Coronavirus and Wellbeing

The change that Covid-19 has caused to our lives has been difficult and has provided countless challenges. For many children, the uncertainty and disruption to everyday life has caused worry and anxiety. These tasks are designed to help children process the current situation, begin to make sense of it and plan for returning to a different normal. 

Any learning that you do at home, please take a picture and email it to us at reception@eastbierleyprimary.com or tweet us @eastbierleyPS

Coping with Change

Think We are experiencing an unusual time and your child probably has lots of questions about the changes to their life. The book ‘Staying Home’  is a great starting point in answering many of the questions your child might have. ‘Good Days in Unusual Times’ offers child-friendly tips for coping with change.

Talk Talk to your child about a skill they would like to develop or an activity they would like to complete during this extra time at home. Together, create a plan of when and how this could be achieved. This could be illustrated on a weekly timetable or added to your family calendar.

Do  Go on a Rainbow Walk together. Ask your child to identify things that are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown and black.

Visit  This document from Emerging Minds offers evidence based advice for anyone supporting children and young people with their worries

Returning to and being at School

Think Ask your child to think about how they are feeling about returning toor being at school. Can they list two or three feelings? Explain to your child that it is okay to feel like this and many children across the world are most likely feeling the same. Your child could draw a heart or a rainbow for other children and list kind words for them.

Talk Does your child have any questions about what school will be like when they eventually return? Or any questions about what they have noticed since returning? Discuss the changes that will be in place when they return or the changes that are already in place e.g. more handwashing, how to social distance, etc. Then talk about all of the things that will remain the same e.g. wearing the same uniform, seeing the same teachers, etc.

Do  The thought of returning to school will fill many children with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Why not make a positivity box? Your child could add items to this box that make them feel safe and provide comfort e.g. a smooth stone to hold. When they are feeling apprehensive, they could choose an item from the box to hold and think about a time when they felt calm.

Visit Use this Balloon or Aeroplane game to encourage your child to record their worries about returning to school.

Looking Forward

Think Reading or being read to offers hope and positivity. The Book of Hopes aims to comfort and encourage children during these unusual times. 

Talk Talk to your child about what they are looking forward to most when things begin to return to normal. Who are they looking forward to seeing at school? What places are they excited about visiting with the family? What will they miss about being at home?

Do  Write the headings ‘Things I’ve enjoyed being at home’ and ‘What I am looking forward to most’ on paper. Ask your child to draw and/or list all of the positive experiences they have had over the last few weeks and those to come.

Visit If your child is struggling to adapt to the ‘new normal’, Mind Ed for Families offers safe and reliable advice on supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing.

RHMAT