World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day, celebrated on October 10th, is a special day to talk about something very important: our mental health! Just like taking care of our bodies by eating healthy food and getting exercise, it's important to take care of our minds and feelings too. For preschoolers, World Mental Health Day is a wonderful opportunity to start talking about emotions, how to express them, and how to practice kindness and self-care.

What is Mental Health?

Mental health is all about how we feel, how we think, and how we handle big emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, or excitement. Even very young children experience lots of different feelings every day. Understanding and talking about these feelings helps them grow emotionally and learn how to take care of their minds.

Preschoolers may not fully understand the concept of mental health, but they do understand what it means to feel happy, sad, or frustrated. World Mental Health Day is a time to help children learn that all feelings are okay and that it's important to share those feelings with others.

Why is Mental Health Important?

Mental health is important for everyone, no matter how young or old. When we take care of our mental health, we feel happier, calmer, and more ready to deal with challenges. For preschoolers, taking care of mental health means understanding their feelings, expressing those feelings in a healthy way, and knowing that it's okay to ask for help when they're feeling upset or worried.

By learning about mental health from a young age, children develop the skills to cope with big emotions, build healthy relationships, and learn to be kind to themselves and others.

How Can Preschoolers Celebrate World Mental Health Day?

There are many simple and fun activities preschoolers can do to understand their feelings and learn how to take care of their mental health. Here are some ideas for celebrating World Mental Health Day with preschoolers:

1. Feelings Chart

Create a feelings chart with pictures or drawings that show different emotions, like happy, sad, angry, excited, or tired. Each morning, ask the children how they are feeling and have them point to or place their name next to the emotion that matches their mood. This helps preschoolers recognize and name their emotions.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Understanding that it’s okay to have many different feelings
• Learning to identify and express emotions

2. Mindful Breathing

Teach preschoolers the power of mindful breathing to help them feel calm when they're upset or overwhelmed. You can call it "balloon breathing" or "rainbow breathing" to make it fun! Ask them to imagine they are blowing up a balloon by taking a deep breath in through their nose, and then slowly exhale to "let the air out of the balloon." Mindful breathing helps children calm down and feel more in control of their emotions.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Learning a simple technique to calm themselves when feeling upset or stressed
• Building self-awareness and emotional regulation

3. Feelings Story Time

Read a book about emotions, like “The Color Monster” by Anna Llenas or “In My Heart: A Book of Feelings” by Jo Witek. These books explore different emotions and how they feel inside. After reading, ask the children to share times when they have felt happy, sad, or frustrated, and talk about what they can do when they feel those emotions.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Understanding that everyone has feelings, and it’s important to talk about them
• Building empathy by listening to others’ experiences

4. Feelings Art

Provide children with paper and crayons and encourage them to draw how they are feeling today. It can be a happy picture, like a sunny day or a smiley face, or something else that reflects their mood. This activity helps children express their emotions creatively and understand that art can be a way to share how they feel.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Expressing emotions through creative activities
• Learning that art can be a helpful way to process feelings

5. Gratitude Circle

Have the children sit in a circle and take turns sharing one thing that makes them feel happy or thankful. This can be something simple like "I’m happy because I played with my friend today" or "I’m thankful for my favorite toy." Practicing gratitude helps children focus on positive feelings and teaches them to appreciate the little things in life.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Focusing on positive emotions
• Learning to appreciate and feel thankful for everyday moments

What Preschoolers Can Learn About Mental Health

World Mental Health Day is a wonderful way to introduce preschoolers to important life lessons about feelings, self-care, and kindness:

• It's Okay to Feel Different Emotions: Preschoolers learn that everyone has feelings, and it's okay to feel happy, sad, angry, or excited. The important thing is to understand those feelings and talk about them with someone they trust.

• Talking About Feelings Helps: Preschoolers are encouraged to talk about their feelings with parents, teachers, or friends. They learn that sharing their emotions can make them feel better and help others understand how they're feeling.

• Self-Care Is Important: Just like they need to eat healthy food and get plenty of rest, preschoolers learn that taking care of their mental health is important too. This can include doing things that make them feel happy and calm, like playing, drawing, or taking deep breaths.

• Kindness Matters: Being kind to others, and themselves, helps build a strong foundation for good mental health. Preschoolers learn that when they are kind and patient with others, they create a positive environment where everyone can feel safe and supported.

Fun Activities to Promote Mental Health Throughout the Year

Even after World Mental Health Day, there are plenty of activities preschoolers can do to take care of their mental health every day:

1. Emotion Puppets

Make simple puppets using paper bags or socks, and have the children create different facial expressions on the puppets, like happy, sad, or surprised. Let them use the puppets to act out different feelings and talk about how the puppet is feeling.

2. Calm Down Corner

Create a special "calm down corner" in the classroom with pillows, soft toys, and books about feelings. When a child feels upset, they can visit this corner to relax, read, or practice mindful breathing until they feel calm again.

3. Daily Check-Ins

Make it a daily routine to check in with how the children are feeling. Whether through a feelings chart or a quick discussion, this helps children become more comfortable talking about their emotions.

Conclusion

World Mental Health Day is an important reminder to teach preschoolers about their emotions and how to take care of their mental health. Through fun and engaging activities like breathing exercises, storytelling, and creative art projects, children can begin to understand their feelings and learn simple ways to express them.

By teaching preschoolers that it’s okay to feel all kinds of emotions and that sharing those feelings is important, we are helping them build a strong foundation for their emotional well-being. This year, let's celebrate World Mental Health Day by encouraging kindness, self-care, and open conversations about feelings—because everyone’s mental health matters!