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Ciaran Ivanovic ~ Supporting kids mental wellbeing through the practice of mindfulness ~ Private ses Mindfulness classes for children aged 3-5/4-6 & 7-10 yrs.

Group classes & 1:1 sessions available in North West London.

10/11/2025

Excellent article by

Honestly, when are we going to get up to speed with Finland, Denmark, and other forward thinking countries…

Government funding should be offered to all U.K. schools and nurseries, to remove asphalt and other synthetic materials currently being used in playgrounds & outdoor spaces.

These types of unnatural materials release harmful chemicals into the air. Why would we want our kids (& those caring for them) breathing in even more polluted air than they are already?

✅ Instead, we should be following what is being done in Finland - swipe left to see the health benefits of green nurseries, including boosting kids immune systems.

➡️ Final photo taken at when I visited New Orleans in April 🤎 No asphalt here, just piles and piles of good, healthy earth for kids to play in.

✅ Our Mindfulness in Nature accredited course includes muddy play and sensory garden ideas ➡️➡️ LINK IN BIO

06/11/2025

GETTING TEENS OUTDOORS….not always easy, I know!

Here are some suggestions THAT WORK ⬇️

💥 Don’t just offer ‘a walk’ - to them, this can sound boring….tune into their interests - if they’re into photography, suggest some close up shots of birds / trees / spiderwebs / insects etc. 🧗If they’re a climber, then tree climbing…if they’re more creative, try nature art using fallen natural materials 🪶🏵️
✅ All of these activities are ways for your child to develop present moment awareness which will help them feel grounded and calm.
🔗 To discover more about the power of mindfulness in nature, tap Teacher Training in our bio

💥 Spend time TOGETHER and follow their lead. This is bonding and a great way of getting on their level (which they’ll welcome) and discovering more about them, as they’ll be more likely to talk /open up to you.

✅ Don’t give up! Kids need to spend mindful time outdoors for their overall health & happiness - especially teens who spend more time on screens than younger children.
Remember that 💚GREEN TIME balances SCREEN TIME💚

And finally, if your teen wants to bring a phone with them to take pictures, make sure that they keep them in their pockets (with volume off!) until the end of the walk, and do the same! :-)

Photos taken by my 14yr old son and I in the
First we played in nature, with fallen twigs, balancing them between the trees, and then we got up close with our cameras 📸 🌲

31/10/2025

🧡 Happy Hall’o’ween / Samhain / La Dia de los Mu***os

Growing up with an American mum, Halloween was all about carving pumpkins, scary outfits and trick or treating (which I loved! 🎃)

Nowadays I tend to lean more towards the reflective celebrations and traditions of Samhain.

Samhain marks the point where we enter the dark part of the year, knowing that the light will return ✨
It is a time when we remember & respect loved ones who are gone, often by placing candles next to photos of them 🖤🤍 In Mexico there are celebratory parades that recognise our own mortality and reconnect us to those who have gone before us ✨🙏🏻

Photo 1: Spiderweb, Hampstead Heath

Photo 2: by Rock-it with Linda

Photo 3 ➡️ Mindful Crafts from our accredited Mindfulness in Nature course ➡️ SECURE 3 small sticks into a snowflake shape by tying wool around the centre. Invite children to weave the wool around the sticks thereby creating a web 🕸️ - a grounding activity that’s also excellent for concentration.

🕷️ TRY a Spot the Spiderweb walk with your kids: This is a fun way of spicing up an ordinary walk, and it’s a mindfulness exercise too as kids pay close attention to what’s around them ✔️ 🕸️

28/10/2025

I absolutely love seeing the gathering of fallen leaves beneath the trees at this time of year and have been wondering what to call them 🤔

On my last walk in Regent’s Park, I thought of (upside down) Tree Halos ! 🌳✨🍁 Any other suggestions welcome !

Sharing some of my favourites here from and my local

🍂 The fallen leaves that have settled under each tree are still part of them, even after having been released. The layer of leaves acts as a natural mulch, protecting the soil from erosion and preventing w**d seeds from germinating. It also insulates the tree’s roots from cold weather 💚

This can serve as a useful metaphor for how things that we emotionally release in our own lives (at this time of year especially) are still an important part of us as they make us who we are, and can make us stronger and more resilient ✨

I’ve been sharing this with some older teens I’m supporting and they’ve loved the simplicity of the message and have found it useful 🌳🫶🏻 I hope you find it useful too :-)

22/10/2025

🍁 🍂 Autumn Leaf Nature ‘Snow’ Globes

Taken from our 🍃Mindfulness in Nature internationally accredited online course ➡️ Click the (teacher training) link in our bio for full course details.

This is such a lovely + simple mindful activity to share with children and it can ALL be done outdoors 🌳
Combine with our calming mindfulness practice (below)

With so many colourful leaves on the ground now is the perfect time to give it a try 🍁 & especially with the half term break fast approaching !
Here’s what you’ll need ⬇️

🫙 A small jar, water, glycerin, colourful leaves (Elm & Birch are a beautiful golden colour & aplenty), pine cones + seasonal hole punches (optional) - we used star + tree punches

🍁 Collect different coloured leaves (+ small pine cones) with your children

🌲 Using child-friendly hole punches, invite children to punch their leaves, dropping their small shapes directly into their jar. If using (very small) pine cones, add them too.

💧 Fill the jars with water and a few tablespoons of glycerin Put the lid on + shake!

➡️ The busyness inside the jar represents our busy (scattered) minds when we are stressed, under pressure (rushed), angry or sad

💨 Invite children to sit quietly + breathe in and out slowly as they watch the leaves settle. The leaves represent our thoughts. When we pay attention to our breathing - the thoughts become more settled + we feel calmer 🫶🏻

I’ve included this awesome video from so that you can see it in action. I love their addition of the stick which has been stuck to the lid to represent a tree🌲💕

17/10/2025

“It’s a testament to the tree, to the life of that tree and the lives of other trees, to see, to work with it, to see its life, to appreciate it”

What an unforgettable experience, randomly stumbling upon Shona Branigan in her printmaking studio in Grizedale (Lake District).

Shona was commissioned by the to print ‘Sycamore Gap’ - individually themed, named and coloured giant tree prints that show every tree ring groove from a cross-section of the iconic heart-shaped trunk of the 200-year-old tree 🌳

You can see Shona’s incredible work at

‘Heartwood’ - a powerful exhibition that captures the essence of the Sycamore Gap tree and the impression it left on those who connected with it ✨💚✨

Thank you Shona for allowing me to place my hands on this beautiful, hugely important piece of heartwood 🫶🏻 🌳

13/10/2025

Couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful afternoon last Saturday for our Mindful Walk in 🍁

Thank you lovely ladies for coming along and making the afternoon so special. I’m very aware how hard it is to carve time out for yourselves (especially juggling kids, grandkids & everything else on the weekend…) but as we agreed on the day, a little ‘self-care’ FEELS GOOD 🩷 and has a rippling effect, as the endless benefits of practicing mindfulness in nature together are felt not only by us but by those around us too 🍃

These Mindful Walks are offered each season as a way for our students and graduates to meet in person, share ideas and be inspired. Often though, everyone comes away with much more than that…….

“Thank you Ciaran! It was fantastic….very enjoyable and grounding” ✨

“I felt stressed and overwhelmed before the walk. After spending two hours together I felt like a new person. Thank you so much for such a nourishing and uplifting experience”

You were missed and - hope you’re feeling better 😊

➡️➡️ TAP the link in our bio for details of our accredited mindfulness in nature online training program ~ currently shortlisted for ‘best online course’ by the Complimentary Medical Association ✨🌿

11/10/2025

How starting with ‘play’ can set you up for the day 🤸🏼‍♂️ 🏵️

Engaging in PLAY not only boosts creativity, problem-solving, focus & cognitive function in CHILDREN ➡️ but in ADULTS too…

For the past week I’ve been experimenting with a quick bit of play in the form of nature art 🍁🍃I’ve done this first thing, to see if it improved my concentration & creativity for the rest of the day.

Did it help❓Yes❗️Between just 5 and 15 minutes seemed to make a difference ✔️ & resulted in me procrastinating less, focusing more & feeling inspired 🙌🏻 I also felt deeply appreciative for nature’s Autumnal beauty as I gathered and placed colourful leaves, and other natural materials 🍁 Why not give it a try?! There are heaps of ways of to play, this is just one example. Try not to feel self-conscious or silly when you’re at play - it’s the most natural thing in the world for us to do.

➡️ First few photos of me at play in Regent’s Park /at home / leave-ing 🍂 some love for passers-by 🫶🏻
Fifth photo of the great who I was lucky enough to engage in some outdoor play with last week, with other lovely folk ~ final photos include some of their stunning creations (did you spot the dragon? 🐉 )

06/10/2025

Thank you 💚 My sentiments exactly
(article taken from yesterday’s )

Whilst screens are now part of our lives, we can balance our children’s screen time with GREEN TIME 🍃 to recharge their young brains, boost their creativity & happy hormones, and improve concentration.
➡️ & delay giving young children a phone /ipad for as long as you can (message me for more guidance on this:-) )

Aside from a trip to the park or playing in the garden (which is a great way to show kids you love spending time in nature too), there are many ways to give your kids
🟢 Green Time 🟢 - even in urban environments.

Here in London offer Little Seedlings FREE drop-in activities for under 5’s and their parents and carers
✅ For TEENS there’s the Secret Garden Theatre Project for anyone aged 8 to 16 with an interest in being creative outdoors, open-air theatre, design and performance.

offer kids a weekly garden club and many creative outdoor activities for adults too.

❇️ If you love children & nature, why not train to teach Mindfulness in nature to children? 🔗 link to our accredited course is in our bio 🫶🏻

29/09/2025

Be Amazed by Mother Nature 🍁

When we connect with nature’s beauty (easy to do at this time of year…), incredible things start to happen ➡️

Positive feelings, from consciously appreciating nature’s beauty, eventually become ‘hardwired’ into our brain.
🧠 These hardwired positive feelings enable us to connect with other people more easily, enabling stronger social connections.

✅ We feel better, both inside and out.
✅ Stress is reduced, making us feel happier and more calm.
✅Our energy is boosted, we feel more alive.
✅Being in nature helps us connect with the world around us and inspires us to take action to protect wildlife and the environment.

✨ It reminds us that we’re part of something bigger, something interconnected 🌍
✨ We feel more fulfilled, and less reliant on the ‘big’ moments /experiences to boost our mood.

Both of which are especially important for children and teens ➡️➡️ SHARING positive experiences in nature with your children /young adults will help them feel more connected to themselves and the world around them, and appreciate the smaller (more simple) things in life 🩷

And the wonderful thing is, you don’t even have to step into a park or garden to see such wonders - beauty is all around us, all we have to do is notice it…🍂🌳💚

26/09/2025

✨ 14 ✨

Celebrating our youngest today, and all the things he loves (tennis, fishing, and Chocolate Guinness cake!) 🍰 🤎 🎾 🎣

🎶

25/09/2025

Shining a light on ✨ Selin who completed our Mindfulness in Nature for Children accredited course in the summer.

Here are a few words from Selin who is now spreading the seed of mindfulness to children in Turkey and the U.K. ⬇️⬇️

“I loved the course! As a child psychologist, it has given me much valuable tools to use with the little ones. It was very enjoyable, easy to follow and practical. Ciaran is such a great mentor and has been very supportive throughout the course”

It’s also been wonderful connecting with Selin at our in-person Mindful Walks in Hampstead Heath 🌲🌲

JOIN our next walk on OCTOBER 11, 2-4pm if you’re interested in our accredited mindfulness training.
This is also a great opportunity to chat to some of our current students and graduates 💚

Please message us to book your spot :-)

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Ciaran Ivanovic is a former Montessori teacher (Montessori Centre International) who is now following her passion of supporting children's mental well being through the use of mindfulness techniques. Ciaran completed a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Foundation course with Michael Chaskalson (Mindfulness Works in London) before completing further training to teach mindfulness to children, including the Mindfulness in Schools Project, enabling her to teach the Paws b Mindfulness program in Primary schools.

Ciaran is also trained to teach the Tai Chi for Kids program and incorporates many movements in to her sessions.

Mindfulness is taught to children in private sessions (one to one or within a small group), and at Mindful Kids Camps and workshops which run throughout the year.