Adult & Child Wellbeing: Free Resources for Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This time of year reminds us of the importance of focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of both the children and staff members in our early learning settings. Prioritizing mental health in our classrooms helps us to build stronger and more resilient communities in which  children, their families, and educators can thrive together. Below, you will find a few helpful mental health resources to support wellness in educators and children through the month of May…and beyond! 

Mental Health & Wellness Resources for Early Learning Professionals

• Stress Busters, a website from ACEs Aware. This website shares tools and resources to help manage day-to-day stressors and live a healthier, longer life. The website highlights research-backed tips and strategies that have been found to improve brain health and immune function, and to balance stress hormones.  
• 3 Mindfulness Resources for Resilience and Quick Self-Care. This article from the G2K archives highlights a few quick and easy self-care resources that work with busy schedules, so you can show up as your best self for the work that you do with young children.
• Supporting Children Who Are Experiencing Stress. Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) shares this tip sheet that gives child care providers insight into what stress can look like in young children, and how you might support them through it (also available in Spanish).

Mental Health & Wellness Resources for Children

• Stress-Busting Activities for Young Children. This free, printable resource from Penn State University’s Extension Publication, Better Kid Care, provides strategies for teaching children how to calm down and deal with stress in a healthy way.
• Free Mindfulness Resources to Nurture Young Minds and Bodies. This article from the G2K archives includes a variety of free mindfulness resources from Barefoot Books, including printable activity sheets, videos, and more. 
• Talking about Feelings with Preschoolers. This article from the G2K archives shares information about early social emotional skills and some fun  children’s books with SEL activities you can try with the little ones in your care.