Hello and welcome back to our Ananda Kids newsletter 🌿

Over the past month we’ve been thinking a lot about something simple but powerful: how small moments of presence can change the entire tone of a day for a child.

Not big lessons.

Not long practices.

Just small pauses that invite children back into their bodies and their senses, feet back on the ground.

Children naturally live close to the present moment. When we gently guide them back there, through breath, movement, creativity or nature, something softens. Their nervous systems settle, their imagination opens, and they reconnect with themselves.

These tiny moments become the foundations of emotional balance.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been trying to listen more closely in our own family life as well.

We’ve been making conscious decisions about how we move through our days so they don’t feel rushed, or spent mindlessly moving from one activity to the next, only to end the day feeling exhausted.

We homeschool our children because we value this time together deeply. It allows us to live more slowly and mindfully, and to really enjoy these years while our children are young.

One thing we’ve been focusing on is having small moments of one-on-one time with each child. Just space to talk, to listen, and to share an activity they’ve chosen.

This week Teja and I had a beautiful slow walk along our local beach. We collected shells, looked closely at their tiny patterns and details, and enjoyed the calm turquoise water stretching out beside us. It was simple, quiet time together, but it felt very special.

And together, the kids and I have been crafting a mosaic of the sea, an ocean of memories from our adventures in the beautiful waters of Thailand and beyond. We try our best to take it slow; one piece of tile, one breath, one piece of tile, one breath and with every new edge and every new grouted line, the big picture settles more and more in our awareness. It’s not always easy and sometimes the tile glue and grout flies everywhere 😃 but we try our best.

Meanwhile Adam and Gyān have been spending many hours in the garden working on a big project, building a treehouse together. Gyān loves building, and they’ve been learning step by step how to create a treehouse using recycled wood we already had.

It has definitely required patience and slowing down as they work through all the emotions that can arise during a big project, especially when something needs to be taken apart and done another way! But slowly it is coming together, and you can see the sense of fulfilment and pride on their faces.

These moments remind us that learning, connection and creativity often happen most naturally when we simply give children time and space.

One practice we return to often with children is something we call “Listening to the world.”

It takes only a few minutes.

You can try it anywhere, in the garden, at the park, before bed, or even sitting quietly at the kitchen table.

Invite your child to close their eyes (if that feels comfortable) and listen.

Ask them:

• What is the furthest sound you can hear?
• What is the closest sound you can hear?
• Can you hear three different sounds?

After a minute or two, ask them what they noticed.

Children often hear things we completely miss like birds, wind, distant voices, a dog barking far away.

This simple practice gently develops awareness, attention and calm. It also helps children realise that quiet and stillness are not empty, they are full of life.

After listening, you might invite your child to draw the sounds they heard.

What colour was the wind?
What shape was the bird song?
What did the quiet feel like?

This allows children to translate sensory experience into creativity, something we love exploring through our Ānanda Kids practices.

As the cooler months begin to approach here in Australia, it can be helpful to gently support children’s bodies with warmer, nourishing foods.

Simple things like warm breakfasts, soups, and foods with spices such as cinnamon or ginger can help support digestion and keep little bodies feeling balanced and strong. What can you whip up from your pantry? Here is our kitty Soma having a look around ours 😄 .

And if you ever feel called to explore more, our Ānanda Kids Online program and community on the Skool platform offers a deeper collection of creative, mindful and heart-led practices for families.

We hope this small practice brings a moment of calm and curiosity into your home this week.

Take it slowly.
Follow your child’s lead.
And enjoy the small moments of connection that appear along the way.

Sending warmth and peace,

Natalie and Adam

Ānanda Kids ✨