Children's Mental Health Week 2025

This week, we celebrated Children’s Mental Health Week 2025 (3rd to 9th February), and it was a wonderful opportunity for our Year 2 children to focus on their emotional well-being. This year’s theme, “Your Voice Matters”, encouraged children to express themselves, share their feelings, and understand that their thoughts and emotions are important.

Why Children’s Mental Health Week Matters

Mental health is just as important as physical health, especially for young children. During this week, we focused on helping the children understand their emotions, build confidence, and develop healthy ways to express themselves. The theme, “Your Voice Matters”, reminded us how vital it is to listen to children and empower them to share their thoughts and feelings. When children feel heard, they feel valued and supported, which boosts their emotional well-being.

What We Did in School

Throughout the week, the children took part in a range of activities designed to help them:

• Express themselves through art, writing, and group discussions.
• Build confidence by sharing their ideas and feelings in a safe and supportive environment.
• Learn about emotions and how to manage them in healthy ways.
• Celebrate their uniqueness and understand that everyone’s voice matters.

We used resources from Jigsaw, a programme used across the UK, to guide our activities and discussions. The children particularly enjoyed creating whole-class jigsaws that reflected their individual feelings and ideas, and we were so proud of how openly they shared their thoughts.

How You Can Continue to Support at Home

The lessons and conversations from Children’s Mental Health Week don’t have to end here! Here are some ways you can continue to support your child’s mental health at home:

1. Talk about feelings: encourage your child to share how they’re feeling and listen without judgment.
2. Celebrate their voice: ask for their opinions and let them know their thoughts are important.
3. Practise mindfulness: simple breathing exercises or quiet time can help children feel calm and focused.
4. Be a role model: show how you manage your emotions and talk about your feelings too.

Useful Resources

If you’d like to explore this further, here are some helpful resources:

• Place2Be’s website: www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk
• Childline: www.childline.org.uk
• Young Minds: www.youngminds.org.uk

By James Behzadi

Year 2 Giraffes Class Teacher