Mindful Conversations with KAY

In this Moment Moment episode you will be guided through a moving meditation.  This visualization will take you on a bike ride.  While pedaling your feet imagine what your sensory experiecne might be as you travel on your bike.

Are you hitting the road for a family trip? Prepping for travel takes more than packing your suitcase. Kelly and Kristi share their tips and tricks for family fun on the road: *How to handle pre-trip anxiety *Finding time along the way to physically move and mentally refresh *Passing the time mindfully through music, coloring, games and guided meditations *Settling down at your destination Blog li...

In this mindful moment episode we introduce you to a practice we call Name 3.  This practice is a great way to help calm and gound us into the present moment.  Name 3 helps us bring our attention to our senses.  Listen to this episode and give it a try.

Calm Corner, Safe Space, Meditation Station: Whatever you call it, creating an area in your home or classroom for children to balance their energy can be incredibly powerful. In this space, children practice developmentally-appropriate self-regulation techniques and are empowered to advocate for their mental and physical needs. In this episode of Mindful Conversations with KAY, Kelly and Kristi de...

In todays mindful moment episode we will introduce a walking meditation.  This is a moving meditation and is a great way to ground yourself and your children in the present moment.  

Therapists have noticed there is an increased need for services for anxiety and OCD in our children. Natasha Daniels, a therapist for children and families specializing in treating anxiety and OCD, is our guest for this important Mindful Conversations with KAY podcast. Through heartfelt conversation and practical tools, Natasha, Kelly and Kristi discuss: *What does anxiety look like in our childre...

This is a mini episode where we practice Tree.  Tree pose is a great way to improve your balance and strength.  It also improves our focus and concentration.  Tree Pose is a great pose to practice before an activiy that takes focused attention.  

Contrary to popular belief, restorative yoga is NOT just for the elderly or injured. A Restorative Yoga practice is crucial for everyone's mental and physical health, even our youngest yogis. Kelly and Kristi explain how to expand Kids Yoga to include family-friendly restorative practices and postures. *What is Restorative Yoga? *Benefits of Restorative Yoga *Why Restorative Yoga works *Making res...

This is a Mindful Moment episode.  In this mini episode you will learn a breathing practice to share with your children.  This practice a great way to help chidlren and adults to learn how to breath slow and with intention.  

In a yoga-based context, Karma means selfless service and taking action. Every action we take in our daily lives and how we do those actions without expectations of recognition or thanks is our Karma. It's all about cause and effect: How do our actions (and reactions) ripple through the Universe? It's a big idea and our Mindful Conversation with KAY podcast this week explores how to explain and pr...

Reminisce with us! Kelly and Kristi look back at the first year of the Mindful Conversations with KAY podcast, reflecting on their favorite episodes and guests, and why they love sharing their passion for mindfulness with children and families. We invite you to listen to the excerpts included in this episode and then go back and explore the full episodes, connected links, and Facebook group discus...

It's the most wonderful time of the year... or at least it can be, with a sprinkle of mindfulness and a dash of self-care. Listen in as Kelly and Kristi share stories and tips for getting the most of this magical season in this episode of the Mindful Conversations with KAY podcast! *How holiday traditions are special opportunities to practice mindfulness *Letting go of how circumstances "should" b...

During this episode, Kristi and Kelly discuss mindfulness.  What does mindfulness mean and what does it look like? We talk about what exactly mindfulness is and give simple ways that you can incorporate some mindfulness practices into your life and the lives of your children, either at home or in your classrooms.  Mindfulness can encompass many different strategies.  We go through s...

Laura Petix, a pediatric occupational therapist, known on social media as "The OT Butterfly" is the special guest on this episode of the Mindful Conversations with KAY podcast. Kelly and Kristi's interview with Laura is filled with practical techniques and deep knowledge about children's behavior as it relates to regulation. Listen as they discuss: *working with a child's brain (rather than trying...

It's true! A kids yoga class doesn't look or sound like an adult yoga class (and it shouldn't)! Straight from a question on our Mindful Conversations with KAY Facebook page, Kelly and Kristi explain why kids yoga classes may seem loud and unfocused. But there's a method to the madness and as Kelly says, "Sometimes we gotta get loud before we can get quiet". Listen in as the conversation covers: *T...

Kelly and Kristi are wrapping up their 5 part series exploring the CASEL framework with this weeks discussion about relationship skills. The ability to build and maintain  healthy relationships is the ultimate goal in attainting a fulfilling, meaningful life. And believe it or not, kid-friendly mindfulness and yoga practices can build and strengthen these skills. Listen to the episode for: *H...

As we enter November we are reminded of giving thanks.  In this episode of Mindful Conversations with KAY, Kristi and Kelly share the gratitude practices they use in their homes and classrooms to help children recognize all they have to be grateful for daily. As yoga teachers, classroom teachers, and moms, Kelly and Kristi feel particularly responsible for raising grateful children. Aparigrah...

Social Awareness is the 4th pillar of the CASEL framework and the topic of this episode of Mindful Conversations With KAY. Now that we've built some SEL skills in personal awareness and exploration, we are ready to grow our circle of awareness beyond ourselves through compassion and empathy. Listen in as Kelly and Kristi discuss: *How to move from self-awareness to social-awareness *The importance...

Today's episode continues the CASEL conversation with an exploration of responsible decision making. Kelly and Kristi discuss the hugely important ability to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. Their insights include: *Encouraging curiosity and open-mindedness through yoga postures, music and meditation. *The interaction b...

Spending time in nature, whether it's on your trampoline in the backyard or along a rocky shoreline, may be the ultimate mindfulness practice. The slower pace, the open space, the feeling of connection all encourage creative and simple opportunities to practice mindfulness with the whole family. In this week's episode, Kelly and Kristi explore nature's effects on our physical and mental health: *E...

In this highly relatable episode of Mindful Conversations with KAY, Kelly and Kristi dive into the pros and cons of technology. The past couple years have really challenged caregivers to find ways to mindfully use technology, screens, and social media. Kelly and Kristi talk about: *How screen time effects our posture, eyesight, self-image, and attention span *The social experiences of technology (...

Compassion builds emotional resilience, a trait we want for our children and ourselves (and for the world, as a whole). But how do we encourage compassionate behaviors and mindsets? Mindfulness practices, of course! This episode of Mindful Conversations with KAY explores the critical importance of compassion and empathy in our children's growth. Kelly and Kristi explore compassion by discussing: *...

The CASEL conversation continues with today's episode exploring Self-Management: the ability to manage your feelings and thoughts in healthy, helpful ways. Kelly and Kristi share their experiences as yoga teachers and moms as they discuss: *The power of yoga and mindfulness practices in building a Self-Management Toolbox *Why motivation and discipline are crucial Self-Management skills *Building t...

Think back to the good ol’ days of recess and PE when you were a child. Do you remember playing classic games like Hopscotch, Duck Duck Goose, or Freeze Tag with your best buddies? There is a reason classic games are still played today – they are FUN! So why reinvent the wheel? Kelly and Kristi talk about taking an oldie-but-goodie game and yoga-fying it for a whole new (yet familiar) experience i...

A journey of imagination to places real and make-believe. Use this guided meditation as a way to settle energy before it's time to sleep or when anxious thoughts are racing through young minds. Practicing these visualizations strengthens the mind/body connection and further develops a child's focus and concentration.