Articles & Resources
Children’s Activity: Making Sensory Calming Bottles
Sensory Activities Sensory activities have many benefits: They develop motor skills such as coordination They support language acquisition They encourage problem solving They build nerve connections and neural pathways They support cognitive development They benefit social connections They calm the central nervous system What does it include? Sensory activities can include: Playdough (plain, scented, coloured
Chronic Stress: What are the signs?
We all talk about stress a lot of the time. Whether it is in relation to the many things that we need to get done in a day, or the workload we have to complete, or juggling demands from family, commitments or health needs. If you followed my blog about competitive stress (find it here)
Children’s Activity: Feelings Pairs Card Game
Feelings Pairs Some days, we need simple but fun ways to start talking about feelings. This week, in our activity share, we are sharing our Feelings Pairs Card Game. Download here What to do: Download the feelings cards sheet (find it here) Print onto card Cut the cards along the squares Shuffle the pictures Lay
Top Tips for Starting Exam Revision
The word of the moment is ‘mock exams’. For those sitting their exams this summer there is frustration and conflict whilst we wait to hear of the format of GCSEs and A-Levels. In my therapy office, I have already noticed the shift in worries and anxiety surrounding exam outcomes, perhaps higher than usual. Being the
Children’s Activity: Calm Down Flash Cards
Calm Down Flash Cards If you have followed our article and podcast about self-regulation (if you missed it find it here) then you will know we have been talking about developing children’s emotional literacy, their ability to recognise and respond to their emotions. As part of this, supporting children to know which strategies they can
Why we need to stop telling children they are shy
So frequently, we hear parents and professionals refer to children as being ‘shy’. Often, we hear these comments being made in front of the child themselves, or written in their school reports; “Child is too shy to do that” “They find it hard to do that as they are shy” “She’s too shy to take
Children’s Activity: Feeling Faces
Feelings In this week’s article we looked at self-regulation (if you missed it, find it here). Being able to recognise and respond to our feelings is a key part of emotional literacy. However, frequently, in my work as a teacher, therapist and in my work with parents, we find that many children struggle to know
Supporting Children to Develop Self-Regulation Skills
Changes to the EYFS (PSED) In the new EYFS, self-regulation is now covered in the prime area of Personal, social and emotional development. If you want to keep up to date, find the EYFS here. The new Early Learning Goal, within Personal, Social and Emotional Development describes self-regulation as follows: ELG: Self-Regulation – Children at
Children’s Activities: Rainbow Breathing
Rainbow Breathing When we are relaxed, our minds are clearer. This means that we can make decisions easier, feel more in control and manage situations more effectively. Teaching children breathing exercises helps them to learn to breathe deeply, as well as feel more relaxed and calm. Rainbow breathing is a fun and simple activity, which
Breaking the Cycle of Competitive Stress
The issue with stress, is that it has become almost fashionable to compare: Who has the most to do To declare how stressed we are To tell everyone about how much we have to get done To wear our badge of stress and overwhelm as a badge of honour to our friends, family and social
Children’s Activities: Bubble Breathing
Learning breathing techniques as part of our day is a perfect way to: calm the central nervous system reduce stress lower your heart rate regulate emotional responses increases energy improves digestion Bubble Breathing Bubble breathing is a great activity to teach children to help them reduce their own stress. Bubble breathing is a simple and
Recognising the impact of child trauma
Over the many years I have worked with children and teenagers, and over the last 8 years working in my therapy office I meet so many clients with different backgrounds. Some have scars on the outside, from domestic violence, self-harm, eating disorders or alcoholism. Others have scars on the inside from emotional abuse, neglect, domestic
Children’s Activities: Prioritising Workloads
When we have too much to do, we can quickly spiral into feeling: Overwhelmed Suffocated Panic Stress Which means that we can begin procrastinating, avoiding or starting everything and finishing nothing. For many, it can feel like ‘everything is a priority’ and all needs to be done NOW. So, how do we help young people
Top Tips for Supporting the Return to School
As the world prepares for the return to school, parents up and down the country are getting the uniforms ready, purchasing new school shoes and packing lunch boxes…. But what else do we need to consider to prepare our children for a successful return to school? Get organised Double check school lists and requirements Make
Children’s Activities: Fears Worksheet
Fears and Worries Fear is a primitive response, where the body reacts to potential threat of danger or risk of harm occurring. This can cause the sensation of anxiety, such as a rapid heart rate, nausea, shortness of breath, trembling, sweating. This may present itself as: Becoming angry or irritable over small things Bursting into
Why we need to praise qualities, not outcomes
Praising children and teenagers is something that we all know is important. However, is there a right or wrong way to do it? Do we need to praise qualities, not outcomes? We frequently meet young people who place the value of themselves on: Their academic outcomes (homework, coursework) Their test results Their sporting achievements Their
Children’s Activity: Feelings Wordsearch
Finding creative ways to talk about feelings can open new conversations. Sometimes, just sitting down can feel too confronting for some children, so activities can provide the perfect opportunity to explore what we are feeling and how it affects us. So, we are sharing our feelings wordsearch with you. Download it here How to us
10 Ways that Adults can Support Child Mental Health
Whether we are a parent, an early years educator, a teacher or an education or care professional, mental health is on our lips. How do we best support young people to manage their mental health? How do we promote self-care? How do we educate about well-being. It starts with us. By being advocates and role
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