Connecting Kids With Mindfulness

September 9, 2021
BY Kate Rabbitt

MINDFUL & CO KIDS

www.mindfulandcokids.com

Through mindfulness and a range of kids yoga products, Mindful & Co Kids has a vision to inspire, strengthen and foster happier, healthier more resilient young minds.

They exist for one simple mission: To empower the next generation to slow their minds, shift their limiting beliefs, and embrace the powerful benefits of thoughtful living through a holistic approach to wellness.

At Minty, we are firm believers in the power of mindfulness and guiding our kids towards a better future. We are thrilled to sit down with Jacqueline Yeats, the founder of Mindful & Co Kids and hear more about this inspiring brand.

Mindfulness Yoga Mats — Photo by @littleneedham

Tell us about your business Mindful & Co Kids?

‘Mindful & Co Kids are inspired to teach our little humans the importance of creating their own happiness. We have created a range of fun, engaging and accessible kids yoga and mindfulness products designed to nurture kindness, gratitude, compassion, resilience and empower children in all walks of life. To us, mindfulness goes beyond a class, or a yoga mat. We believe the art of mindfulness has the ability to change lives, and perhaps even save them.’

How did the idea for Mindful & Co Kids come about?

‘I started Mindful & Co Kids in 2019 after completing my masters of Counselling and Psychotherapy where my research component was based on Mindfulness as a clinical intervention for stress disorders. I found there was so much research coming out to support mindfulness as an intervention for disorders such as anxiety and depression, that I decided I wanted to teach children at a young age the benefits of mindfulness so they had the tools and strategies to deal with the stress they would face later on in life.

Then, I began teaching kids mindfulness and yoga classes to test the results I had seen in my research and the response from parents and their children was so positively overwhelming. Parents would come up to me after only one or two sessions and tell me their children were sleeping better, had less mood swings, fewer tantrums and overall happier. That was the moment I decided to intentionally design a range of mindfulness and yoga products for kids based on this incredible feedback and clinical research. Our range was created to give parents and their children the tools to instil a ritual of mindfulness into their daily lives, create a better mood and invite them to connect deeper with themselves and the world around them in the short term and long term.’

Describe the philosophies and goals behind your business

‘My main motivation and mission for everything I do through Mindful & Co Kids is to invite our children to connect with themselves, and the world around them. To give them the tools and strategies to take into scary situations, difficult relationships, big life decisions, and for them to feel assured and safe in their choices. Through yoga and mindfulness exercises we strive to inspire kids to become more calm, focused, engaged, happier, positive and live fulfilled lives. Our bigger vision is to change the staggering and alarming mental health statistics for young people.’

Mindfulness Colouring Book — ABCs of Mindfulness. Photo by @meishabate

Affirmation Cards for Kids — A to Z MIndful Affirmation Cards. Photo by @meishabate

What is one piece of advice you wish you knew prior to starting your business?

‘I always joke if I had my time over I would make products light as a feather. Postage and shipping is the bane of our existence, but we still get it done.’

Can you tell us a little bit about the gorgeous illustrations?

‘Chloe Jasmine Harris does all the Illustrations for our products. Chloe illustrates in watercolour and gouache mainly. She is also a very talented artist, illustrator and author.’

What are your favourites from the collection?

‘My favourite product from the range is our Gratitude Mail. I get nostalgia when doing this blend of gratitude and colouring activity with my little girl Alexis. When I was young I moved from New Zealand to Australia and was extremely close with my Grandmother. We kept in touch by writing cards and letters to each other. I vividly remember the feeling of getting one of her handwritten cards in the letterbox and how happy I felt. I think it is incredibly important to teach children from a young age to be grateful and to show thanks and love to the people in their lives.’

Mindfulness Gratitude Mail — Gratitude Mail. Photo by @meishabate

With such a beautiful range of products already, what is next for Mindful and Co Kids?

‘We are venturing into the kids publishing realm and we have just finished writing our first children’s book. It’s a story about Charlie our family therapy dog who goes on mindful adventures with Alexis (my daughter). The series of books aim to introduce children to mindfulness through the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch)’

What is the most rewarding part of your business?

‘The best part of the job is firstly, the incredible little team I get to work with every day. I love all of my staff and am so grateful for them and their dedication. Also, the beautiful emails we receive from our customers telling us how much our products have helped change their children’s lives. It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day running of the business, so I put all of their positive feedback into a folder and read them regularly to remind myself of why we do what we do…’