https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iUf73v92lI

Heartbeat: A Mindfulness Exercise to Calm Your Emotions

The Body Scanner! Mindfulness for Children

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLoK5rOl8Qk

Bubble Bounce! Mindfulness for Children (Mindful Looking)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEuFi9PxKuo

Anxiety

Have you ever wondered why people feel anxious? Our science expert Lee Constable is here to tell us all about how anxiety and stress work in your brain! Lee teaches us some tips and coping strategies that can help calm your 'survival brain' and 'emotional brain', get your 'smart brain' back online so you can manage anxiety.

https://youtu.be/eD1wliuHxHI

It’s normal for children to feel worried or anxious from time to time – such as when they’re starting school or nursery, or moving to a new area.

But for some children, anxiety affects their behaviour and thoughts every day, interfering with their school, home and social life. This is when they may need professional help to tackle it.

What makes children anxious?

Children can feel anxious about different things at different ages. Many of these worries are a normal part of growing up.

From the age of around 6 months to 3 years it's very common for young children to have separation anxiety. They may become clingy and cry when separated from their parents or carers. This is a normal stage in a child's development and should stop at around age 2 to 3.

It's also common for preschool-age children to develop specific fears or phobias. Common fears in early childhood include animals, insects, storms, heights, water, blood, and the dark. These fears usually go away gradually on their own.

There may also be other times in a child's life when they feel anxious. For example, many children feel anxious when going to a new school or before tests and exams. Some children feel shy in social situations and may need support with this.

When is anxiety a problem for children?

Anxiety becomes a problem for children when it starts to get in the way of their everyday life.

If you go into any school at exam time, all the children will be anxious, but some may be so anxious that they don't manage to get to school that morning.

Severe anxiety like this can harm children's mental and emotional wellbeing, affecting their self-esteem and confidence. They may become withdrawn and go to great lengths to avoid things or situations that make them feel anxious.

Symptoms of anxiety in children

• Signs to look out for in your child are:
• Finding it hard to concentrate
• Not sleeping, or waking in night with bad dreams
• Not eating properly
• Quickly getting angry or irritable, and being out of control during outbursts
• Constantly worrying or having negative thoughts
• Feeling tense and fidgety, or using the toilet often
• Always crying
• Being clingy
• Complaining of tummy aches and feeling unwell

For further information and advice please visit the following sites :

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/advice-for-parents/anxiety-in-children/

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/anxiety/

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/parenting

If you are concerned about your child suffering from anxiety, try some mindfulness activities such as Cosmic Yoga, or meditation activities, like breathing.

https://www.youtube.com/user/cosmickidsyoga