You will need: • 500g of Extra Lean Pork Mince • 100g Breadcrumbs (fresh if possible) • 50g Grated Parmesan Cheese • Teaspoon of mixed herbs • Vegetable Oil • Spaghetti • Tomato Based Pasta Sauce

To Make: • Pre heat over to 200oc/180oc fan assisted/ gas mark 5 • Put the mince, breadcrumbs, parmesan and herbs in a bow and with your hands mix together, make sure it is evenly mixed and it comes together in a big ball. • Alternatively put into a food mixer and pulse until it comes together • Lightly oil a plate • Roll 12 meatballs, and place onto the plate (tips wet your hands before handling the mixture it will stop it sticking) • Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes • Heat two teaspoons of oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs • Transfer to an ovenproof dish, pour the pasta sauce over the meatballs and cook in the oven for 15-20 mins make sure they are cooked throughout • Cook the spaghetti as per instructions on the pack • Serve and eat

Such children were said to have been expelled for a real variety of reasons – from bullying to violence, damaging equipment to tantrums and outbursts. You may wonder, what have children got to be so angry about.

Perhaps York University figured it out in 2009 when they discovered that children feel pressured by exams and peer relationships. And then in turn, the common denominator is school – hence why it causes such problems.

We can all help our kids manage their anxieties in a number of different ways. Some may wish to share their stresses through talking; some may prefer to write it down. One thing that is fair to say is that these emotions are better out than in and that we can all help our children learn to manage them productively rather than with the kind of behavioural problems stressed above.

Why not introduce a diary to them so that they can learn to write down the positive things that happened that day. By keeping them in a book, whenever your child feels low, they can refer to it and be reminded of all the good things that have happened recently and learn to understand that some days are better than others. Other activities could include incorporating regular chill out time into your child’s schedule. It may be difficult to understand that this is a priority – especially when trying to juggle your own dairy, your partners and your other kids but this time out is integral to helping strengthen your child’s mental health.

Relaxation is something that can be practiced together – and enjoyed as a family. Do whatever fits you and your lifestyle. It could be anything from a brisk walk outside, to watching a DVD, to baking a cake. Have regular pyjama days and turn off your phones. Just spend time together as a family. The more relaxed your household is, the more likely your children will be to approach you if they have any worries.

Another great way to get your child thinking positively is to give them statements about themselves to take with them that day:

These could be as simple as suggesting that they repeat to themselves “I am unique” or offering them an activity to keep their focus throughout the day, “Today I will be… as calm as a cat”. Be creative.

This coincides with a momentous event for me; that of becoming a grandfather for the first time. As I sat in awe of the beautiful little boy that my son and his partner have produced I also noticed with pride how natural my son looked as he held his son in his arms. He looked born to it.

The research published is gained from observing new fathers from birth through the first six months of their child’s lives. The hormones involved are oxytonin and prolactin which have long been recognised as having a profound effect on women. Now the effect on men is being documented.

The effects must be long lasting or maybe we are experiencing a cultural change. My reasons for saying this is that for some time we have been running courses entitled Understanding Anger for Parents and the majority of the attendees have been women. I have recently noticed two things. Firstly I met, for the first time last month a father who came on his own. I have also noticed a trend of more couples attending together. Now this may be because we incentivise the price (£71 for one parent or £112 for both) or it could be that culturally men are becoming more involved in parenting. I would like to think it was the latter.

Whichever, our results just get better and better. Recent measurements showed that parents felt on average 43% improvement in their ability to manage their children and 48% improvement in their stress levels post course.

So, the hormones help and so too does taking positive action to learn more and improve out parenting skills.

I started my first business after I had my daughter and found that my old job just didn’t fit with my new life. If you find yourself in the same situation, here are some tips from myself and my co-author Helen Lindop to help you:

1. Decide what you want from a biz. If you want the equivalent of a full time income you need to approach it differently from if you just need a hundred quid a month to top up the family budget. Using party plan as an example, you may be able to supplement the family income with a few parties a month, but in order to earn a full time income you might need to recruit and lead a team.
2. Be clear about your financial needs from the start. Most mums with businesses are serious and committed, but don’t always find it easy to turn this commitment into big bucks. When I run courses the majority of women attendees are in business to HELP in some way. You can only be truly effective as a helper if your business is strong, and making a profit will allow your business to grow and help more people. Many women need to change the way they think about money and how they feel asking for money. Research has shown that women are less comfortable to ‘name their price’ than men, and women in ‘helping’ professions are less comfortable than, say, women working in IT. Say how much you want for your service out loud: are you comfortable saying this or do you feel a bit apologetic? I know I do. In the Start a Family Friendly Business Book there’s a whole section on selling which could help you.
3. Look at your skills and experience and see if you can use them. Helen says, “I’ve spoken to several mums lately who went into direct selling or bought a franchise because they assumed they had to do something  completely different from what they’d done before.” In fact, using your existing skills can be the fastest way to start generating an income.
4. Develop a Niche – be unique and different. Look at competing businesses and be clear about how your business is different. It might simply be that you are bringing something new and different to your area, or it may be the way in which you offer a service.
5. Look at the times you have available to work, your childcare and family situation. Helen says, “I considered running children’s parties, but realised that in the time I’d kept my kitchen clean enough to satisfy the local council’s environmental health team, I could have  done a lot of work on an online business instead!”
6. Look at your business model – does it just depend on trading time for money. This can be a problem if you are a time-poor mum! If you have a skill that people will pay you for, that’s great, but look at ways of making it available that doesn’t just depend on you putting the hours in – think e-books, online courses, tip sheets, group teleclasses.

There are lots more tips on finding the right business idea for you in the Start a Family Friendly Business Book.

Many parents already enjoy lots of interaction with toddlers and pre-school children, but once they get older and spending time with ‘parents’ isn’t quite so cool and hip, it’s often quite a challenge to come up with a simple activity for the whole family to get stuck into – and which doesn’t cost the earth. This is particularly true of teenagers, and while you may get them to join in with a card or board game once in a while, they are generally too busy to spare the time to see an entire game through from beginning to end and often lose interest – unless of course they are winning!

This is where jigsaw puzzles really come into their own – as they are truly a whole family activity with subjects to appeal to almost every taste and there is no time limit for completion. As long as you have a flat surface where you can store the puzzle while it’s under construction, then it can be completed in a day or even be an ongoing project lasting many months – or even years.

The surface can be anything from a piece of old board to a tray that can be popped on top of a cupboard and brought down whenever you want to have another dabble, or for a more permanent activity, the kitchen or dining room table make the perfect focal point for a regular family gathering.

One friend has found this a great way to communicate with her teenage daughter, who at 14 is at a difficult age to sit and talk to on a level basis. However, the family has now turned the kitchen table into a permanent jigsaw puzzle arena and while eating breakfast or cooking the tea, everyone has a stab at the pieces to see if they can get the puzzle to the next level. It has not only created a talking point, but has added an element of team playing with each family member taking on specific tasks, for example, one will concentrate on finding all of the border pieces while another is trying to find all of the elements of a specific object.

The great thing about such a project is that it can be a lone pursuit or a joint effort and if mum and daughter head off to the shops, then dad can carry on searching for pieces – in between the washing up of course!

That said there no guarantees that there will be harmony in choosing the subject for your first jigsaw puzzle project and while dad might prefer a historic picture of a Lancaster Bomber, mum and daughter could well hanker for their favourite pop idol. However, there are literally millions of pictures to choose from, some traditional and some extortionately difficult like the new modern repetitive designs such as a plate of beans or collage of bugs. There are also some diabolically difficult mystery puzzles around which don’t include a picture to guide you and often contain two separate puzzles mixed up in the same bag!

There are big puzzles, small puzzles, wooden puzzles and floor puzzles – 2D, 3D and recently the world’s first ever 4D puzzle. The Cityscape Time Puzzle is so unique that it has just been awarded Gift of the Year and even before hitting the shop shelves this autumn is looking set to be a best seller. The puzzle is based on famous cities of the world (currently London and New York) and includes the three elements of length, depth, height and also the fourth dimension of time. Players build the puzzle in chronological order so at every stage of play; the puzzle is an exact representation of the city in that particular year.

Of course new developments in the world of jigsaw puzzles are not only for older kids and adults, but younger children can enjoy new concepts and a twist in tradition too. For example, picture search puzzles from HABA include a play concept. The overall puzzle is compiled in pages like a book and on each page children search to find small puzzles which match the story. In turn these can be assembled into a big picture search puzzle and the icing on the cake is that this then forms a board game with rules, a dice and little wooden figures.

Once bitten by the jigsaw puzzle bug, children are on the road to a life time hobby, as this is probably one of the few activities where the subject matter can change continually while embracing the same concept. The sense of achievement can be immense and many masterpieces can be framed and kept for posterity. For example, a range of magical Fairy illustrations by Shirley Barber have been encapsulated in a range of jigsaw puzzle by Great Gizmos, which are guaranteed to take pride of place on any girl’s bedroom wall.

In conclusion, the holistic benefits of a jigsaw puzzle should never be overlooked. Yes, for children, they help to develop several functions in the brain simultaneously, helping to reason, deduce, analyse, sequence and develop logical thought and problem solving skills. For adults, its helps brush off the cobwebs, keep the brain challenged and moving – and generally physically fit like any other muscle in the body.

However, with such a fast pace of life and little time for family interaction these days, some of the greatest benefits must surely be the relaxation and stress relief, plus the valuable opportunity to share an activity and quality time with the people we love.

Enthusiasm, compassion and self belief are all important qualities for RK Teachers and no doubt the longer you practice the more adept you will become at tailoring classes that are suitable for specific individuals and situations. Some RKT may already be teachers or have a background in education that gives them knowledge about children’s physical, intellectual and social development in the primary years 3, 4 and 5. However for those that have not had this background, or for whom it is many years since they received an update this article should be valuable.

Research in Australia by the school curriculum board (SACSA) and primary principals of primary schools (SAPPA) has identified specific characteristics of learners in these middle primary years. Teachers also undertook their own classroom/school research and trialled developments with their own teaching practice based on the issues raised by the research therefore I believe the practical and robust nature of their findings gives us the knowledge and ability to:

• understand and promote the benefits of RK better

• tailor our classes for this age range to match their developmental needs.

Ten key points from the research are presented below – with highlighted text to detail the relevance to our RKT practice.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Children undertake a major growth spurt during these years, but it can occurs at different times for each child.  So there is often a much greater difference in height and weight in children in this age ranges than in the early learning years.( Olds, Dollman, Norton & Harten, 1999) Show awareness of children’s size differences and show caution when partnering children.

2. Generally children at this age are full of energy, but they have low endurance levels and tire easily. Keep lessons short and sweet!

3. Children at this age still require practice at making an accurate judgment of the speed and movements of objects with their eyes, as the optic nerve is not fully developed until 10 years of age.(Gallahue & Ozmuns, 1998).  Because of this it is an important time for developing skilled movements with their other senses. Relax kids provides a safe non-competitive environment for skilled movements using all the children’s senses. Sessions use slow moving objects such as balloons, feathers and bubbles to make visual tracking easier for all students. Facilitate repetition of skills by ensuring that classes include some familiar elements.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

4. Whilst children at this age still tire quite quickly physically, their brains are becoming capable of longer concentration. Thought processes become more logical and consistent and they like to engage in more complex ideas (Bowler & Linke, 1996).  This often means they need a longer time to respond to questions. This is termed ‘thinking time’. The Relax kids Chill Skills course for this age delves into deeper and more complex topics around relaxation, self esteem and mood management as well as providing greater options for the children to share ideas. Allow plenty of time for discussion and be patient, increase the  ‘wait time’ (the time between asking a question and expecting a response) for this age range.

5.Learning and brain connections at this age are maximized by using ‘enriched’ environments, that involve all their senses. (Diamond, 1988) Relax kids involves many sensory systems including visual imagery, touch, movement and music, providing an enriched environment for learning. Involve as much sensory stimulation as possible, perhaps allow children to identify items through touch alone – a specific ability called stereognosis or by the using fragrances to evoke scenes for relaxation.

6.For learning to be meaningful it must be regarded as personally relevant by the learner (Jensen, 1998) Therefore strategies that engage learners’ thinking skills are critical. Relax kids uses children’s input within the chill skills course to provide an opportunity for emotional literacy to become relevant and interesting. Knowing your students helps identify topics that interest them.  Also allow free discussion in order that the child can follow their interest and contribute.

7. At this age the brain strengthens memories and brain connections using information that is being frequently used – whereas information and knowledge that is not used so often is lost. This process is known as cognitive pruning. (Diamond, 1988) Relax kids aims to maintain emotional literacy skills and relaxation knowledge by providing many opportunities for practice:  weekly relax kids class, educating parents to use Relax kids  at home , by CD’s children can listen to by themselves and working with schools to promote the daily use of mini relaxation exercises within the classroom.

Because of this ‘pruning’ don’t be surprised if students appear to have forgotten skills when having an extended break ( i.e. if away sick or over the holidays).

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

8.As with an adult, a child’s self concept is shaped by their experiences. For students, negative experiences at school (fear of threat  or failure) can lower their view of themselves. This also produces chemicals in the brain that can interfere with concentration and classroom behaviour (Goleman, 1995). Feedback becomes very important tin these years as it impacts on the belief of children in their own abilities. Thus children who gain positive feedback about their work/ performance have a more positive approach to their own ability in the future and vice versa.  Not only does this happen but it becomes the hardwired pattern in the brain for the future.

The interactive nature of emotions, learning and self concept as described by Sousa  (1995) Relax kids provides activities that are focused on promoting a high self-concept. The chill skills course specifically caters for engaging students in positive self talk and the use of affirmations. Endeavour to provide positive feedback wherever possible within the class and to identify that some apparently disruptive students may require more input on self esteem.

9.Children start becoming more self-conscious of their own abilities or appearances at this age, probably due to the growth spurts that are occurring around them.  The emergence of mood swings may occur as children learn how to deal with feelings of rejection or failure, fears of school, confusion over social relationships or family problems. The Relax Kids Chill Skills course provides specific activities designed to promote the management of moods and to allow the child to control their feelings about a circumstance/occurrence.When children of this age are in a general relax kids class it be may be valuable to group them for specific activities that focus on mood management.

10. Play is just as important for 8-11yr olds as it is for younger children.  Play is another way by which they build and consolidate knowledge and can include creative dance, role play and ‘thinking’ games. (Cole & Cole, 1993) Relax kids allows children to engage in imaginative play and a variety of fun and thoughtful games, in order to allow them to construct their knowledge about being, believing and belonging. When restricted time is available to provide input, continue to value the importance of play even for the older age groups.

In Summary

Relax Kids can meet the specific physical, cognitive and social developmental needs of children in this age range – and by being more aware of their needs each and every Relax Kids Teacher can meet their needs more effectively.

References:

Building on Success: A window of Opportunity the primary years 3,4,5. (2001) South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability (SACSA) South Australian Primary Principles Association( SAPPA), Department of Education, Training and Employment. DETE Publishing, South Australia.

Cole. M and Cole S. (1993) The development of children. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Damon W. and Hart D. (1988) ‘Self-understanding in childhood and adolescence’ in Cole M. & Cole S. (1993) The develop- ment of children. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company

Dollman J., Olds T., Norton K. & Stuart D. (1999) The evolution of fitness and fatness in 10-11 year-old Australian school- children: Changes in distributional characteristics between 1985 and 1997 Pediatric Exercise Science, 11, 109-121. Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.

Diamond, M. (1988) Enriching heredity. New York: The Free Press/Simon and Schuster. Education Department of South Australia (1988) Children and learning in the primary years. Education Department of South Australia.

Gallahue D.L. and Ozmuns J.C. (1998) Understanding motor development – Infants, children, adolescents and adults McGraw-Hill, Boston

Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. Jensen E. (1998) Teaching with the brain in mind Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria,Virginia, USA

Olds T.S, Dollman J, Norton K.I, and Harten N.R. (1999) A century of growth: the evolution of height and mass in Australian children: 1899-1999 New millennium and sport vision: Proceedings of the 1999 International Sport Science Conference Seoul 26-28 August.

Sousa, D. (1995) How the brain learns. Virginia: National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Whether your little one is starting a new school or nursery this Autumn or just returning after the long summer break, the first days back can be difficult. Starting school is a major milestone for you and your child and whilst some kids rush into their new classroom, unfazed by new faces, for others it’s stressful and scary and in the end, the tears flow. “I’m dreading Daniel starting school,” says Maria. “If it’s anything like when he started nursery he’ll be crying for weeks!”

And it’s not just the kids battling mixed emotions – we can suffer parents too. We’re reluctant to accept that our little ones are going ‘out into the world’ – they still look so tiny and their new uniforms dwarf them! It can be difficult to predict how you and your child will react to the first days of school but with some preparation you can make this time enjoyable and fun.

Before school starts

be positive – your child will know if you are dreading it! Talk to them about starting school and tell them what you remember from your school days

make a countdown calendar and count down until the big day. My little one loved making a paper chain and tearing off one link each day

make the school familiar by walking past, find out the names of the teachers and even pop in and look at the classroom together

some nurseries and schools arrange a play-session in advance to meet fellow parents and children. Get those dates in your diary!

avoid separation anxiety by encouraging your child to be independent. Help them be comfortable spending time with other people, and if you’re worried that your child might find it difficult to leave you, let staff know in advance

let your child wear their uniform as a treat beforehand – they’ll feel very smart and grown-up!

shop together for school supplies – a new backpack and lunchbox is exciting

ease into a school bed-time schedule. Don’t let it be a shock when you suddenly ask them to go to bed an hour earlier!

the night before – It sounds obvious, but you’ll avoid a chaotic first morning by packing bookbags and laying out uniforms the night before

On the day

“I’ll be worse than her,” says Stephanie of her daughter’s first day at school. “I’ll be a wreck!” There might be nerves, tears and first-day chaos but try to be confident on the day and keep these top tricks in mind:

separation anxiety can be heart-wrenching but leave your child with a quick kiss, a big smile and reassurance that you will be back later. Don’t linger, don’t sneak out (although this seems like the easy option it can cause distress when your child realises you have gone), and even if you hear screaming, don’t come back! Remember, most children only cry for a few minutes after their parents leave

if your child is clingy or very upset ask staff to help. They are used to it and will help both you and your child adjust

if you feel emotional try to hold back the tears until you leave the classroom – I promise you, you won’t be alone! Ask the other mums to go for a coffee after drop-off – they may be feeling just like you

at the end of the day pick your child up on time, and don’t forget to bring a snack!

Leave the house with time to spare and arrive early. Stressing over time is definitely not helping nerves!  It will also give your child more time meet friends before the day starts

The first few weeks

Even if the first day goes well it can still take time to settle in, as your child slowly realises that school is a permanent feature of their lives.

* encourage small talk:  talk to your child about their day, but don’t be surprised if you get little back. “What did you do at school today?” often gets the reply “nothing” or “I can’t remember.” Try asking specific questions: “who did you sit next to at lunch?”, “did you use the computer at school today?” You’ll get a much more positive response

* homework adds pressure too. “I was unprepared for the amount of work my son received in his first term and was faced with cries of “why do I have to do homework?” Give your child two choices of when to do it – they’ll feel empowered and be more cooperative. Read to your child as much as you can – it builds up vocabulary, helps them perform better, it makes a good bedtime routine, it is also a very precious moment between parent and child

* stick week-planners to the fridge to keep on top of school life. www.activityvillage.co.uk has printable rosettes, badges and medals that you can use as rewards, plus back to school games, activities, crafts and jigsaws

* ban TV before school (and after school if you can!).  TV is stimulating say Relax Kids and may cause sleep problems.   On the other hand exercise and playing sports are great stress-busters. Let them run off their anxiety and they’ll sleep better too!

* walk to school. It’s a great time to chat and catch up and it gives your child a chance to wake up properly, ensuring they are refreshed and ready for the day. Make sure you start this good habit on Day 1, and don’t turn back!

* set a good regular routine with healthy meals and early nights, baths and even massages before bed. A new range of products called Aromagels combine aromatherapy with reflexology to aid sleep and restlessness. For these, plus tips to aid sleep visit HYPERLINK “http://www.speciallittleproducts.com/”www.speciallittleproducts.com Relax Kids have great CDs for children to help them either simply relax, or de-stress, see their range on www.relaxkids.com

* why all the rush? Leave half an hour early and stop to play in the park. Make it fun: run, kick a ball, spot caterpillars, collect leaves, marvel at the changing seasons.  Most children nowadays are nature deprived, incorporate nature in your routine.

Most importantly, try to enjoy their first days at school and look forward to the year ahead!

Our top tips for a happy, healthy start to school:

Be positive – don’t let your own anxiety show

Prepare in advance and when the big day arrives keep calm, get up early and don’t rush

Talk to your child about what to expect at school

Don’t forget it will all be over soon – once your child is settled the whole thing will seem like a breeze!

To create the lives we want, we need to be bold explorers and feel free. How can we do this? Kids might be our greatest teachers. They know how to enter the creative flow with ease to express themselves as they are, without limitations.

If we give crayons to young children, they dive right in. They don’t ask questions. They have no need to study the work of other artists. They might glance at what a friend is doing then they they start scribbling. It’s the process that interests them—the actual experience of exploring. They have no thoughts of possible failure and take great delight in what emerges on the page.

Soon enough they see that they can draw the world around them too and they do this without hesitation. They’re seldom bothered by issues of skill. When they can’t do something, they simply make do or watch how it’s done and take a stab at it.

Children seldom judge their drawings. They focus on the story they want to tell. They often express their pleasure in the world and sometimes feelings of puzzlement or even sadness. Scary monsters might appear, as do hearts and rainbows, cats and dogs, birds, trees, mum and dad, brothers and sisters. They use drawing to make sense of the world around them and to celebrate it.

At a certain point, all of this shifts,usually around the age of ten or so when so much more emphasis in school is on verbal skills. At this point, kids want to draw with more accuracy but most of us are not given adequate instruction so we give up. Visual expression is often forgotten in the rush to learn other skills and, along with it, we sometimes lose our connection to true creative exploration and expression.

When my kids were small, they drew with great enthusiasm. My son drew with superb accuracy, even from a very young age. I still remember a crocodile he drew aged four that filled a huge piece of paper and was full of strutting character. My daughter’s drawings were seldom accurate, often abstract but full of wild abandon. One might say she had less skill at the same age. But the truth is she was simply expressing herself in her own way. What’s so interesting to me is that they each took great pleasure in the process and had equal happiness in the results. They didn’t judge.

We are all creative beings at heart and we need to express ourselves. It will serve us to learn to be like the kids we once were—intrepid explorers full of appreciation for our endeavors.  If we focus on the outcome of our creative efforts, we go nowhere new and limit ourselves. If we judge ourselves or others, we inhibit ourselves. We need to explore with a childish sense of joy, freedom and appreciation. We can even pick up some crayons to learn how to be free again.  It’s easy, fun and effective.

The team behind the magazine and Relax Kids are attending several events towards the end of the year and want to have a great issue to take with them to the shows… And hence the Bumper Issue was borne!

This issue, Autumn and Winter collide and create a bigger, better magazine to take you from October right in to early 2011.

We have had lots of articles submitted to us already, however, for those quieter budding writers in the audience, don’t be afraid to get in touch. If you fancy putting pen to paper (or even fingers to keys!) then get in touch with Katherine, the magazine’s sub editor and pitch your ideas. She is more than happy to help with any queries that you may have and even assist your writing process as best she can, so don’t hold back – make your writing dreams become a reality today. Drop her an email at info@relax-magazine.com

RELAX your family – your class – yourself

Visualisation is a lovely way for your child to tap into another side of their energies and subconsciously improve their focus and concentration – all in time for school starting! It can all be completed in an atmosphere of no pressure, so that your child can exercise their mind in a relaxed state – having exercised their body running around in the sunshine!

Here are a couple of exercises for your little ones to try, courtesy of Marneta Viegas, the UK’s leading expert in children’s relaxation.

1 Ask the child to sit or lie comfortably and imagine something that they know. Maybe it is their friend or relative or a place they know really well. Ask them to see if they can see all the little details. Listen to all the sounds in that place or the person’s voice. Are there any familiar smells or tastes or feelings? Ask them to use their memory to access their imagination.

2 Now ask them to imagine a bird. Ask them to see every detail of that bird – every colour and sound that they can see and hear. Ask the child to imagine the bird is flying and taking them too. Ask them to imagine they are flying over rivers and trees and houses etc. Ask them to notice the colours and the clouds and feel the wind in their hair and notice how they feel.

3 After a little while, ask children to describe what they saw and heard and how they felt.

4. Ask children to draw or write down what they saw in their imagination.

You can replace the subjects in the exercise with other animals and people so that you can use these time and time again.

By completing this activity – your child is actively tapping into their imagination and being creative. As adults, we ignore these kinds of daydreams if you like, due to other constraints that we (and society) put on ourselves. We still play an active role in ensuring that our children have a balanced lifestyle and stretch their minds.

Schools are taking a more concentrated approach at ensuring that children exercise their minds as well as their bodies, so let’s do the same at home.

Below is a script from the bestselling book, The Wishing Star, which you could also try reading to your child, to help keep them calm and collected this summer!

Steps into the Sky – Close your eyes, be very still and imagine that you are lying down outside looking up at the clouds. You feel so calm and relaxed as you watch the clouds gently drift past, changing shape and making patterns in the blue sky. All of a sudden you notice a ladder made of white clouds coming down to where you are lying. Slowly you get up and start to climb the ladder. As soon as you step onto the ladder, you feel as light as a cloud. Climb up to the top of the sky. It is very quiet in the sky; you can’t even hear the birds singing, as it is so high up. This is a secret hideaway place, where you can build a den made entirely of clouds and creep inside it and be very still and silent. You love being surrounded by these fluffy clouds. They are so soft to touch; it’s almost as if they are not there. When you are ready, you may lie down and enjoy the feeling of lying on soft clouds. Stay here in you secret den, and dream your magical dreams.