In today's mindful moment, we will be planting peace. In this exercise, we will be growing our empathy, our emotional regulation and our self-control. Let's try it! What happens if you plant a tomato seed? Hopefully, you'll grow a tomato. And if you plant a sunflower seed, you'll grow a sunflower. The same works in your brain. Imagine your mind is like a garden planted with many different kinds of seeds. Seeds of joy, peace, mindfulness, undertsanding, and love. Seeds of craving, anger,...

Let’s face it, mistakes don’t feel good, but they are a natural and important part of life. We often view mistakes negatively, however, they provide the opportunity to learn and grow, to try something new, or view something from a different perspective. Learning to handle a mistake gracefully and using it to your advantage is a valuable life skill. So, what can we do to help our children and students embrace their mistakes and reframe failures as opportunities for growth? How can we help...

In today's mindful moment, we will be doing a yoga pose called Cat and Cow. These poses are great for relieving tension and stretching your upper body. They can be done either seated or on hands and knees on the floor. Let's try it! If you are seated in a chair, start by sitting tall, bring your hands together, and interlace your fingers. Turn your palms out and extend your arms straight to the sky. Inhale as you arch your back and tip your chin up. You're like a cow with a big...

Confidence and self-esteem are important concepts for kids to embody because they help them to feel good about themselves and give them the power to believe in their own abilities. When kids have a healthy sense of self-confidence and self-esteem, they are more likely to be successful in school and in their personal lives. Raising kids who are confident in their own skin can be a challenge for any parent or educator. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help children feel good...

For today's mindful moment, we're going to take a journey in our imagination to our Peaceful Garden. This script works well in the classroom and is designed for children sitting at desks, but could be modified for lying down. Be sure to listen in for the full meditation. Find a comfortable place to rest, close your eyes, or gaze down. Squeeze all of the muscles in your body, then relax. Repeat this one more time. Take a deep breath in, fill your belly, hold, then release. Imagine...

Imagine this: You planned to pick up a pizza for dinner, but when you pull up to the restaurant, you realize it's closed on Mondays. As an adult, you can think through a couple of solutions, but now imagine you're 5 years old and you had your heart set on pizza... Bouncing back from disappointment. Going with the flow when plans change. Getting comfortable with change and managing uncertainty. Flexible thinking, an essential life skill for both adults and children, helps us adapt to new...

The best and most useful tool for teaching yoga to kids? A good set of physical yoga pose cards with images or drawings of kids doing yoga. Yoga cards are fun and accessible for all ages. In this episode, of Mindful Conversation with KAY podcast, Kelly and Kristi discuss the benefits of yoga cards and share some of their tried and true ways of incorporating yoga cards into a kids yoga class, the classroom, or in the home. Tune in and learn: How yoga cards are ideal for learning, exploring,...

In this Mindful Moment, we will practice Full Body Breath. This grounding breath activates our relaxation response and stretches our back. Let's try it! This practice requires four full breaths. Begin in Mountain pose. On the first breath, look up at the ceiling, lift your heart and stretch arm up like a "Y". On the second breath, allow your body to melt forward toward your shoes as if you are a ragdoll. Dangle there for a full inhale and exhale. On the third breath, feel your whole...

We show up to parenting without much formal training, however, our practice 'on the mat' can be applied to parenthood in many ways. Sarah Ezrin, author, world-renowned yoga educator, content creator, and mama based in the San Francisco Bay Area, joins Kristi and Kelly on this episode of Mindful Conversations with KAY. Kelly and Kristi's engaging interview with Sarah inspires us to bring the wisdom of yoga into the parenting journey. Listen in as they discuss: How Sarah discovered yoga...

In this Mindful Moment, we will focus on Affirmations. Affirmations are a great form of self-care and stress management. They help us to focus on positive thinking. When we experience angry or upsetting thoughts, we often feel tired or sluggish. Positive or happy thoughts can energize us. Through the practice of affirmations, we can change worried thoughts into positive thoughts. Affirmation begins with an "I am" statement and includes the opposite emotion to the upsetting thought. For...

Whether your inner voice is loud and clear or more of a whisper, listening to it can be a great source of guidance when you need it most. And in order to hear and trust that voice, adults and children alike need to be able to slow down, pause and notice the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that are coming up when making a choice or decision. In this episode of Mindful Conversation with KAY, Kelly and Kristi discuss intuition and 'turning up the volume' of our inner voice. Listen in as they...

In this Mindful Moment, we will practice Chair pose. This pose is great for exercising your legs, energizing your body, and stimulating your heart and abdominal organs. Let's try it! Stand with your legs together, bend your knees, and reach your bottom back and your back straight like you are sitting on an invisible chair. Reach arms long overhead, keeping your heart lifted. Can your chair get low to the ground like a seat for a kindergartner? Or maybe rise tall and become a high...

Do you find yourself anxiously awaiting those final moments of yoga class when you get to rest in a sublime state of relaxation? Enter yoga nidra. Yoga Nidra, also known as “yogic sleep”, is a form of meditation usually practiced lying down with a teacher guiding the session. Yoga Nidra is perfect for anyone, including children of all ages. In this episode of Mindful Conversation with KAY podcast, Kelly and Kristi define and dissect Yoga Nidra, a powerful practice to incorporate into your and...

In this Mindful Moment, we will practice Listen Closely. Listen Closely is a calming mindfulness practice that improves focus and listening skills. Try it! Find a comfortable seat, sit tall, close your eyes and take a deep breath. First, listen to the furthest sound you can hear. Maybe a car or an airplane. Next, listen to something closer. Maybe something in the room like a ticking clock. Finally, listen to something within your own body like your heartbeat.

Most of us lead busy lives with endless lists of things to do. It's easy to go into autopilot, especially for the more mundane tasks like doing the dishes and vacuuming. In this week's episode of Mindful Conversation with KAY, Kelly and Kristi offer ways to find more enjoyment in our day-to-day responsibilities through mindfulness and presence. Listen in as they discuss: The importance of slowing down and tuning in to the moment Ways to shift our mindset around chores Successfully...

In this Mindful Moment, we will introduce Square Breathing. This calming practice improves focus and reinforces motor skills. Grab a piece of paper and pencil or simply use your finger in the air or a desk and draw a square.  Try it! Inhale as you draw a straight line, exhale and draw a connecting perpendicular line, inhale and draw the third line of the square, exhale and finish the square. Repeat as many times as you’d like.

"Every day is a gift and my question to you is how can you create a ripple in all that you do?" Jesse Bennet, yoga teacher, children's book author and illustrator, and mom, joins Kristi and Kelly on this episode of Mindful Conversations with KAY. Kelly and Kristi's inspiring interview with Jesse reminds all of us that we all have the power to create anything we put our minds to. Listen in as they discuss: What inspired Jesse to begin writing her children's books including her owl...

In this mindful moment episode, we will introduce Turtle Time. This calming practice improves focus, and imagination and reminds us that like sea turtles we have the power to go with the flow. Try it! Pretend to get into your shell, make yourself comfortable then take 3 slow deep breaths. Next, relax your body, allow your muscles to melt, and float in the ocean like a sea turtle.

Whether your inner voice is loud and clear or more of a whisper, listening to it can be a great source of guidance when you need it most. And in order to hear and trust that voice, adults and children alike need to be able to slow down, pause and notice the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that are coming up when making a choice or decision. In this episode of Mindful Conversation with KAY, Kelly and Kristi discuss intuition and 'turning up the volume' of our inner voice. Listen in as they...

Listening to music is more than an auditory task - it is a full body (and full mind) experience! In this episode of Mindful Conversations with KAY, Kelly and Kristi discuss the power of using music in our homes and classrooms. Join the conversation as they talk about: -Music's physiological effects on the brain and body -The link between academics and music -Rhythm and movement as part of the musical experience -How music encourages creativity and shifts energy -Using music to reset an...

In this mindful moment episode we will introduce Bunny Breath. Benefits: energizes, aids in breath retention, stretches upper body, refocuses attention Try it! Sit up tall. Inhale 3 short sips of air through your nose and then one long exhale through your mouth. Repeat 3-5 times.

What fills your heart episode

In todays mindful moment episode we introduce RAGDOLL pose. Benefits: relieves stress, re-energizes the brain, settles nervous energy Try it! From standing, fold forward and let your head, shoulders, and arms dangle toward the floor. Bend your knees and sway. Let everything be soft.

How are you? No really, how are you? Actually taking a mindful moment to examine and name our feelings is rare in our busy lives. But acknowledging feelings, whether negative or positive, is key to mental health and full presence in our lives. We want our kiddos to be Feeling Detectives! Listen in to Kelly and Kristi's discussion in this episode of Mindful Conversations with KAY to learn about: *Why kids might be hesitant to explore their feelings *Riding the wave of feelings *Talking to...

In this mindful moment episode we will practice a line drawing meditation.  This practice can bring our awareness to our breath, help us to focus, and feel more calm.  All you need is a piece of paper and a wrting utensil.  Practice along with us and see how your breath can guide your drawing.