One part of our interactive mental health and wellbeing workshops for primary schools, is helping students learn how they can use simple mindfulness techniques to feel calm.
For students in Reception, years 1 and 2, the workshop is positive and interactive. Students go on an adventure into the Wellbeing Jungle where they meet a host of exciting characters, including the Calm Crocodile. In this workshop, to help students learn how we can calm down before making a decision, the Calm Crocodile teaches students to take time to calm down, so that they can make a better choice about how to behave.
The Calm Crocodile teaches this idea through three, easily memorable words; Stop, Breathe, Choose.
This poster below has been created to help students to keep this idea in mind. So why not print out the poster and discuss the ideas with your students.
Here are the three steps from the poster along with some ideas for how you can expand on them in the classroom.
Stop: If you feel upset, before you do anything else, stop and take a moment to calm down.
Ask your students: When could we take time out to calm down?
Talk about different situations when we might feel upset, and how taking time to stop and calm down could help us to make a better choice.
Breathe: Take three deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
To help your students with this step, why not practice doing some mindful breathing with your students. It can be really easy, but just a short daily mindfulness practice can be transformative for students. You can find some fun ways to introduce mindfulness to EYFs and KS1 students here.
Choose: Remember, you always have a choice about how you behave. Make a good choice!
Ask your students to give examples of how we can show kindness towards others at our school, and how we can offer to help. Explain that choosing to show kindness towards others is a good choice.
This poster supports the content in our Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshops.
At OpenView Education we are visiting schools throughout the UK to help them celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week this May. If you like to receive an interactive wellbeing workshop for your students, get in touch today and a friendly member of our team will arrange a visit for your school.
