It’s Children’s Mental Health Week next week, and it’s more important than ever this year.
With several lockdowns, social distancing measures, ever-changing coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines and prolonged absences from school having such a detrimental affect on the mental health and wellbeing of children, this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week has a particular resonance.
And so former primary school teacher Laura Steele – of education experts PlanBee – has gathered together week’s worth of fantastic free resources all in one downloadable pack for parents / carers / guardians to use during the homeschooling day to help children explore their mental health.
Each activity aims to give kids the tools to express their thoughts and feelings in a way they have never been able to achieve before.
These posters aim to help your child understand some of the physical sensations that accompany different feelings.
By exploring and discussing the vocabulary on each poster, you could ask children – Do you know what this word means? Have you ever felt like this? What made you feel this way? Could you add any more words to either of the posters?
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Older children may find the Synonym Booklet of Emotions more useful to expand their vocabulary and help them to better express themselves.
Use these 16 feelings and emotions cards to develop discussion around a range of different feelings with the questions below each emoji. If your children cannot think of an example, you could describe and explain a time when you felt this way.
They could also be asked whether each of the cards represent a ‘warm fuzzy’ or a ‘cold prickly’ feeling, picking up on yesterday’s discussions.
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You could then challenge your child to use the Design Your Own Emotion Emojis sheet to create their own versions, and encourage them to think about their personal experience of each emotion, and think carefully about the shape, colour, size and facial expression they choose.
Wednesday’s resource focuses on a specific feeling – worry, or anxiety.
Tell your child that everyone experiences this feeling sometimes, and more often than not, acknowledging and talking about the reasons why you are worried or anxious can help you to feel better. These Worry Monster Activity Sheets can help your children to voice, and then deal with, any anxieties they may have.
Anger and frustration can be difficult emotions for anyone to deal with, not least children, so these posters offer a range of techniques that can be used almost anywhere, in any situation.
The first four posters (The Calm Down Cake, The Slow Down Star, The Slow Down Square and the Helping Hand) direct children to focus on their breathing, using an image to help them do this. Discuss and practise the techniques together, first with and then without the posters in front of them, so children realise that these strategies can be successful using only their imagination if needed.
The final poster in the pack (5…4…3…2…1), may be more suitable for older children, as they are directed to use all of their senses to focus and calm the mind, and they can do this for the actual environment they are in, or an imagined one, such as a park, a beach or a forest.
The mental benefits of meditation are now widely recognised – for children as well as adults.
Research has shown that short, regular meditation sessions can have a positive effect on children’s attention, focus, self-awareness, and their management of thoughts and feelings, so this Guide Sheet is a simple, easy introduction to meditation, with step-by-step instructions to follow.
Try a short session with your child and ask them how they feel afterwards.
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You could try to add a session like this into your daily routine, and see what effect it has over time on your child’s emotional wellbeing.
A person with a fixed mindset feels that they have no control over their abilities or problems they may face, but someone with a growth mindset knows that they can improve their abilities and overcome difficulties if they persevere and are patient with themselves.
Discuss these differences with your child, and look at the poster for examples of each type of mindset.
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What type of mindset does your child think they have, and why? Why might it be better to have a growth mindset?
Children could use the blank poster provided to write their own personal examples of statements they made when they felt they had a fixed mindset, and how they could turn this around into a growth mindset statement.
You can end the week on a positive note with this activity, where children are encouraged to think about all the different aspects of their life that they are thankful for.
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A blank template is included for children to record these thoughts.
The I am Lucky Because… activity sheet may be more suitable for younger children, where they are encouraged to think about and complete the sentences, ‘I am lucky because I can…’, ‘I am lucky because I am’… and ‘I am lucky because I have…’.
You can download Plan Bee’s Children’s Mental Health Week activity pack for FREE here.
What's On
Freight Island is hosting the UK’s biggest Six Nations fan zone
Danny Jones
Freight Island’s Six Nations fan zone returns for 2025 at the end of this month and we’re so ready for seven weeks of rugby action and a river of Guinness.
The iconic international tournament gets underway on 31 January and so too does Freight Island’s fantastic fan experience, providing an unparalleled level of excitement beyond being inside the stadium.
Set to be even bigger and better than last year, it’s the largest of its kind anywhere in the country because, well, as well as know, Manchester sports fans do it better than anyone.
Promising everything from free pints and prosecco for ticket holders, live music, top-notch scran from Freight’s in-house vendors and more, it’s going to be another year to remember.
The Freight Island Six Nations fan zone is back for 2025. (Credit: Supplied)
Fuel for the sporting action
Launching in time for the first game between France and Wales on the final Friday of the month, the Freight Island Six Nations fan zone will be open for the full duration of the competition, showing all 15 fixtures across a seven-week period.
With the final not until Saturday, 15 March, you’ve got plenty of time to sample all the massive Manchester venue has to offer this year. Speaking of..
As well as a steady supply of drinks including a self-service Guinness machine, punters will be eligible for a free pint of Freight Island pilsner or a glass of Prosecco with their ticket.
To make things even sweeter, as well as the usual foodie favourites such as Fuku, Mia’s Arepas, Burgerism, Voodoo Ray’s; Mega Gyros, Oh! My Cheesecake and Soft Boi, Scouse chicken connoisseurs Pattersons are launching their brand new ‘American Buffet’. We’re talking proper game-day food.
Every Sunday, they’ll be serving up half-chickens brined and deep fried in their special spice mix, or a vegetarian nut roast, plus an all-you-can-eat sides including sweet potato, corn salsa, tater tots, cheesy grits, home-made corn bread and their famous gravy, all for £18 per tray
You can ever pre-order a full bird ahead of time if you like – consider this the Six Nations answer to Super Bowl-level feasting.
But isn’t all food and drink, of course: Freight Island will also be making sure to keep the energy high no matter what’s going on in the matches with DJs, music from live bands, as well pre and post-match content for you to enjoy. Let us explain.
In addition to sets by the likes of singer-songwriter Neeva Zahra, Paul Eden and other special guests, but they’re also be performances by the Pent Up Pipes band and Dizzy Brasscals to really get the atmosphere going.
Crowd interaction is essential to making these fan zones work, so if bagpipes and a brass band doesn’t get you hyped as the six sporting-mad continental countries go head-to-head for European glory, we don’t what will.
Freight Island have also partnered with The EggChasers rugby union podcast, who will be delivering podcasts live from the building, as well as fan content before and after the whistle, meaning you can also get involved if you fancy yourself an armchair expert.
Dizzy Brasscals is the best band name we’ve heard in ages. (Credit: Supplied)
Once again, the tournament last for a good month and a half, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy all of the above, as well as all the live rugby on the multiple screens dotted around the venue – including one very big one.
Freight Island opening hours during the Six Nations and throughout February and March are Friday (4pm-12am), Saturday (12pm-12am), and Sunday (12-8pm).
You can book your free tickets HERE and we’ll no doubt see plenty of you there.
Meanwhile over in rugby league, local side Salford Red Devils have found themself in a less than ideal position ahead of the new season after being hit with a new sustainability cap.
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied via Freight Island)
What's On
World-renowned rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd announce HUGE Manchester anniversary gig
Thomas Melia
Legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd are returning to Manchester for a limited UK tour at one city’s foremost venues.
Six years since their last visit, we’re sure they’ve missed ‘That Smell’ of a Manchester crowd and it’s safe to say safe we’ve missed them too.
Known for our love of live music and gigs, there’s no better place to stop off at other than Manchester when you’re playing a world tour, especially celebrating the 50th anniversary of the band’s formation.
Their name needs no introduction, however, if you need a reminder of this band’s remarkable career then ‘Don’t Ask Me No Questions’.
Just kidding, the well-seasoned country and blues veterans from Jacksonville, Flordia are one of the most acclaimed acts to ever come out of the US; in 2006 they received one of the biggest honours any artist could wish for, getting inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.
With 14 official studio albums, several EPs and numerous live recordings, there are definitely more than enough songs to pack into one unforgettable night.
As one of just four dates here in England, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Manchester tour show is taking place at none other than the AO Arena, which has also reached a milestone in 2025 as they celebrate 30 years of unbelievable gigs. What better way to party than with a good ol’ fashioned rock show?
They won’t be travelling solo either, they’re also bringing Georgia-based rockers Blackberry Smoke as a support act, notable for their 2012 single ‘One Horse Town’ along with many others.
Rockin’ it out like they always do, bring on Manchester. That iconic Lynyrd logo will look immense in AO Arena this year.Credit: Supplied
They’ve chosen the right venue to belt the hits too and, ironically, they’ve chosen a Tuesday for their Manchester date, meaning you’ll be able to walk out of the concert singing ‘Tuesday’s Gone’ with more conviction than ever.
One thing is for sure, with a legacy as big as this, the rockers are guaranteed to have a great time. There might not be any founding members left following the passing of guitarist and songwriter Gary Rossington in 2023, but you can bet the current lineup will do the originals justice and then some.
Lynyrd Skynyrd visit the AO Arena in Manchester on Tuesday 15 July 2025 with tickets going on sale from Friday 24 January at 10am. You can grab yours HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
29th January 2021 
