It’s Children’s Mental Health Week 2025 and the theme for this year is ‘Know Yourself, Grow Yourself’.
The charity Place2Be have launched a variety of free resources to help support you all of this week, you can download the pack here: https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/resources/ The aim of the week is to equip and empower children and young people across the UK to embrace self-awareness and explore what it means to them. The goal was to help them discover how understanding themselves can build resilience and support their growth and development.
AMHIE Resources and Tips:
Talking about Self-Awareness and how this can impact Children’s mental health, we wanted to share a few quick ideas, tips and resources for you to use or consider.
Recognising mental health problems in children involves observing changes in their behaviour, mood, and thinking. Look out for persistent sadness or irritability, withdrawal from activities they once enjoyed, significant changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, or frequent physical complaints like headaches or stomach aches. Increased anxiety, excessive worry, defiance, or aggression can also be indicators. If you notice these signs, it’s important to reach out for professional help. Early intervention is key to supporting a child’s well-being. Here are some useful ideas and tips for helping to recognise mental health problems and improving self-awareness from AMHIE Chair and Founder Richard Daniel Curtis:
Watch the video: https://www.thekidcalmer.com/recognising-the-signs-of-mental-health-problems-in-children/
Understanding Consciousness
“Over the years I have studied many forms of mindset activities, such as Gratitude, mindfulness or meditation.
As I have explored each one and practised the art of them I have learned about the underlying theory and principles, and far more importantly the benefits to the individual.
Over the past few years, I have come to realise that there is no one true practice that gives people everything, and so I was delighted to learn about the concept of conscious sessions, where a life healer leads sessions to allow people to respond to music in their own way.
The power of combining all of these practices into one 30-45 minute dynamic session (depending on age) was immense:
- Settling – Leave your stresses and worries at the door as we begin with a musical slow-down, starting with fast-paced music, slowing the mind and bodies down over several minutes;
- Stopping – next we lead a meditation session to help ground the body and brain;
- Focus – we move onto a mindfulness exercise to clear the mind of any remaining stresses or worries;
- Reinvigorating – finally we end the session with invigorating music and affirmations to ensure that people leave refreshed and replenished;
- Gratitude – each session finishes with focus on what we are grateful throughout the week.”
Richard Daniel Curtis 2025
Watch the video: https://www.thekidcalmer.com/what-is-consciousness/
Lesson ideas for improving self-awareness/consciousness
Fostering self-awareness in children involves encouraging them to understand their feelings, thoughts, and actions. Asking open-ended questions like “How did that make you feel?” can help. Mindfulness exercises, even simple ones focusing on their breath or senses, can enhance their present moment awareness. Helping them identify their strengths and areas for growth builds self-understanding. Reflecting on their choices and consequences also contributes. Creating a safe space for them to express themselves without judgment is crucial for developing this inner consciousness
- Discovering a mini world; Create an aspirator (there’s a how to guide here); identify insects which you might find in the garden/outside using worksheets; search and capture some insects using the aspirator
- Den building; Decide on materials to use (will you build inside or outside); plan the size and shape of the den based on what to use it for; build the den and use it
- Music making; Find inspiration with the class for a piece (dance, music related); give them access to easy to use instruments; plan the story; help them create and tell the story; present to parents
- Specialist PE; Decide with the group what they would like to do; give them options so not everyone has to do the same thing; bring in a specialist teacher/field trip to another provider; create regular sessions/opportunities (eg, Yoga, Pilates, Horse Riding, Cross Country running, Cycling etc)
- Reflection time; Let them choose a self reflection experience from a list which you have previously provided (eg journaling, meditation, talking); let them carry on however they choose; set a time each day/week/month so it’s consistent
- Party games; You can do this in a sports hall or larger area; get them to suggest a game to play (eg duck duck goose, tag, pin the tail on the donkey etc); set a time each week/month/term so it’s consistent.
- Walk in nature; arrange a walk out regularly, this may take some organising depending on your location and the availability of time off site; get your learners to help you choose; make the length and difficulty accessible.
Children’s Mental Health is at the forefront of everything that we do, being mindful of how we educate and impart the knowledge and understanding of self-awareness has profound impact on development and adult life. Cultivating self-awareness and consciousness regarding their mental health empowers children with invaluable life skills. By understanding their emotions and inner states, they become better equipped to navigate challenges, build resilience, and seek support when needed. This early understanding fosters emotional literacy, contributing to healthier relationships and improved decision-making throughout their lives. Ultimately, nurturing this inner awareness lays a strong foundation for their overall well-being and shapes a future where they are more attuned to their own needs and the needs of others.
Lily
The Team at AMHIE
7/7/2025
References:
Curtis, Richard Daniel. “What is Consciousness?” The Kid Calmer 2020.
London Governess. “Emotional Intelligence in Children: Fostering Self-Awareness and Empathy” 2025 https://londongoverness.com/emotional-intelligence-in-children-fostering-self-awareness-and-empathy/
Mastermind. “The Role of Mindfulness in Behaviour Therapy for Children” 2025. https://www.mastermindbehavior.com/post/the-role-of-mindfulness-in-behavior-therapy-for-childrenl
Mathis, E., et al. “Infant and early childhood mental health consultation: Evaluating change in classroom climate and teaching practices by dosage of program exposure.” Early Childhood Research Quarterly 70 (2025): 52-64.
Science Experience Centre “Aspirator: Catching Insects Easily” Institute of Science and Technology Austria. 2025 https://www.vistascience.at/en/artikel/aspirator-catching-insects-easily
Shannon, Adrienne. “The power of open-ended questions in early childhood education” Family 2023. https://www.famly.co/us/blog/open-ended-questions-early-years