Hello Everyone,
Mental Health and Wellbeing
During this uncertain time with lots of changes and adjustments happening, it is important that you take steps to ensure you and your families mental health and wellbeing are a top priority. Emotions can be tricky for young children to express, often leading to frustration and tantrums. We have suggested stories and activities to support you with your child’s emotions and feelings, they will encourage your child to talk about how they are feeling and help them to release any worries they may have.
Lucy’s in Lockdown by Chris Duke – A short animated video on You Tube about children’s different emotions experienced during lockdown. To share the story with your child please click here
While We Can’t Hug by Eoin McLaughlin – A short virtual storybook on You Tube to share with your child when they are missing their loved ones and friends. Please click here
@EarlyYearsScot on Twitter suggested a few tips to help promote good mental health and wellbeing in children…
- Give them their own space
- Make sure they get enough sleep
- Ask them about their day
- Let them get creative
- Encourage exercise
- Help them to relax
- EarlyYearsScot Twitter page
Emotion Stones
Getting outdoors, being active and accessing fresh air are all good ways to relieve stress. While out on a socially distanced walk you could collect some stones, rocks or pebbles to create emotion stones. Enjoy spending time creating your stones and keep them somewhere close by. On days where your young child seems to be going through many emotions ask them to show you how they feel if they are struggling to find the words. Another good way of children expressing how they feel is through drawing, painting or writing it down. A letter was written and shared on Home Learning by one of our nursery children, she had written in her own way that she ‘wanted lockdown to end as she really misses her friends’ this can positively lead your child to open up by telling you what they have written or drawn.
We hope you find this information both helpful and supportive. More suggestions for fun and learning at home can be found at http://blogs.glowscotland.org,uk/wl/snonursery
Take care everyone
EC Nursery Team
