Month: August 2023

Posted on by

💜 Congratulations to our featured coach – Dana Bishop 💜

“I trained to become a Relax Kids Coach in February 2018 after a friend told me about Relax Kids. I have 2 boys and my eldest has complex medical needs including severe Eczema. I really wanted to become a coach to help him and his brother learn mindful techniques, as life can be very challenging.

I’ve also worked with children and families for 25 years as a teacher, nanny and family support worker and I could really see how they would benefit from the Relax Kids Programme.

The training was an inspirational weekend led by the amazing coach Anna. I met some fantastic ladies and left the weekend feeling that I could make a difference. 

Initially I just used the Relax Kids techniques at home but then I was asked to do 1-1s with friend’s children and I haven’t looked back! I’ve worked in schools, nurseries, Brownies, Guides and Cubs units and childminding settings.I’ve also run relaxation groups for parents, Young carers and community classes.

The most rewarding work i’ve done is being able to work with the charity NEST (Nephrotic Sydrome Support) offering 1-1s to children struggling with the challenges of living with this life threatening kidney condition. My son also has NS so its rewarding to help the charity and give back. Parents have fed back that their child’s Mental health has significantly improved after the sessions. 

In the future i’m hopefully working with an Eczema charity to offer sessions to children living with Eczema, as I know personally how this condition can have a huge effect on your Mental health.

I think the most powerful that has happened as a result of Relax Kids is hearing my son using affirmations to help with his needle phobia. From being held still by 2 adults he now just sits still and shouts out the affirmation ‘I am brave’ when he has a monthly injection!

Relax Kids isn’t just a job for me it’s my passion. It really has changed my life and i’m privileged to help children and parents.”

www.facebook.com/relaxkidstadworthandwaltonwithdana

Posted on by

Back to school with Pants of Peace

Simple exercises to help kids feel calm and confident

Mindfulness and relaxation exercises can help your child manage stress and anxiety, sleep better, concentrate, feel more calm and in control. It is easy to integrate and once it is a habit that children will come to enjoy.

Start a regular practice of mindfulness, meditation or quiet reflection each day for yourself. When your child sees you doing this and see the benefits and effects on your mood and behaviour, they will show more interest. 

Create a calm corner or a special place with blankets and cushions. If there is space, let your child build a relaxing den. They will start to love coming to their special place.

Keep the practice short and simple for your child. 

Use simple relaxation/visualisation books or Relax Kids CDs to help children relax and meditate. 

Build a regular short practice together- even if it is only 2-5 minutes. You could set a timer so they know when it is coming to an end. 

Combine the session with massage and hugs after and time to chat and children will come to appreciate and love their quality time. 

Try simple breathing exercises where they breathe in and out deeply, repeating “I am peaceful”  in their mind.

Here are some simple and fun exercises to try with your child.

Button of Brilliance

Tell your child that they have a magic button on their body. The button can be on their right elbow or right shoulder. When they press their button of brilliance, they start to feel great. Try and encourage them to smile while they touch the button of brilliance. They can imagine they are breathing in brilliance and shining like a brilliant star. They can imagine that everything they say and do is brilliant. Start using the button of brilliance often and remind your child they have it. 

At any point in the day you can touch their button or they can touch their button of brilliance. 

As they get used to their button of brilliance they can test it in more difficult situations.

Cloak of Protection

Tell your child they have an invisible Cloak of Protection. They can put on their imaginary cloak of protection and close their eyes and feel how it feels and breathe in some calming breaths. Tell your child that once the cloak of protection is on, any nasty words from others simply bounce off it and they are safe. Let them put on their cloak on the way to school and they can take it off when they come home or go to bed.

Confidence Switch

Ask your child to think of people who are really confident. They can choose their favourite book or film characters, sports personalities or superheroes. Get them to stay still and imagine all those confident feelings entering their body. Breathe in confidence. Feel confidence all the way to their toes! 

As they have these confident thoughts and feelings ask them to squeeze their thumb and first finger together.  This is their confidence switch and they can use it whenever they have a situation that they need a bit of extra confidence. All they have to do is squeeze their finger and thumb and feel those powerful confident feelings flooding back into the body.

Pants of Peace

Close your eyes and become as still as possible. Become aware of your breathing.  Feel the softness of your breath going in and coming out again. Spend a few moments watching your breathing. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. Imagine you are standing in front of your wardrobe.  You see your Pants of Peace. How do they feel in your hands? 

Are they soft like clouds and cotton wool? Are they as light as feathers? How do you feel when you hold your Pants of Peace? Put the pants of peace on and notice how you feel all through your body. Do you feel still and calm? Do you feel peaceful and quiet wearing your Pants of Peace? 

What do you feel like doing now you are wearing your Pants of Peace? Can you think of times where you need to put on your Pants of Peace?

How does peace feel inside your body. What does peace mean to you? Take a deep breath in and breathe out slowly. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in and say 'I am peaceful, breathe out and say “I am peaceful”.

Extract from Pants of Peace book by Marneta Viegas

Order your Pants of Peace book now! https://relaxkids.com/product/pants-of-peace/

Posted on by

How do you get the Back to School bedtime routine

Tips to get your back on track

Getting back to the early bedtime routine can be so hard for families after 6-8 weeks of late nights and fun!

Try some of these ideas

  • Adjust bedtime by about 15-20 mins each day until you get to your child’s normal bedtime.
  • Limit screen time at least an hour before bed and start calming activities 30 mins before bed.
  • Dim the lights as much as possible to encourage children to feel sleepy.
  • Create a routine that includes warm baths, soothing drinks and stories and try to stick to the same routine.
  • If possible turn off all blue lights from electronic devices and even night lights which can interfere with children’s body clock.
  • Play relaxing music in the evening have the radio set to Jazz fm or Classic fm.
  • Give your child a relaxing massage. Foot and forehead and back massages are perfect for getting them calm. & Don’t worry about getting your technique right – as long as it feels good, it is right.
  • Some yoga stretches such as simple forward bends encourages the body into a state of relaxation.
  • Lie down with your child and put your hands on your stomachs and notice your breathing.;Let the breathing become soft and steady.
  • Read a relaxing visualisation to your child or let them sleep listening to the Relax Kids CDs.

Download your FREE wellbeing pack – www.relaxkids.com/wellbeing

Posted on by

Back To School

Help my child concentrate

Getting children to get back into school mode after a long holiday break can be challenging for many parents and teachers.

Here are some simple tips and games to help you improve your child’s concentration.

1 Limit electronic games especially in the evening as these can increase brain activity which effects concentration.

2 Encourage board games and card games which require and so improve concentration.

3 Encourage your child to listen to the Relax Kids Concentration CD each night. https://relaxkids.com/product/concentration/ 

4 For younger children read them a story and ask questions so checking their concentration levels.

5 Play memory games such as Shopping List where your child as to remember and concentrate

6 Make sure your child has plenty of time outside and in nature as this can improve concentration.

7 Consider decorating your child’s room or at least adding something green to create an atmosphere of calm and concentration.

8 Healthy eating can make a huge impact on your child’s concentration. Increase berries and ensure they have a balanced healthy diet.

Here are some exercises to help children develop their concentration

Spot Exercise: Make a spot on the wall with a sticker or ask children to focus on a spot. It needs to be at eye level. Make sure children are about 10 inches away from the spot and let them concentrate on it for a few minutes. Encourage children to breathe deeply as they focus on the spot.

Concentrate on the Within: Lie down and thoroughly relax your muscles. Concentrate on the beating of your heart. Do not pay any attention to anything else. Think how this great organ is pumping the blood to every part of the body; try to actually picture the blood leaving the great reservoir and going in one stream right down to the toes. Picture another going down the arms to the tips of the fingers. After a little practice you can actually feel the blood passing through your system.

Clock watching: Ask children to sit in front of a clock with a second hand. They have to stay as still as possible and follow the second hand with their eyes as it goes round and think of nothing but the watching the second hand. See who can concentrate on the second hand the longest.

Don’t forget the Relax Kids https://relaxkids.com/product/concentration/ CD 

Posted on by

Relax this summer!

Introduce a relaxation routine

The summer holidays is the perfect time to introduce a regular relaxation routine. 

If you can establish the routine in the next few weeks, children will reap the benefits when they go back to school.

A few moments of relaxation each day can really help children relax and de-stress. 

Relaxation is so simple to do and it can help your child’s learning and concentration.

Here are some activities you can do with your child to help them feel more relaxed:

  • Simple yoga stretches – buy a book or go along to a yoga or Relax Kids class!
  • Breathing exercises – just take in a deep breath and breathe out slowly
  • Affirmations – repeat 10 times I am calm and relaxed, I am calm and relaxed
  • Visualisations – imagine you are floating on a cloud
  • Massage – spend some time massaging your child’s hands or feet
Posted on by

Relax and Sleep MP3

Does your child worry and get anxious at bedtime? SLEEPING PROBLEMS?

Are you tired of spending hours waiting for your child to fall asleep?

Here is a calming solution to bedtime worries.

Relax and Sleep MP3

Guided visualisations for a restful sleep.

We have selected the best Relax Kids tracks to help your child have a good nights sleep. This remix compilation gives children tools and techniques to help them feel calm, self-soothe and drift off to sleep.Relax Kids have been putting millions of children to sleep for twenty years and we have compiled all our best sleep tracks in one audio to help guide your child into a restful and relaxing sleep.

Order your copy today! Relax and Sleep MP3 – https://relaxkids.com/product/relax-and-sleep/

Posted on by

Mental and Emotional Support for ChildrenThe Relax Kids ME range has been developed to help children of all ages feel more rested, reassured and resilient.

These unique meditations are beautiful imagination aids to help induce states of relaxation, build life long skills and give children permission to enjoy quiet times and downtimes. 

There are 7 titles in the range – each one created to support the various challenges that our 

modern day children are dealing with. 

Calm ME  – for fearful thoughts, overwhelm and stressful moments

Boost ME – for negative self-talk, self-doubt and low self- esteem 

Soothe ME – for difficult bedtimes and restless sleep

Motivate ME – for low moods, lack of interest and mental fatigue

Focus ME – for scattered brains, wandering thoughts and concentration struggles

Cool ME – for hot heads, tense moments and dealing with life’s irritations 

Comfort ME – for anxious feelings, low moods and sad days

Posted on by

Help – My child has nightmares!

Meditation before sleep can make a difference!

Last night I received a message from a very worried mother saying that her six year old had great anxiety around sleep and would often have nightmares and wake up terrified.  She was asking for a Relax Kids MP3 suggestion.

I suggested the Superheroes and Wizard MP3 and she promptly downloaded them.  

I received a message this morning saying that it seemed to work and he went to sleep with positive thoughts in his head and had good dreams.

Our MP3s are full of positive affirmations and positive story meditations which help children fall asleep easily and effortlessly.  

Download an album today and see the difference a little relaxation can make to your child’s sleeping patterns. https://relaxkids.com/store/product-category/mp3s/

Posted on by

Buy Relax Kids MP3 downloads 

You can buy a fantastic range of Relax Kids albums online – some of which are not available in CD format.

LITTLE STARS is great for young children.   

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY is perfect for children who need some help managing their changing moods.

STRESS BUSTERS has been designed to help teens relax.

WIZARD album is a hit with children who love creative visualisation 

SILENT NIGHTS s prefect to help children get to sleep during the exciting run up to Christmas.

You can also find a selection of other music and guided meditations for adults.

Visit our MP3 Store:  https://relaxkids.com/store/product-category/mp3s/

Posted on by

Do you want your child to be a Shining Star?

We are so pleased to announce a re-release of our first (and now discontinued) CD Shining Stars.

This is now a beautiful MP3 full of restful meditations, stories and songs to help children feel calm, rested and reassured. This MP3 is perfect for bedtime, napping and any time you need to bring some calm to your home.

It suitable for children of all ages.

Order your copy today: https://relaxkids.com/product/shining-stars/