ADVERTORIAL
Being mindful
There have always been challenges for practitioners in early years but the fall-out from the pandemic has taken its toll on the wellbeing and mental health of children and educators in an unprecedented way. As a result, the emotional wellbeing of our early years educators is at an all-time low.
While there is real cause for concern, it’s also encouraging to see more early years providers taking steps to improve the current situation. Hundreds of providers are working with Do-BeMindful to nurture positive mental health, emotional wellbeing and develop key skills including attention, self-regulation and resilience in educators, children, parents and carers.
Nature-based mindfulness
On average, children in the UK spend more than 17 hours watching TV and more than 20 online each week. Exposure to blue light, combined with isolated play, means that children can struggle with stress, sleep problems, anxiety and self-destructive behaviours. There is mounting evidence that practising nature-based mindfulness can improve children’s confidence, emotional regulation and resilience. The Do-BeMindful Outdoors programme offers educators everything they need to deliver fun and engaging activities that foster a deeper connection with nature and develop healthy coping strategies.
Avoiding box-ticking
To make it as easy as possible to implement, the Do-BeMindful approach comes with supportive lesson plans, 35 weeks of daily breathing practices, weekly wellbeing activities, measuring tools and other resources, saving hours of planning time. Activities include cloud gazing, emotion hopscotch and mindful scavenger hunts.
Practitioners have described the effects of the programmes as ‘transformational’. Educators who have taken part in the Do-BeMindful approach experience benefits professionally and personally. They often report sleeping better, feeling less stressed and anxious and feel more confident in helping learners to understand and regulate their emotions.
Do-BeMindful offers a free online programme for parents and carers to help encourage a positive bridge between settings and home, encouraging a sustainable community approach. The team has delivered measurable impacts in more than 400 nurseries and schools in the UK and is currently working with local authorities in Scotland and Wales to help improve the wellbeing of educators, children and families.
Over the past two years, North Lanarkshire Council has been piloting the Do-BeMindful three-year ‘develop, embed and sustain wellbeing’ approach, which has built capacity in early years educators, giving them the crucial tools and strategies they need to develop emotional resilience. This approach is having a positive impact on children’s emotional and social skills, selfregulation and kindness.
Join in for free
Do-BeMindful is offering a free licence to their staff wellbeing programme for every group setting and school in the UK until 30 April 2023. To find out more about how your setting, school or local authority can benefit visit do-bemindful.com, call 0800 197 8804 or email enquiries@do-bemindful.com.