SCHOOLS

Kate Andrews, Founder of Wild Creative offers incursions on 4 key topics supporting children's mental/emotional wellbeing.

Workshops can be tailored for primary/middle school students accordingly.

Duration: 1.5-2hrs

WORKSHOP 1. 'RIDE THE WAVE': EMOTIONAL REGULATION
The capacity to regulate our emotions is a lifelong practice.
Due to our screen heavy culture, kids are missing many social cues, misreading emotional expression from others or simply cannot identify or express their own feelings.

+ DEFINING EMOTIONS
The children are invited to choose some key feelings to work on which supports their input and learning experience.

+ DISCUSSION:
Where do we feel these in our body?
What does it feel like?
What happens to our mood/thinking mind?
What is our response to these feelings?

+ STORY: How do I Feel? A Big Book of Emotions by Rebekah Lipp

+ COPING STRATEGIES to SELF REGULATE
Movement/singing/journalling/creativity/nature/body percussion/breathwork/art therapy techniques

+ HOW TO RIDE THE WAVE of big feelings until it passes

+ GAMES: Feelings Charades/Wave/Stick balancing in teams/The Human Knot

+ CRAFT:
Art Therapy exercise of drawing what different emotions feel like.
This is a process based practice designed to encourage kids to simply transfer the feelings out of their bodies which helps define them.
or
Drawing where emotions occur in your body.

WORKSHOP 2. 'WORRY MONSTER': ANXIETY
Anxiety is affecting more of our youth than ever before.
Less time in nature, less time to reflect on life experiences and increased screen time create an environment that lacks adequate down time.
This workshop equips kids with an understanding of anxiety and its purpose.
They will recognise the 3 signals: alert, alarm and all clear and when they're stuck in alarm.

+ FACTS: understanding anxiety
+ HOW IT PRESENTS in the body and mind
+ WHEN IT IS USEFUL
+ How they can befriend it instead of fearing anxiety itself
+ EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES to cope when they're feeling overwhelmed or manage ongoing anxiety

+ CRAFT:
Create a worry monster (materials can be hay or clay)
or
Design a Worry Jar

WORKSHOP 3. 'BODYWISE': PUBERTY & PERIODS
Specifically for girls aged 8-12yo.
This workshop offers a safe space to learn about the importance of the transition into puberty and first period. Our culture ignores this phase of a girls life yet honouring this rite of passage can have a profound affect on their wellbeing.
Period positivity leads to body literacy and a deeper sense of confidence.

+ FACTS of puberty and periods (anatomy, purpose of puberty/periods)
+ PERIOD PRODUCTS and their use
+ BODY SIGNALS and self care
+ GAME: Physical distance movement game.
How close can you get before your body sends a signal to move away?

+ CRAFT:
Design your own bodywise bracelet/anklet
or
Design your own body affirmation cards

WORKSHOP 4. 'COURAGE REQUIRED': HOW WE BUILD RESILIENCE
How do we manage when we feel challenged physically, mentally or emotionally?

+ DISCUSSION: Defining resilience.
Working out how discomfort fits into building resilience together.

+ STORIES of resilience

+ GAMES that challenge:
Resilience is created through stretching ourselves and feeling a little discomfort.
We play games that encourage kids to lean into their edge.
Then discuss what they felt challenged by or where they felt discomfort.

+ CRAFT:
Creating a Jar of Resilience.
The children are encouraged to think of experiences they've lived through that have built strength; physically, mentally or emotionally.
They write these down and build their Jar of Resilience as a reminder they are stronger than they think. These are taken ohm as reminders that each experience build their resilience.
or
Design a BRAVE token/ornament from polymer clay