This year’s theme is Let’s Connect.
Let’s Connect is about making meaningful connections. People thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing. When we have healthy connections – to family, friends and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing.
For Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, we’re being encouraged to connect with others in healthy, rewarding and meaningful ways.
In school we started the week with a Mental Health assembly, then each class spent some time during the week focussing on mental health and on making connections:
Year 4 did a circle time session on how we are all connected. How we are similar to some and different to others, but that our differences make us special, unique and that we should celebrate these as we all bring something wonderful to our class and wider community. The children decorated a print-out of a person with images and words which they felt described them and how they can connect with others, e.g. through kindness, through their work on the Eco Council, through their role in their football club etc. They are going to use these to create a class display where the cut-outs are holding hands to show that ‘we are in this together!’.
Year 5 talked about how they are making connections all of the time and took part in a meditation to support maintaining good mental health. They explored other ways of supporting their own mental health and enjoyed spending time together.
In Year 6 they talked about the connections they have with their friends and used string to illustrate these connections physically, such as connecting together all those who play for the football team. The children then drew connection webs to show the many people they are connected to, near and far.
Next Saturday is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and Year 6 have been praying for sick people in collective worship. To show their connection to our parish and local community, the children have made cards for the sick in the parish, which they hope Fr Amal and Deacon Pat will deliver for them when they visit the sick.
