Article Release: 24th August 2020
Controlling the Wheel on Children’s Emotional Wellbeing – How a Global Pandemic and an Activity has Influenced a Positive Outlook in the Early Years.
The moment lockdown struck, children’s home and nursery routine went straight out of the window. Some children didn’t understand what a pandemic was or why they were not able to see their grandparents or nursery friends. Such a rapid change of events can be both confusing and traumatic time for a child. As lockdown restrictions were lifted, children were eased back into nursery after being at home for three months and they were anxious, as well as a change in nursery routine and some children felt like they had gone into an emotional turmoil. The children were separated into various ‘bubbles’ and some were too young to understand why we need to separate the ‘bubbles’ into different rooms.
This is where our pre-school team leapt into action and focused on the children's emotional and cognitive wellbeing, whilst linking to our ‘Golden Values’. A ‘Happy Tree’, was introduced symbolising where we could all come together in unity, for happiness to bloom after starting again from the roots up. This was a two-week project, combined with the handprints of both students and staff to acknowledge that the world is becoming better and that nursery is gradually coming back to normal.
Since the ‘Happy Tree’ has been displayed in the Butterfly room, the children have been beaming with joy and we have a seen a positive shift in behaviour and energy. This wasn’t an activity based on their development and progress but an activity to enable a positive learning environment and build the fundamental support between nursery and home life and an activity which has brought the nursery together again.
Thank you Annie Pendrey for letting me be a part of a collective, collaborative place!
Referenced from https://sway.office.com/DHFpoj053g7wbEyf?ref=email
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