The Kids Wellness Podcast

#069 Helping Children Befriend Their Worries with Catherine Cook-Cottone

Discover how to help children understand, manage, and even befriend their worries using mindfulness, movement, and self-awareness. Join Giselle Shardlow, founder of Kids Yoga Stories, and Catherine Cook-Cottone, licensed psychologist, yoga therapist, and professor at the University at Buffalo, as they explore how anxiety shows up in children's bodies, thoughts, and behaviors, and how we can support them with practical, research-backed tools. Drawing from her book "The Worry Monster" and decades of research, Catherine shares how mindfulness, yoga, and embodied practices can help children build resilience, regulate emotions, and connect more deeply to themselves and others. Some highlights: • The impact of yoga and mindfulness research in schools • What anxiety looks like in children's behavior and the body • Why worry is not the enemy and how to build a healthy relationship with it • How emotions provide important information about relationships and values • Simple grounding practices like movement, breath, and body awareness • The importance of practicing calm before stressful moments arise • How repeated mindfulness practice becomes a lifelong skill • Real-life examples of helping children navigate anxiety with compassion Find Catherine Cook-Cottone here: Website: www.catherinecookcottone.com [https://www.catherinecookcottone.com] "The Worry Monster" book: https://www.amazon.com/Worry-Monster-Calming-Anxiety-Mindfulness/dp/0593567919 [https://www.amazon.com/Worry-Monster-Calming-Anxiety-Mindfulness/dp/0593567919] 🧘🏽‍♂️🧘‍♀️🧘🏿‍♀️ Kids Yoga Stories, a mom-run and mom-operated business, was founded in 2012 by former classroom teacher and certified yoga instructor Giselle Shardlow. During her travels and time teaching grades kindergarten through fifth grade in Guatemala, Australia, Canada, and the United States, Giselle witnessed the need to address childhood illiteracy, obesity, and stress. She blended her passions of yoga, mindfulness, and education to create books, card decks, and educational resources to provide classroom teachers, school staff, coaches, and parents with the tools to bring yoga and mindfulness to children everywhere. Connect with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsyogastories [https://www.instagram.com/kidsyogastories] Website: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/ [https://www.kidsyogastories.com/] Shop: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/ [https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/]

#068 Mindful Monday - Power of the Mind

In this special Mindful Monday, Giselle guides you through a simple yet powerful practice to help harness the power of the mind. Whether you're an educator, parent, or anyone working with children, this practice is useful for exploration. Take a deep breath, settle in, and let's begin. 💛

#067 How To Teach SEL To Young Learners with Vanessa Levin

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is crucial for young learners, but navigating the current landscape can be overwhelming for educators. Join Giselle Shardlow, founder of Kids Yoga Stories, and Vanessa Levin, founder of Pre-K Pages, as they discuss actionable SEL strategies, insights from her years of experience, and practical resources from her Seeds of Success curriculum. Some highlights: -Vanessa's background in early childhood education and her passion for supporting diverse learners. -Why SEL is more important than ever and how it impacts academic and lifelong success. -Common challenges teachers face, including classroom behaviors and lack of SEL resources. -Concrete SEL activities—like songs and social stories—that are simple, engaging, and effective. -How to bring families on board and integrate SEL seamlessly into existing routines. Find Vanessa here: Website: pre-kpages.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/prekpages [http://www.facebook.com/prekpages] Instagram: https://instagram.com/prekpages/ [https://instagram.com/prekpages/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PreKPagesvideos [https://www.youtube.com/@PreKPagesvideos] Membership: https://teachingtrailblazers.com/ [https://teachingtrailblazers.com/] 🧘🏽‍♂️🧘‍♀️🧘🏿‍♀️ Kids Yoga Stories, a mom-run and mom-operated business, was founded in 2012 by former classroom teacher and certified yoga instructor Giselle Shardlow. During her travels and time teaching grades kindergarten through fifth grade in Guatemala, Australia, Canada, and the United States, Giselle witnessed the need to address childhood illiteracy, obesity, and stress. She blended her passions of yoga, mindfulness, and education to create books, card decks, and educational resources to provide classroom teachers, school staff, coaches, and parents with the tools to bring yoga and mindfulness to children everywhere. Connect with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsyogastories [https://www.instagram.com/kidsyogastories] Website: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/ [https://www.kidsyogastories.com/] Shop: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/ [https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/]

#066 How Yoga Support Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation with Nicole Koleshis

Join Giselle Shardlow, founder of Kids Yoga Stories, and Nicole Koleshis from Seattle Kids Yoga as they talk about how yoga transforms sensory experiences for children. Learn practical tips and get insights into integrating mindfulness and movement into your children's lives from an experienced occupational therapist. Some highlights: - Learn about Nicole's background as an occupational therapist and how it informs her unique approach to kids yoga, which includes sensory integration. - Get valuable advice for new yoga teachers on slowly introducing sensory activities and ensuring they are tailored to children's individual needs. - Understand the crucial role of choice in yoga classes for sensory-sensitive children, as well as how to adapt classes for sensory seekers and avoiders. - Find out about the sensory-focused kids yoga teacher training and workshop taking place in Seattle, and explore Nicole's book "Yoga for Little Kids" for accessible practices Find Nicole Koleshis here: Website: https://seattlekidsyoga.com/ [https://seattlekidsyoga.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seattlekidsyoga [https://www.instagram.com/seattlekidsyoga] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeattleYogaforKids/ [https://www.facebook.com/SeattleYogaforKids/] Nicole's yoga card deck: https://seattlekidsyoga.com/cards [https://seattlekidsyoga.com/cards] Nicole's yoga book: https://amzn.to/3v8euq9 [https://amzn.to/3v8euq9] 🧘🏽‍♂️🧘‍♀️🧘🏿‍♀️ Kids Yoga Stories, a mom-run and mom-operated business, was founded in 2012 by former classroom teacher and certified yoga instructor Giselle Shardlow. During her travels and time teaching grades kindergarten through fifth grade in Guatemala, Australia, Canada, and the United States, Giselle witnessed the need to address childhood illiteracy, obesity, and stress. She blended her passions of yoga, mindfulness, and education to create books, card decks, and educational resources to provide classroom teachers, school staff, coaches, and parents with the tools to bring yoga and mindfulness to children everywhere. Connect with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsyogastories [https://www.instagram.com/kidsyogastories] Website: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/ [https://www.kidsyogastories.com/] Shop: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/ [https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/]

#065 Mindful Monday - Mindful Writing

In this special Mindful Monday, Giselle guides you through a simple yet powerful practice to help you tap inside through mindful writing. Whether you're an educator, parent, or anyone working with children, this practice is useful for exploration. Take a deep breath, settle in, and let's begin. 💛