Expressing yourself is about finding ways for children and adults to find creative ways to share feelings, thoughts, ideas and emotions through activities and creativity. It is about finding a way to show others who you are and how you see the world, which can help you feel good about yourself – the ideal time to talk to your children and encourage them to express how they are feeling.
How can you improve your child’s mental wellbeing?
There are 5 steps to well-being which anyone can take to improve mental health and wellbeing.
Connect – Encourage your child to connect, spending quality time with friends and family. This could be via zoom, facetime or even dare we suggest in this digital age – writing a letter. Try for designated family time once a day, perhaps an hour with no devices, playing a game, talking or doing something together.
Be physically active – Exercise is great for mental and physical health which is why children tend to feel so good afterwards. Getting the heart pumping in any form of exercise is great, a short daily walk can be a good chance to unwind and talk.
Learn new skills – Get creative with this one and try to break it up from home learning. Perhaps learn something new with your child: learning yoga; meditation; or get crafty and learn to make slime.
Give to others – No matter how big or small performing acts of kindness is good for our mental health. Try asking your children to help with small jobs around the house, or older siblings to help younger ones.
Pay attention to the present moment – Learning to be mindful and pay attention to the present moment is definitely a skill that takes practice. The more you practice mindfulness the easier it will be to incorporate.
