This week is Children's Mental Health Week in the UK. Founded by the charity Place2Be to shine a light on the importance of children's mental health.
Click here to view the official website: Place2Be
Children's mental health is obviously extremely important but also incredibly difficult to 'teach'. As adults it can be hard for us to identify and label the way that we feel or know the best way to process our own emotions, so imagine how tricky it can be for young children to have all of these feelings yet unable to name them or know how best to handle them.
Therefore, here are 10 ways you can support your child though play to begin to process and begin to identify their own emotions.
1. GRATITUDE AT MEAL TIMES
Why not make it a weekly event, when you're sat having dinner together or perhaps during bath time, those times when you are able to talk openly and honestly. Introduce gratitude. Model to your children how to talk about things in your life that you are thankful for and invite them to do the same. Often once you have one idea, it can snowball and you think of lots more! It's simple and requires no preparation!
2......