In early childhood education, wellbeing is not decorative.
It is foundational.
And yet many services are navigating increasing behavioural complexity, rising anxiety in young children, educator burnout, and heightened documentation expectations under the National Quality Framework (NQF).
At KotusRising, our Level 1 Mindfulness Teacher Training was created from inside this reality.
I am a qualified Early Childhood Teacher with postgraduate qualifications, working across all age groups from babies to preschool. I understand programming cycles, Assessment and Rating, Quality Improvement Plans, and the daily lived experience of early learning environments.
I am also a Somatic Dance and Movement Therapist. This gives me a rare integration:
I understand the frameworks that govern early childhood in Australia.
And I understand how regulation lives in the body.
This training was designed at that intersection.
It is not theory layered on top of childcare.
It is embodied regulation woven into it.
Understanding the National Quality Framework (NQF)
The National Quality Framework underpins regulation for early childhood education and care services in Australia.
It includes:
• The National Law and Regulations
• The National Quality Standard (NQS)
• Approved Learning Frameworks (including the EYLF)
• Assessment and Rating processes
National Quality Standard
Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia
Any professional development delivered within Australian early childhood settings must meaningfully support this framework.
This training does.
How Mindfulness Aligns with the EYLF Version 2.0
The EYLF emphasises:
• Holistic development
• Secure, respectful relationships
• Reflective practice
• Wellbeing and agency
• Intentional teaching
Mindfulness strengthens these elements not conceptually — but physiologically.
Young children regulate through:
• Breath
• Rhythm
• Movement
• Relational attunement
They do not regulate through cognitive reasoning first.
This is why somatic approaches are developmentally aligned.
Supporting EYLF Learning Outcome 1: Identity
A strong sense of identity develops when children feel safe, seen, and regulated.
Educators in this training learn to:
• Co-regulate rather than control
• Recognise nervous system cues
• Guide grounding practices
• Support autonomy through reflective check-ins
When children can recognise internal states, they build resilience and confidence.
Supporting EYLF Learning Outcome 2: Connectedness
Mindfulness strengthens empathy.
Through gratitude circles, loving-kindness practices, and embodied awareness activities, children begin to recognise that emotions are shared experiences.
This builds:
• Prosocial behaviour
• Emotional intelligence
• Inclusion
• Respectful peer interactions
Strengthening EYLF Learning Outcome 3: Wellbeing
Wellbeing is the heart of the training.
Educators are guided in:
• Nervous system regulation strategies
• Transition calming frameworks
• Embodied reset routines
• Group regulation sequences
Research consistently demonstrates that mindfulness reduces stress and improves emotional regulation in children.
Daniel Siegel explains that integration in the brain strengthens emotional balance and executive functioning.
Adele Diamond has extensively researched executive functioning and self-regulation in early childhood.
Jon Kabat-Zinn introduced structured mindfulness approaches that reduce stress and increase awareness.
Studies across early childhood settings show improvements in:
• Emotional regulation
• Attention span
• Behavioural flexibility
• Stress reduction
When regulation improves, learning improves.
Supporting EYLF Learning Outcome 4: Confident and Involved Learners
Executive functioning develops through regulated states.
Mindfulness supports:
• Working memory
• Cognitive flexibility
• Inhibitory control
• Sustained attention
A dysregulated brain struggles to learn.
A regulated brain engages.
This is observable in daily early childhood practice.
Supporting EYLF Learning Outcome 5: Communication
When children understand internal states, communication strengthens.
Educators guide:
• Emotional vocabulary development
• Reflective drawing
• Mindful listening practices
• Safe sharing circles
Communication becomes grounded in self-awareness.
Alignment with NQS Quality Areas
QA1 – Educational Program and Practice
Mindfulness becomes embedded in:
• Programming cycles
• Transition planning
• Intentional teaching experiences
• Observations and documentation
Educators are shown how to link regulation practices directly to EYLF outcomes.
QA2 – Children’s Health and Safety
Emotional safety is health and safety.
Chronic dysregulation increases:
• Incidents
• Escalations
• Stress
Preventative regulation reduces reactive management.
QA5 – Relationships with Children
Regulated educators respond rather than react.
Co-regulation strengthens:
• Trust
• Secure attachment
• Emotional coaching
• Respectful boundaries
QA7 – Governance and Leadership
For Directors and Educational Leaders, structured mindfulness training supports:
• Professional development requirements
• Staff wellbeing strategies
• Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) goals
• Assessment and Rating preparation
The Impact of Mindfulness on Educator Wellbeing
This is critical.
Research shows educator stress directly impacts classroom climate.
Mindfulness practices in staff have been linked to:
• Reduced burnout
• Improved emotional regulation
• Increased job satisfaction
• Lower stress biomarkers
When educators practise regulation:
• Their tone softens
• Their responses slow
• Their nervous systems stabilise
Children feel this immediately.
Wellbeing becomes contagious.
In services where staff collectively engage in mindfulness practices, a noticeable cultural shift often occurs.
The environment becomes calmer.
Relational conflict reduces.
Intentional teaching strengthens.
This supports both Quality Area 4 (Staffing Arrangements) and Quality Area 7 (Governance and Leadership) under the broader NQF lens.
Why Somatic Movement Is Essential in Early Childhood
Many mindfulness programs focus on stillness.
Early childhood requires movement.
As a Somatic Dance and Movement Therapist, I integrate:
• Rhythmic grounding
• Patterned movement
• Body-based calming sequences
• Developmentally appropriate resets
This is aligned with how young children regulate.
It is not “sit still and breathe.”
It is embodied awareness.
This is what makes this training unique.
Implementation in Real Early Childhood Settings
Because I actively work across all age groups, this training reflects:
• Baby room regulation needs
• Toddler transition strategies
• Preschool group management
• Large group calming sequences
• Realistic programming timeframes
It does not add pressure.
It integrates into existing routines.
Mindfulness becomes:
• A transition tool
• A behaviour guidance support
• A relationship-building framework
• A quality improvement strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mindfulness recognised within the EYLF?
Yes. Wellbeing, agency, identity and reflective practice are core components of the EYLF Version 2.0.
Can mindfulness support Assessment and Rating?
When embedded intentionally and documented within programming, it strengthens evidence under QA1, QA2, QA5 and QA7.
Is this suitable for all age groups?
Yes. The training includes developmentally appropriate adaptations for babies, toddlers and preschool children.
Does this support educator wellbeing?
Yes. Structured mindfulness practice improves educator regulation, which directly impacts classroom climate.
Why This Training Matters Now
Early childhood educators are navigating complexity.
Children are arriving with heightened sensory needs.
Families are under pressure.
Educators are stretched.
Mindfulness aligned with the EYLF and NQS is not a luxury.
It is a regulatory necessity.
Begin Your Mindfulness Teacher Training
If you are seeking:
• EYLF aligned professional development
• NQS supportive wellbeing strategies
• Practical somatic regulation tools
• Framework-aligned implementation
• Training created by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher and Somatic Therapist
Explore Level 1 Mindfulness Teacher Training at:
Accredited online professional development for Australian early childhood educators.