concentration and clarity, promotes positive thinking, improves memory and recall, reduces stress and tension, develops imagination and creativity.

Many teachers have also noted that children are more attentive, focussed and happier, which has had a positive effect on attainment and attendance.

All techniques are non religious and have been used by Faith and Non-Faith schools.

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Stressed About SATs

Beat that exam stressโ€ฆ

Is your child stressed about their SATs?

Are they struggling to concentrate?

Is the stress affecting their confidence?

Then the Relax Kids EXAM SURVIVAL PACK may be the solution to your problems.

The FREE download will help your child learn how to beat exam stress and achieve their full potential.

Hereโ€™s is our Relax Kids coach Hollie’s TOP TIPS for helping exam stress:

  • Finger breathing to keep calm and confident
  • Hand/arm massage to help focus and concentrate
  • Keep your positive affirmation cards to with you to repeat to yourself whenever you need it.

Download your FREE copy of the exam survival kit TODAY – https://relaxkids.com/product/exam-success-kit/

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Relax Kids really helped me

Written by T Charles, aged 12

Here is a testimonial from a young boy who has, in his own words, has really benefited from Relax Kids…

When I was much younger, I remember my mum use to tell me that I had ants in my pants because I could never sit still for a long time and my teachers used to give me a special cushion to sit on so that I could remain in one spot for longer than 5 minutes, nothing really worked because I remember I just wanted to be active all the time. I was always talking, usually when I shouldโ€™t be, which meant I wasnโ€™t very good at listening

My mum then came across Relax Kids. She started reading the Wishing Star book to me at night, and then she would leave the CD on as I drifted off to sleep. She says it made a big difference to calming me down and me being able to concentrate more in class.

Im now 12 and have just completed my first year at secondary school. I got into a bit of trouble so mum bought me the Believe & Achieve CD. I listened to it at night as I fell asleep. My mum said she noticed around the time of listening to your CD my behaviour changed for the positive because I was no longer getting myself into situations which use to get me into trouble with my teachers at school.

T Charles, aged 12.

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Could mindfulness help my child with their SATS?

How to get the most out of revision

SATs week is here and many children (and parents!) are feeling the stress. Many children will be feeling like they need to as much revision in as possible before each of their tests. However, this could actually do more harm than good!

Often, we make the mistake of thinking that the best strategy for success is to work through as much material as quickly as possible. When, in fact cramming can have an opposite effect than was intended and actually leave children feeling worse than before!

By trying to think about too many things at once and forgetting to give their minds a rest, children can easily get lost in a muddle of half-formed thoughts and anxiety about all the different things they have to do.

Of course children may want to do some last-minute preparation before sitting their tests, but revision sessions should be brief and focused. Ideally, children should begin revision sessions with a clear head. They should avoid trying to learn new material and just do a calm and confident run-through of the main points they have learned for their upcoming test (trying not to think ahead to their other tests the following day, or the day after!).

It might sound like an impossible task to get children to clear their minds and focus on one thing at a time… but a technique called MINDFULNESS could help!

If you havenโ€™t heard of mindfulness yet, mindfulness is the practice of being present. For example, if you are walking through the park in the sunshine, mindfulness is feeling the sun on your face and the breeze in the air, rather than worrying about your destination. In the classroom or at home, being mindful could mean taking a moment to forget everything else and simply focus on your breathing, or the feel of your heart beating.

How does mindfulness work?

Children are inclined to have a million things buzzing around their head at any given moment, but this is especially true around exam time, when they are trying to remember lots and lots of information. But by trying to hold on to all of these thoughts at once, children are not able to give 100 percent attention to anything!

Mindfulness exercises will help children understand that they can put down these thoughts and pick them back up when they need to. They wonโ€™t forget what they have learned just by giving their minds a rest!

Mindfulness has been shown to have a significant effect on childrenโ€™s concentration skills. Many schools have already introduced mindfulness techniques to the classroom, and some MP3s have supported the idea of including mindfulness in the national curriculum.

Relax Kids has created https://relaxkids.com/product/stressbusters/  download album with 8 mindfulness exercises to help children get through exam stress. The album includes 8 MP3 tracks which children can listen to before a revision session, before bed, or in the car on the way to school. Download the Stress Busters album now.

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Help teens with exam stress

Simple ideas to help them feel calm

Exam time is fast approaching and children are feeling more and more pressure and stress.

The https://relaxkids.com/product/stressbusters/ album is available to download and helps teens manage their stress around exam time. Here are some simple ideas to help your child feel relaxed and calm in time for their exams.

1 Happy Place – Ask your child to close their eyes and imagine they are in their happy place. Let them stay there for a few moments.

2  Massage – A few minutes head or shoulder massage will do wonders for stress levels.

3 Breathe – Ask them to take deep breathes – in through the nose and out slowly through the mouth.

4 Write – Encourage your child to write a journal or diary and so they can identify their thoughts and feelings.

5 Exercise – Let them to take a break – go for a walk or bike ride or swim

6 Hug – Having a hug is a great healer and will make them feel safe and secure.

7 Rest – Make sure they get plenty of sleep especially before the exam.

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Top Tips For Exam Stress

Read these to your children to help battle their stress and anxiety

Their first test can be a very scary experience, those few moments before the teacher tells them to turn over the paper and begin can seem to last an agonisingly long time. Whilst waiting for the test to begin, don’t panic.

Tell them to remember how hard they have worked and that they’ve done everything that’s needed. Get them to spend a moment to relax and get into a calm state of mind so that they’ll be able to focus. Tell them to make sure they are comfortable at their desk and to take a few deep breaths.

KEEP CALM

After their first exam, they may feel a little nervous, but it’s important to still try and relax their body and mind to get rid of any worries they have so they can truly focus and do their best. Make sure they get into a learning state of mind.

STAY FOCUSED

Before the test starts, tell your child to repeat a positive affirmation to themselves in their head

Their brains have worked tremendously hard, but they must try to keep focused. During the test, if their mind starts to wonder, struggle for concentration or just get that dreaded brain-block, a simple breathing exercise can help them clear their thoughts and regain focus.

Rather than wasting lots of time panicking or stuck in a muddle, tell your child it is better to spend a few moments gathering their thoughts so that they are ready to continue with a clear head.

POSITIVE THINKING

<Did you know that positive thinking can actually help us be better at something? By feeling confident and believing that we can do something, it actually makes it easier for us to do it.

When we imagine ourselves succeeding, we get rid of any feelings of self-doubt that might hold us back. Many top athletes use positive visualisations to help them perform better.

Tell your child positive thinking can lead them to great outcomes.

KEEP HYDRATED

Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can cause headaches and mental fogginess. Children are allowed to bring a clear bottle of water into the test, so send them into their exam with water to help fight off dehydration. Do make sure the bottle is clear, with no labels.

HAVE A GOOD BREAKFAST

Make sure to avoid giving them sugary foods and refined carbohydrates like white bread. These can make their blood sugar levels spike and stop them from being able to concentrate effectively. If the tests are in the afternoon, make sure to give them a healthy snack to keep them full and energised.

EAT BRAIN FOOD

Certain foods have been proven to help your brain work more efficiently. For example, blueberries can help improve memory. Add some to their breakfast cereal to help them remember all the hard work and revision they have done.

TAKE YOUR TIME

Tell them not to panic about the time limit, it’s more important that they fully understand what they are being asked to do in the test before they try and answer the questions.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS

If there is anything they are unsure about during the test, encourage them to ask their teacher for help. They are there to support the children and there is no use struggling with something they are unsure over. Tell them to remain calm and raise their hand.

There are our nine top tips for battling exam stress. There are plenty more ways in our FREE ‘Exam Survival Kit’ and we encourage you all to download it and give it to your children, available here – https://relaxkids.com/product/exam-success-kit/ 

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Revision Tool

Simple techniques to help you stay calm and relaxed.

Exams are incredibly stressful. Here is a simple technique that you might like to use to help you stay calm and relaxed whilst alert and ready to learn.

It can also increase your learning ability and help you memorise your work. It can also help relieve exam nerves before the exam and is also great for headaches and releasing tension.

The Learning State

1 Familiarise yourself with the room in which you are in. Look around it and notice a few details,  colours, shapes, objects.

2 Close your eyes and just relax. Try to empty your mind of everything for a few seconds. You know that you can pick it up later when you need it.

3 Now open your eyes and find a spot on the wall or in front just above eye level and direct your complete attention on that spot. Focus on the spot for around 5-10 seconds before expanding your focus to the periphery whilst keeping your eyes still.

4 Relax your jaw and continue to expand your vision. Become aware of the sounds in the room and feel your body against the chair. Become aware of how your relaxed your body feels and how still your mind is.

5  Imagine stepping out of your body and being able to see the whole room. Stay in this relaxed state for as long as you wish until you are ready to continue with your study.

This is the Learning State. Your awareness is heightened and you are ready to memorise and improve your study. Try to stay in the Learning State as you continue your study.

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Coping with SATs

Help your child manage their stress during SATs

SATs are so stressful for young children. We all know that when we are stressed, we often go into shut down mode which makes it difficult to remember, concentrate and focus.

At Relax Kids, we feel that helping your child stay as relaxed as possible particularly at this time is vital.

Here are some simple Stress-busters to help keep them calm

1  Happy Place – Ask your child to close their eyes and imagine they are in their happy place. Let them stay there for a few moments.

2 Massage – A few minutes head or shoulder massage will do wonders for your childโ€™s stress levels.

3  Breathe – Take in a deep breath and breathe out slowly through the mouth.

4  Encourage – your child to write a journal or diary and so they can identify their thoughts and feelings Routine.

5 Exercise – Go for a walk or bike ride or swim.

6 Hug –  Having a hug is a great healer and will make your child feel safe and secure.

7 Rest – Make sure they get plenty of sleep especially before the exam.

8 – Donโ€™t forget to listen to the  during the run up to SATs https://relaxkids.com/product/princesses/