Mindful Mondays are an opportunity for kids and their caregivers to focus awareness and reset their nervous systems with the support of nature.
Where: Cottonwood Creek Park, at the corner of Encinitas Blvd and Vulcan Ave.
When: Mondays, August 17 - October 19, 3:15 - 4:00 pm (no class on Labor Day)
Cost: FREE!
Partially funded by the City of Encinitas Community Grant Program
Each week we explore our inner and outer worlds.
Kids ages 7 and older embark on a mindfulness journey with Betsy.
Adults unwind with an all-level meditative yin yoga class with Maureen.
Meet Your Instructors
Betsy Cantrall is the founder of Happy Kids Movement and the lead instructor of Mindful Mondays, where she blends over twenty years of elementary teaching experience with her deep training in yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. She is passionate about nurturing children through nature-inspired, organic learning processes that spark innate curiosity, build emotional resilience, and support whole-child well-being. With her gentle guidance and joyful approach, Betsy creates learning environments where students feel grounded, empowered, and excited to explore the world around them.
Maureen Farley loves sharing the quiet practice of Yin Yoga. Her teaching is grounded in Taoist philosophy and Chinese medicine, which she studied in graduate school with an emphasis on acupuncture and the meridian system - the foundation of Yin practice. A specialist in back and neck pain, she offers Yin practices that are accessible even for students with structural concerns, blending anatomical clarity with energetic awareness. Maureen is known for her deeply calming presence and her ability to create a grounded, supportive space where students can slow down, release tension, connect with the earth, and access the quiet place within. Maureen has been practicing yoga since 1992 and leading Yin Yoga teacher training programs since 2015.
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We suggest kids and adults dress in layers appropriate for potentially shifting weather, sun screen, and water. Adults are invited to bring a yoga mat, and for extra coziness a blanket and pillow if desired.
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Each week will look different and will be tailored to the kids in attendance. Activities might include:
yoga sessions to build strength, balance, and body awareness while channeling energy in a healthy, grounded way
guided meditation to enhance focus and calm
sensory-awareness walks to connect to nature and self
quiet reflection to help kids connect deeply with themselves and build emotional awareness
a creative craft to encourage expression
play!!! - because its important to have fun and experience freedom and joy
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Yes! This is the perfect practice for you. It will be calming, grounding, and accessible for all bodies and abilities.
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Yin yoga is a slow meditative yoga practice that helps you slow down, soften, and reconnect with yourself and the energies of the earth. We linger in the poses which allows the body’s connective tissues - fascia, ligaments, and joints - to gently unwind and rehydrate. Rooted in Taoist philosophy and Chinese medicine, Yin supports healthy qi/energy flow through the meridian pathways which helps calm the nervous system. This practice invites stillness, mindful breathing, and inner listening, making it a perfect complement to more active forms of yoga or athletic practices and an effective tool for stress relief and whole‑body balance. And Maureen makes it really easy - you don’t need to be bendy or experienced.