1. RelaxKids
c r e a t i n g c a l m c o n f i d e n t k i d s
Relax Kids Classes - for calm confident kids!
Relax Kids is a unique 7-step method of teaching children to be calm, focused and relaxed.
A Relax Kids class includes warm up and movement, fun drama-based games, relaxing
mindfulness games, stretching and breathing exercises, massage, affirmations and
visualizations. We take children from a high energy to a low energy and encourage them to
relax while developing their creativity and imagination.
Classes follow a different magical themed adventure every six weeks. Exciting themes like
‘Jungle Adventures’, ‘Sea Adventures’, ‘Circus Adventures’ and many more will take children
on a magical journey each week, where they will learn fun themed relaxation activities. Our
classes are fun, lively, creative and most importantly - relaxing. Children will go away
refreshed, happy, relaxed.
Relax Kids helps children:
learn valuable mindfulness and relaxation tools
develop good mental health
build self confidence and self-esteem
build emotional resilience
self-regulate
develop focus, imagination and creativity
manage anger, anxiety and stress
feel happier
Our mission is to to support children's mental health and their emotional resilience, by giving
them the tools they need to manage stress and anxiety and to be more calm and confident
when facing the challenges of daily life.
2. Here is how a Relax Kids class takes place:
We begin with a high energy, exciting MOVEMENT step, where children are running around,
are dancing and do some movements, having lots of fun. Thus, they get rid of all that excess
of energy that children are plenty of☺, and all in a fun way.
Next, is the second step, PLAYING GAMES. Beyond the fun included, playing different
games has a very important role in expressing emotions and improving social interaction by
helping children to really connect with each other.
Further children are guided and brought into a relaxed state by doing some STRETCHING.
Stretching is very good for warming up and relaxing the muscles. From this point children
start to feel more quiet and calmer.
After stretching children are grouped in pairs or in larger groups and will relax their muscles
by doing some MASSAGE either self-massage or peer-massage. And the children really love
this stage because by doing some massage, they are experiencing not only the relaxation of
the muscles and of the entire body, but they can really connect with each other. Thus,
children become more empathetic and become aware of other’s feelings. The massage is
helping children to feel calm and to relieve any extra tension they feel in the muscles.
And after massage, we move to BREATHING. The children often get into a circle and are
guided to focus on breathing. Thus, they learn diaphragmatic breathing through deep
inhalations and long exhalations and we all know that when we breathe deeply is impossible
to be in a state of high emotion. Breathing naturally, gently, deeply, children reach a state of
calm and silence.
After breathing we move to POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS. The children get into a circle and,
one by one, the children say something positive about themselves or about the others, and
this really helps children feeling more positive and confident, and to increase their self-
esteem. Affirmations like: “I’m confident!”, “I’m awesome!”, “I’m strong!”, “I’m happy!” are
said. And the more children repeat these affirmations the more they feel this way and will
behave accordingly (“So I say, so I feel, so I behave!”).
And finally, after that children will lie down on the floor and we take children into a state of
DEEP RELAXATION using visualization stories. Thus they imagine they are lying down in
soft grass or they are flying up in the air among stars or they are floating on soft clouds.
So, that’s the Relax Kids method. We take children from a high energy, when running
around, dancing, moving, playing games, to a calmer state when we do some stretching,
some massage, some breathing, some affirmations and finally we get them into a relaxed
state, of low energy, where they are completely calm and relaxed.
Relax Kids classes are a fun, ‘magical’ way to introduce children to relaxation and teach
them invaluable relaxation skills that will last them a lifetime.
Relax Kids gives children tools to manage their emotions and teaches them ways to address
negative feelings in a positive and constructive way.
Relax Kids classes also help boost children’s confidence and self-esteem, develop their
imaginations, as well as giving them a chance to have fun and make new friends.
At Relax Kids we have developed a range of children's books, CDs, and relaxation products
that are specifically designed to help children manage their stress, anxiety, and anger while
promoting confidence, self-esteem, creativity and peaceful sleep.
3. MOVE PLAY STRETCH FEEL BREATHE BELIEVE RELAX
Relax Kids products and unique relaxation system have been used by psychologists,
teachers, parents, play therapists, doctors, family therapists, life coaches, counselors, yoga
teachers, child care professionals and behaviour management specialists.
Relax Kids products are now used in schools, hospitals, children's centers, libraries and
homes.
Relax Kids classes are addressed to children of all ages: Little Stars classes for 3 to 5 year
old, Relax Kids classes for 5 to 11 year old and Chill Skill classes for 7+ year old (chill skills
are suitable up to the age of 16).
History and Awards
Relax Kids is a relaxation technique set up in UK in 2001 by Marneta Viegas who noticed a
decline in children's concentration and behaviour, in a technological society that put more
and more pressure on them through study and afterschool programs to the detriment of free
play, family time and spending time in nature. It is the moment she sets up a program to help
children to relax.
The first pilot set up to test the effectiveness of the Relax Kids programme took place in
Sylvester Primary School in Knowsley, UK. After 3 years of using Relax Kids daily,
exclusions were reduced from 19 to 0% while aggressive or violent incidents were reduced
by 75%. These amazing results have been recognized by the Office for Standards in
Education, Children's Services and Skills (OFSTED) from UK, who gave the Sylvester
Primary School an ‘Outstanding’ for emotional well-being and personal development.
The Relax Kids system was awarded in 2011, being used as part of a National Health
Service (NHS) programme, which won the Nursing Standards Award (Mental health
category).
Relax Kids is now used in most of UK schools and is introduced in over 40 countries.
For more information about Relax Kids classes visit the website: www.relaxkids.com
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