It’s been a funny old two years during these pandemic times, and not one any of us could have foreseen or planned for. It’s certainly been a worrying time for many of us, including our children so, in light of Children’s Mental Health Week (7-12 February) we have been thinking of ways we can help our little ones untangle any anxiety they’ve been feeling…
Hang out with friends
With the half term stretching ahead of us and plenty of time to fill with fun, get busy catching up with old and new friends with outdoor adventures and playground dates. Good old-fashioned fun is a great way of distracting little ones from anxiety, plus the fresh air is an instant booster for good feels.
Talk!
Let your children know that it’s okay not to feel okay and that talking about their worries will definitely help. Lockdown restrictions may have been lifted, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be feeling miffed by it all: lockdown and the pandemic have been their normality for a big part of their young lives after all! Have a look for some picture books to help them deal with their feelings that you can read and discuss together.
Spread the kindness
We all got busy with rainbow craft during lockdown, but now those rainbows can spread further than your windows, why not encourage your little ones to create and write some rainbow thankyou notes to all the people that are part of their lives? If they’re too small to write, pictures speak a thousand words anyway so break out the crayons. Whether it’s notes to a grandparent, the postie or a teacher, a small kindness goes a long way when it comes to the feelgood factor for the kids!
Enrol them in a holiday club
Meeting new friends and discovering new activities will keep children busy, healthy and happy during the school hols for sure. We have a few spots left at our own forest school based Holiday Clubs, so get in touch for all the details on how you can book your kids aged 5-11 years in for a summer of awesome. We still have spaces left at so pop us an email today at adventure@thetreehouseclub.co.uk to secure your place. There’s no time to feel anxious when you’re den building, climbing trees and fishing!
When it comes to managing anxiety in children, you know your kids better than anyone so if you navigate these weird times together, we’re sure everyone will come out the other side smiling. You’ve got this, parents.
