Mindful Meditations for Children: An Interview Heather Bestel

It is with great pleasure to share with you an interview with Heather Bestel, the creator of Magical Meditations for Kids. Heather is a holistic therapist and mindful teacher who embraces the ideas of "hope, love, kindness, and forgiveness." She believes that "everyone is capable of doing great things," and she helps many along their path to success.

New research suggests that meditation benefits children academically, emotionally, and personally, and Heather's materials are truly outstanding. My students love Heather's meditations!

The Interview

Heather: I had been working with children as an educational psychotherapist for many years and loved to use stories and meditations with them as part of the process. I’m passionate about the power of story and love meditation. I had built up quite a library of resources, but they were never exactly what I was looking for, so I started to develop my own. All the meditations have been honed and tested on thousands of children over the years. In 2010, I was approached by a publisher

Erica: If you had to put it into a single sentence, what is at the heart of Magical Meditations for Kids?
Heather: Inspiring children to connect with their inner sense of calm.
Erica: Why did you create your products?

who was a big fan of my work and wanted to make it available to the world.
Erica: Were there any key people or organizations that helped to inspire the genesis of Magical Meditations for Kids? Click here to view more details.

Magical Meditations for Kids collection by Heather Bestel, featuring mindful meditation albums for children that support calm, emotional regulation, and imagination

Heather: All the children I’ve worked with for more than twenty years have inspired me, and I learn from them all the time. Also, my good friend and the founder of A Quiet Place, Penny Moon. Penny has always been a big fan of my therapy work and invited me to head up the team to pilot her idea of offering Educational Therapeutics in inner-city schools to support families of children with severe emotional and behavioral difficulties. The pilot was monitored and measured by Liverpool University and deemed a huge success. Now, A Quiet Place offers holistic support in schools nationally and internationally. It was during my time working with this project that I created my first magical meditations.
Erica: Who is your audience?
Heather: The meditations are divided into two age groups: 4-7 year olds and 8-11 year olds. But I’ve used them successfully with pre-schoolers and teenagers, too. They can be used by teachers during circle time or quiet time, or during personal health and social education classes, or as a wind-down to the day. Parents love them whether their child is experiencing challenges with anxiety or just enjoying a chill-out session before sleep. They are a great resource on a long car journey too.

There are 2 titles in the 4-7 age group:

Magical Me is a lovely, safe way to introduce younger children to the world of relaxation and helps them learn how to find their inner calm. They develop some wonderful resources to empower them whenever they need it.
Magical Adventures - takes our explorers on magical journeys: under the sea, into space, to the circus, and on a magic carpet ride. It helps them build their confidence and creativity.
Click here to view more details

There are 2 titles in the 8-11 age group:

The Magic Castle - helps children to feel calm & confident, increasing feelings of happiness and pride, and builds a belief in being amazing and talented.
The Magic Garden - helps older children to relax and switch off. They will love visiting their own special quiet place where they can develop a sense of wonder and feel calm and peaceful, happy and relaxed, safe and loved.
Click here to view more details

Erica: What kind of feedback have you received about Magical Meditations for Kids?

Heather: I especially enjoy all the wonderful comments I get from the children, as they always tell me how the magical stories make them feel.
Parents and teachers notice changes in behavior and attitude sometimes as soon as the first few days of listening. They are great if a child is struggling with a specific issue like nightmares, bedwetting, or anxiety, as the parent can measure results really easily. Parents are delighted when their child can find their way back to their happy place.
Teachers love that they have a way of helping their pupils learn to slow down and be still, especially in this age of constant distraction. They notice a difference in the use of imagination, concentration, and an increase in their sense of well-being, self-esteem, and a deep sense of inner calm.
I get a lot of emails from parents of children with autism telling me what an indispensable resource I’ve created. Those messages are always extra special.
Erica: Will you be creating more CDs? How about digital downloads?
Heather: I’m always working on new ideas and would love to create more CDs. The present meditations are available as digital downloads and as apps.
Erica: Will Magical Meditations for Kids be expanding and using other forms of technology and communication?

Heather: I love to think of my work being around and developing in the future, and am looking at ways to progress it in terms of new technologies. There is so much growth potential, and I’m always listening to new ideas and feedback from the most important people, the children.

Erica: Do you have any links or images that you would like to share?

Heather: I have a free gift for any parents wanting to try out my meditations with their own children. It’s a very gentle introduction to my work with a bedtime relaxation called My Angel to help your child have a peaceful sleep with their very own MP3. See below:

A Gift From Heather

Click on the following link: https://magicalmeditations4kids.com/free/. If you are interested in Heather's other materials, click here to visit Heather Bestel.
I want to thank Heather for sharing her words and wisdom with us.

Where Can I Get Other Mindful, Multisensory Meditations for Children?

Good Sensory Learning now offers a new series of multisensory meditations for elementary students.

To learn more, CLICK HERE

Multisensory brain break meditations for children, featuring guided breathing activities and mindful movement to support self-regulation, focus, and emotional calm

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses.