Self-care and coping with big feelings 

Self-care is about the things that we can do to look after our own mental health.

https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/calm-zone/  Plenty of breathing exercise, activities, games and videos to help let go of worries. 

https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/self-care/ A variety of activities that will help you and your child to manage your wellbeing.

https://lms.recoverycollegeonline.co.uk/mod/scorm/view.php?id=6455- This is an online course for children written by children about coping with feelings and worries during the pandemic. 

https://www.healios.org.uk/services/thinkninja1 ThinkNinja -app Empowering children and young people to build resilience, manage their emotional health and to fulfil their potential.   

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/- Keeping children safe at home- activities and videos to be used to discuss issues at home. 

Hand washing

Some children might be worried or are building up some anxieties about germs and ensuring they are safe from Covid. Talking to your child about the importance of washing your hands is important but also sharing with them how effective hand washing is  in the removal of germs is equally important. 

A great activity to show children who are worried about germs is to set up an experiment with water, pepper and hand detergent. You will instantly see the effect of good hand washing on the germs and hopefully ease some worries or anxieties.

 If you child is still anxious about germs- giving your child the opportunity to share their worries using a worry monster, worry jar or worry journal might help. Allowing your child to get their worries out and not bottle them up. Discuss their worries and build up strategies to be put in place to prevent these worries getting bigger.