Mill Rythe Infant School's children make snapdragons and read to plants as part of Mental Health Week

The fun-filled activities were part of Mill Rythe Infant School’s Mental Health Week to support children both in school and at home who may be struggling with the impacts of the coronavirus lockdown.

Activities have been streamed to children’s homes via YouTube.

Millie Costa, six, said: ‘My shaker bottle has been nice and has helped me make up my mind when I’m deciding something. My snapdragon has grown flowers now and it helps me when I forget things. I feel happy after I talk to my plant.’

Classmate, Felicity Jones, seven, added: ‘The activities calm you down. It’s important to stay happy. I like to do colouring to help me stay calm.’

The school launched the week after noticing children returning to school were showing signs of heightened anxiety due to the pandemic. In a recent survey of more than 2,000 children carried out by the charity, YoungMinds, 83 per cent said the pandemic had made their mental health worse, with almost a third saying it was ‘much worse’.

Assistant headteacher, Charlotte Tighe, said: ‘A lot of children are very worried about the pandemic. Most have been unable to see older relatives and some had family members who had Covid-19. It’s also a stressful time for parents who are increasingly worried about children returning to school.’

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Children have been learning strategies to manage anxiety as well as making items which can reduce stress. They’ve even been talking to plants as a means of offloading their emotions.

Charlotte said: ‘The children made glitter bottles which they turn upside down and watch the glitter settle which really helps to calm them down. We also made happiness jars where the children put in images of all the things which make them happy which they can get out and look at when they’re feeling down’

The week culminated on Friday (June 26) with the children singing One Call Away by Charlie Puth.

‘The song shows we are always there for our families and community,’ said Charlotte.

Charlotte believes the strategies to deal with anxieties will be ‘increasingly important’ as more children return in September.

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