Back to school means activities ramp back up and schedules get crazy—it can be hard to find even a moment of quiet. Carving out quick mindfulness breaks becomes challenging, but even more important for children (and for you). 

In case…

We just wrapped an amazing ten days of live music here in eastern PA. I produce the PBS39 Summer Jam, and this year we had an incredible lineup of national children’s acts: Grammy nominees Falu and Brady Rymer, Mexican-American…

Sit up as tall as you can, back-to-back with your partner. Breathe naturally at first, and then begin to lengthen your inhales and exhales. It’s likely that your breaths will start to sync up with your partner’s. Stay here as…

My band and I just got home from Wolf Trap National Park in Vienna, Virginia. We had the incredible privilege of playing one of the most beautiful venues we’ve ever performed in—the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods. 

It’s exactly as it sounds: you…

"Whether we’re talking about preschool, elementary through secondary school, college, or even adult learners, schools – and policymakers – have for too long accepted the belief that learning best occurs while students are seated (and quiet, of course). The theory…

As school winds down toward summer, and it stays sunny and bright later into the evening, it can be hard to get little ones to sleep on time (or anywhere near). Young children often need help processing the ups and…

Arriving at a school recently for a Rockin’ Yoga assembly, I was told one family had kept their child home, objecting to the word “mindfulness” in the program description, apparently on religious grounds. 

This has happened before, but not for…

We know simple, consistent mindfulness exercises can help kids become self-aware, improve their ability to focus, and help them release stress and anxiety, but they’re also an amazing way to teach kids important lessons in kindness, compassion, and empathy. 

Showing…

It’s incredibly valuable to do a quick check-in with students on their emotional state at least once a day. This can take many forms: a series of faces depicting different emotions that young children point to, a chart in the…

Last spring, I led an after-school yoga and mindfulness program with children who were hurricane refugees from Puerto Rico. The elementary school where they landed was working hard to support these kids, and the principal called me and asked if…

Does your principal or school PTA or fellow teacher or mom (or do YOU) need some convincing that mindfulness works with children? I get it--some people just NEED to see the data before they can hop on board. Well…

A few years ago, I did a benefit concert for a local elementary school, and wanted to write a new song for the finale. I asked the principal for an idea, and she immediately said, “We really need to teach…