Mental Health and Well-being
We are very proud to have been awarded the Bronze Charter Mark for promoting positive Mental Health and Well-Being at Laira Green Primary School.
Take time out to just sit, listen and breathe.
Anxiety can affect us all, at any time, let alone when uncertain times are ahead.
Here are some resources I hope you find useful for all of the family.
Resources
Headspace
Headspace is a really good app for learning mindfulness, relaxing, helping with sleep problems and cartoons to help work through problems.
At the moment they are offering some of the content for free. Click HERE
‘By practicing mindfulness – five minutes a day is enough to make a difference – you can actually change your brain’.
Trouble sleeping
Is your child having trouble falling asleep at night?
Try this bedtime sleep story for children
Getting outdoors daily
1. Builds physically healthier children.
Nowhere is better than the outdoors for running, jumping, throwing balls, catching, pulling things, lifting and carrying objects. All these actions require motor skills that improve with practice. Children playing outside get aerobic exercise and gain skills, such as pushing and pulling outdoor play equipment. Studies show children burn more calories outdoors, helping to prevent obesity and strengthen bones and muscles. Playing in the sun builds vitamin D in the body, which means stronger bones and less likelihood of chronic diseases.
2. Contributes to cognitive and social/emotional development.
Outdoor play helps children learn to take turns, share and develop other positive behavioral skills. They are more likely to be inventive, explore and learn about the world around them and use their own abilities. While they invent and play games with siblings or friends, these interactions help improve communication, cooperation and organizational skills. Additionally, fresh air and free play reduce stress levels.
3. Improves sensory skills.
A science study showed children who play outside regularly have better distance vision than children who are always indoors. Preschoolers, in particular, learn new things through their senses. Think of a toddler’s delight at seeing new animals (sight), stopping at a bed of fragrant flowers (smell and touch), watching the water form puddles for stomping (hearing and touch) or eating a parent-approved berry from a bush (taste). On the other hand, children glued to television and electronic devices use only two senses (hearing and sight). This can negatively affect development of perceptual abilities.
4. Increases attention spans.
Children who play outdoors regularly are more curious, self-directed and likely to stay with a task longer. Children who spend most of their time indoors with little exposure to activities requiring their own initiation and follow-through show less ability to initiate or participate in new activities. In fact, studies of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) found that children with ADHD who spent significant time outdoors exhibited fewer symptoms.
5. Happiness and better immunity.
Outdoor light stimulates the pineal gland. This part of the brain is vital to keeping our immune system strong and making us feel happier. Spending time in nature is also associated with improving mood and happiness. An added bonus is that children who identify with nature are more likely to become adults who appreciate nature and want to protect the environment.
Mindful colouring
Research suggests that mindful colouring, as with meditation and art therapy, can provide numerous benefits for all ages. Along with providing a much-needed break and the chance to relax and refocus, it can help lift your mood, decrease anxiety and decrease stress.
