Children’s Mental Health Week

What is Children's Mental Health Week?

Place2Be, an incredible children's mental health charity, started Children's Mental Health week to promote conversations, initiatives and awareness around children's and young people’s mental health.

Schools, youth groups, charities, organisations and families across the UK will use the week to prompt conversations and activities on nurturing and learning about well-being and mental health.

The week also provides fantastic opportunities for teachers, parents, and carers to listen and learn from children about what may be on their minds in 2023.

Enabling reflection and thought into keeping the conversation on children's mental health throughout the year.

When is Children's Mental Health Week in 2023?

Children's Mental Health Week takes place from 6th – 12th February 2023. The week is an annual awareness week which initially started in 2015. 

What is the theme for Children's Mental Health Week 2023?

The theme for this year is, ‘Let's Connect’, which is about making meaningful connections.

Children thrive when they have positive relationships within their family, home life and at school.

Each week has a theme; previous themes have included ‘Growing Together’ Express Yourself, ‘Find your Brave’ to name just a few.

With child referrals for mental health care in England up 39% in a year, this year's theme is now more critical than ever. 

‘Let’s Connect’ guides the exploration of the concept of community in ways that are meaningful to children. This can include the topic of friendships, which are especially important to children within KS1 and KS2. 

How can My Emotions Activity Book support my child's well-being? 

The power of ‘My Emotions Activity Book’ is captured in Lyndsay's testimonial below. She discovered something she didn't know about her son and had the opportunity to communicate with him about something that was bothering him.

‘‘My nearly seven-year-old, son completed the booklet. He liked it and definitely found it calming. We particularly liked the page where he had to circle things that applied to him. He actually circled everything in the end, but it was good to get him to open up about his feelings. He initially did not circle that he was happy with himself the way he was, and he told me it’s because he doesn’t like his freckles. I really did not know it bothered him. I think that page was really good.’’

I would like to think of ‘My Emotions Activity Book’ as the go the resource for wellbeing activities within Children’s Mental Health Week due to its value in creating connections, and receiving moving testimonials such as Lindsay’s solidify that.

My Emotions Activity Book was initially started to help my nephew open up and express himself during lockdown and now it is creating more connection between children and grown-ups across the UK.

What activities are in the book?

The ethos behind ‘My Emotions Activity Book’ is to create gentle and thoughtful conversations between children and grown-ups about how they feel prompting connectivity.

The resource uses animal characters and fun facts to prompt imagination, and reflection.

Each page gives lots of space for the child to draw or write how they feel using questions with inclusive language examples as.

·        I feel happy when…

·        I feel unhappy when…

·        Write or draw five things that you enjoy doing with grown-ups, family and or friends…

·        If you could create a new emoji, what would it be?

‘My Emotions Activity Book’ is a perfect resource for all children, however particularly as an activity for children within KS1 & KS2, and best of all, it's free of charge to print from my resource hub.

The activity book is designed to be universal and used within a school lesson, as part of a group of lessons or one-to-one between parent, caregiver, or child support worker. Activities from the book have also been used as assembly topics.

‘My Emotions Activity Book’ is also available as a free of charge printable in Ukrainian as well as in English.

Are there any other free resources available?

Since launching ‘My Emotions Activity Book’, I have developed more well-being activities that promote kindness and empathy in partnerships with high-profile childcare specialists and under the support of the Ambassadors of ‘My Emotions Activity Book’.

These, too, are all free-of-charge printable activities.

Just a few of my personal favourites are below.

Reflect on emotions with Bruno the Bat

Help children learn about emotions, and how to manage them, with Bruno the Bat activity pack. Follow the story of Bruno, a bat who learns that making a mistake doesn't mean he's bad - he's just sad! Suitable for home or school, the pack contains lesson plans, emotions cards, scenarios, templates, and the Bruno story. The perfect activity for children in KS1.

Empathy and Kindness with Friendship Friday Bookmark

Did you know that every seahorse is unique and different? Just like each of us! Children can learn empathy and kindness by gifting their friends, family and classmates with a beautiful bookmark activity that stars ‘Simran the Seahorse’. The is a universal resource that is one of our most downloaded.

Affirmation Bookmarks and Door Hangers

Affirmations are powerful tools that can help shift how children think and feel, and ultimately how they communicate about their emotions. When they say or do something kind to themselves, it builds their confidence. Affirmations positively affirm that your child is wonderful, capable and kind, and with my affirmation bookmarks and door hangers’ activities, children will develop just that.

Children can also create their own character and affirmation in this wellbeing activity.

How can I raise awareness to other about ‘My Emotions Activity Book’?

A great way to celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week is to share the benefits of ‘My Emotions Activity Book’ to others within the theme of ‘Let’s Connect’.

·        Download and print the 'My Emotions Activity Book' Community Poster for your local notice boards.

·        Share the link on your local parents' and carers' Facebook and What's App groups.

·        Promote the MEAB Resource Hub within your professional networks, such as Parents and Carers and Wellbeing networks.

·       Follow us on social media, and help promote the free-of-charge, downloadable and printable activity book and help us share the magic.