* In this class we will use puppets, games, role-play, visuals, music, songs and musical games, visualisation and sensory toys/resources to teach students how to self-regulate and safely respond to their big emotions.

* Strategies to manage big emotions are crucial for students who are autistic, have ADHD, get frustrated easily, are very quiet and withdrawn, or struggle to express emotions safely. But this course is also for all children as part of their social-emotional development and skills.

* Children don't need any particular books or stories for this class. All the stories we will tell will be a 2-4 mins story that we make up, i.e. 'Tiny Tim Turtle was on the playground with his friends. Suddenly, a ball hit him on his head. Tiny Tim became mad. At first, he wanted to scream and be so mad.....'. The story will stop here, and children can come up with ideas about how Tiny Tim can calm himself down and what he can do.

* This is an ongoing class; children can jump in and out, attend only the topics that they like or stay enrolled all the time. Each session stands on its own and has no connection to the previous session. Students don't need to know the strategies taught in previous classes in order to attend a class of their choice.

>>> 𝙀𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩:
1. Hello time - with actions.
2. Introduce the characters of the story I will tell (with the help of puppets). 
3. The 'problem' the main character has to face (i.e. worries too much, becomes angry/frustrated, too restless, etc). Also, I will introduce different synonyms for that feeling. 
4. Brainstorming ideas about how children can help the character feel calmer and better.
5. Children will be taught a few strategies in each session that will give them a tool to respond when they are facing big emotions.
6. Children will have opportunities to practice that strategy (or strategies) by advising the puppets in the story what to do.
7. Children will be sent materials from the class that will help them make a plan for when they feel a strong emotion. 

                                                    𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:

                   ~ Week 1 - Week of 3rd April - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻.
The Emotion we will talk about is 'anger' = Angry like a Dragon! We will be discussing what happens in our bodies when we feel angry: we feel hot, heart beats faster, breathe fast, become sweaty, fiery, feeling that we are losing control! 
                    *Strategies taught: 
                                      - hand model of the brain;
                                      - "flip the lid";
                                      - Traffic lights strategy; 
                                      - soothing/self-regulating basic strategies.

Supplies for this class: space to move around, play dough, a bouncy ball (football or fitness ball), paper, colouring pens, a box of tissues.


                   ~ Week 2 - Week of 10th April - 𝗠𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗻
I will tell a story about two puppets who react differently to some news. One of the puppets gets furious when he gets the news. Children will make a 'Mad Balloon' to help them "contain" the anger/frustration in a safe space. They can pop the balloon with the angry feelings inside it to 'pop' the angry feelings away into space! 
                    *Strategies taught: 
                                      - brain, body, breath relationship;
                                      - expressing angry feelings safely;
                                      - containing the anger in a safe space, instead of keeping it in our body; 
                                      - strategies for releasing the anger with body movements.

Supplies for this class: 2 colourful balloons (not inflated), a sharpies / permanent marker to write/draw on the balloon.


                   ~ Week 3 - 17th April - 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿! 
Tiny Tim Turtle will tell the children his story of when he became angry and what he decided to do instead of transforming himself into an angry dragon. We will talk about the importance of getting out of the 'anger/frustration shell' and taking slow breaths like turtles move. Can you think of another animal that goes slowly? (snails, etc).  
                     *Strategies taught in this class
                                       - relaxation thermometer;
                                       - breaking out of the big emotion by acknowledging it;
                                       - doing abdominal breathing by opening the chest and slowing down our heart rate;
                                       - focus activity strategy;
                                       - steps to follow when you get angry;
                                       - we will sing the song 'Steady and slow, that's the way to go'. 

Supplies for this class: a paper shopping bag, space to move around, paper to draw on, colouring pens/markers (green, yellow, orange and red pens please), a few books (we will put them on our belly and practise deep breathing).


                    ~ Week 4 - Week of 24th April - 𝗠𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗼𝘅
The character in the story will face "worry". Children can make a 'Worry Box'; they can decorate it on the inside and on the outside. Then, they can think of what worried the puppet and write words, draw pictures to reflect the puppet's feelings. If they want to, they can make their own worry box with the grown up next to them, but without sharing their worries with the other learner or with me (as per Outschool's policy). 
Or, even better, after class, parents and children can make together the child's own worry box and include objects that resemble the child's worries. Once the worry is contained in the box, it shouldn't overwhelm the child any more. Parents and children can get the box when the child is worried about something and talk about their worries. 
                     *Strategies taught in this class
                                       - how "worry" or "anxiety" presents in our bodies;
                                       - "containing" the worry in a safe place outside your body;
                                       - worries and bubbles;
                                       - what worries are and how they can affect your body and mental health;
                                       - benefits of making a "worry box";
                                     
Supplies for this class: You will need 2-3 (or more) different sizes of boxes (i.e. chocolate box, match box, plastic take away box, cardboard tissue box, etc) for this class and a few post-its, markers, stickers (shapes, animals, any kind of stickers to decorate the box) and pens. You will also need a drum, or a shaker/tambourine.


                     ~ Week 5 - Week of 1st May - 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝗯𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀
I will tell a story of a puppet who had so many thoughts going round in their head, they couldn't sleep. 
                     *Strategies taught in this class
                                       - what are "thoughts"?;
                                       - different types of thoughts and how they impact our feelings/mood;
                                       - thoughts are like bubbles;
                                       -  guided meditation "Pop Your Thoughts";
                                       - steps to clear your mind of thoughts that won't go away (worries, negative thoughts, etc.);

Supplies for this class: lots of bubbles, paper, pen, colouring pencils/felt tips, space to dance and move around.


                     ~ Week 6 - Week of 8th May - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝘃𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝘄𝗹
Children will listen to a story where the main character is faced with lots of thoughts telling them that they can't do something (like riding a bike...or writing letters, or reading). That would be associated with the idea of a Guard Dog who wants to protect you from failing (our amygdala). Then we will talk about the Wise Owl who moves slowly, takes a step back and thinks of ideas, solutions and small steps to achieve that outcome (i.e. riding the bike). 
                     *Strategies taught in this class
                                       - different parts of our brain and their role: "Guard Dog" (amygdala) and "Wise Owl" (Prefrontal cortex);
                                       - steps to follow when the "Guard Dog" is barking too loud inside our brain;
                                       - "flip the lid";
                                       -  traffic lights system;
                                       - identify when the amygdala overreacts and when we need to bring the prefrontal cortex in action.

Supplies for this class: 3 different colours play dough, colouring pens and paper to draw and write on. 


                      ~ Week 7 - Week of 15th May - 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
We will talk about green (helpful) thoughts and red (unhelpful - negative) thoughts by using the traffic light system. Children will help the puppet choose between different thoughts, and we will talk about why it is important to keep an eye on our thoughts and only let the helpful thoughts grow. 
                     *Strategies taught in this class
                                       - what are "thoughts"?;
                                       - thoughts create our feelings;
                                       - traffic lights system to check which thoughts are helpful and which are not;
                                       - visualisation;
                                       - steps to choose your thoughts;

Supplies for this class: paper, colouring pens, strips of colourful paper/ tissue paper - red, yellow, green and a glue stick.


                      ~ Week 8 - Week of 22nd May- 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲
In this class we will be talking about how children can make a calming spot in their house/room where they can go to when they feel they need to calm down and take some time for themselves. We will discuss what things are useful to bring in that 'calm spot'. 
                     *Strategies taught in this class
                                       - belly breathing;
                                       - create a "calm spot" in your home;
                                       - "smell the flower" and "fly the tissue";
                                       - "hi 5 breathing";
                                       - steps to choose your thoughts;

Supplies for this class: objects that are used in your household to self soothe your learner (i.e. teddies, squishy toys, etc), paper to draw/write on, pencils, colouring pens.


                     ~ Week 9 - Week of 29th May- 𝗕𝗲 𝗮 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀' 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲!
Children will have an outline of the puppet, and together we will watch different videos and look for "clues" trying to identify different emotions. Children will look out for facial expressions, body movements and clues and posture. 
We will also play an interactive game where children will see a short video or a picture of somebody showing an emotion, and they can demonstrate to that person how to practise one of the calming strategies they know, so the person feels better and expresses their emotions safely. 
                     *Strategies taught in this class
                                       - every feeling is OK;
                                       - the relationship between thoughts - feelings - actions;
                                       - our body and emotions;
                                       - look for clues;
                                       - situations we will talk about: trying something new, making a mistake, if something is broke/taken away from you, when someone feels loved;

Supplies for this class: different objects that usually calm down your learner (i.e teddies, squishy toys, etc), paper to draw/write on, pencils, colouring pens.

                  ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟏0 - Week of 5th June - "𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐎𝐧"
We will learn together about "feelings thermometer". Children will learn to identify when a person is on "red", "yellow" or "green", what the body and facial clues are, and what can they do about the specific feelings that might overwhelm them.

                    *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭:
                                      - "Be the Pond" - observe your feelings but don't become one with them;
                                      - mindful breathing;
                                      - feelings thermometer; 
                                      - recognising connections between thoughts, actions, and emotions;
                                      - "listening Game" - bring yourself back to "present".
Supplies for this class: 3 coloured paper sheets: red, yellow, green, blue and pens.


                   ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 11 - Week of 12th June - "𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲" - 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠
We will all discuss general events that might happen at a child's party (i.e. excitement when waking up, nervous before guests arrive, grateful for receiving gifts, etc) and we will highlight the fast that feelings change many times in a  day, and it can be overwhelming, so sometimes we can take "time-off" or a "step back" if it's too overwhelming for us.

                    *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭: 
                                      - "Body Check-in" - check what signals your body is sending you (fast heart rate, sweating, tummy butterfly, etc);
                                      - expressing feelings safely;
                                      - "check-in" moments throughout the day.
Supplies for this class: Birthday party attire children can wear!  Paper and pens, scissors.


                              ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 12 - Week of 19th June- "𝐓𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰" 
What feelings would someone experience?
We will listen to a story about some characters who had to try something new for the first time: be in a Christmas play, do a class presentation, sing in front of others, etc.. Different characters experience different feelings. We will talk about what is the body's response to different feelings before they had to do that "new thing" and then afterwards.

                   *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class:
                                       - "Look Under the Duck" - the duck seems that she is floating on the water effortlessly, but if you look inside the water, the duck is putting lots of effort into it. Duck = a role model a child can choose.
                                       - how "worry" or "anxiety" presents in our bodies;
                                       - how excitement shows in our body;
                                       - giving a name to your "worry" and talking to it;
                                       - what worries are and how they can affect your body and mental health;
Supplies for this class: paper, pens, googly eyes and any other arts and crafts resources to create a "worry"-puppet-like.

                              ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 13 - Week of 26th June - 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 
We will talk about what "fixed mindset" is and what "growth mindset" is and how you can keep developing a "growth mindset".

                    *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class:
                                       - resilience;
                                       - "Train your brain" - our brain is like a muscle;
                                       - visualisation "I can do it, yes, I can";
                                       - the power of "yet";

Supplies for this class: modelling dough/ playdough, sticks.


                     ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 14 - Week of 3rd July - "𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞"
I will tell a story about a character who will start school in September and experiences worry, anxiety, confusion. The character is overwhelmed by thoughts. 

                     *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class
                                       - what are "thoughts"?;
                                       - different types of thoughts and how they impact our feelings/mood;
                                       - "worst case scenario" technique;
                                       -  replacing "What If...?" with "Is this really true?";
                                       - "fill your cup" technique;
                                       - "supervision glasses" imagine you can see with those glasses what will happen when one meets those new people (discussion related to the story I am telling and not to the children's personal experience).

Supplies for this class: dominoes (if you have any); anything that can create a chain reaction, paper, pens, funky/party glasses.


                     ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 15 - Week of 10th July - "𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬"Everyone makes mistakes or has an accident, now and then. Every feeling is OK. We are all different and beautiful and what we feel may be different, too. When we feel embarrassed, our cheeks may grow hot or change colour pink/red. It doesn't last very long. Luckily, accidents and mistakes help us learn, grow, develop and become better at what we try to do.

                     *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class:
                                       - "Try Everything" - song from Zootopia;
                                       - visualisation;
                                       - "Small goals ladder" - breaking down a task in achievable little steps;

Supplies for this class: colouring pens and paper to draw and write on, a musical instrument of choice. 


                      ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 16 - Week of 17th July - "𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬"
Life is full of changes.
Change can be challenging, exciting and fun.
Change might seem scary, but you can learn how to feel better about it. Whether you are moving schools or getting a new sibling, you can practise mindful activities that could help you feel more prepared for new things. Change is something you can learn to handle, it's like a skill. 

                    *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class
                                       - "STOP" strategy;
                                       - "Lift" breathing;
                                       - practise changing the words of a favourite song;
                                       - visualisation;
Supplies for this class: paper, colouring pens.


                      ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 17 - Week of 24th July - "𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲?"
Everybody worries sometimes. It is tricky to enjoy your learning, or do something fun when you are worried. If you worry too much about lots of things, you might become ill or feel like hiding and not talking. Lots of worries become "anxiety". 

                    *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class
                                       - "open window";
                                       - making a "worry lorry";
                                       - mindful breathing;
                                       - visualisation "safe space";
                                       - steps to manage anxious thoughts;

Supplies for this class: paper to draw/write on, pencils, colouring pens, scissors, tape, bubbles.

                    ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 18 - Week of 31st July - "𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞"
In this class, we are all invited to appreciate ourselves, the people we care for, and the world around us. We will focus on the present moment, as often, we are distracted by thoughts about what happened yesterday or worry about tomorrow, and we miss all the good things that are happening right now!

                     *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class:
                                       - mindful breathing;
                                       - "STOP" strategy;
                                       - "Gratitude Tree" strategy;
                                       - share some caring thoughts;
                                       - gratitude affirmations;
                                       - "Dear Me" - gratitude letter to yourself.

Supplies for this class: strips of paper to draw/write on, pencils, colouring pens, glue stick, a drum (or something to drum on). 

                ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 19 - Week of - "𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐣𝐢 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲" - 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Emotions are like the weather - sometimes pleasant, sometimes not. Are you feeling upset and angry like a storm, or peaceful and happy like a warm afternoon? Or something else? Whatever it sis what you feel, see if you can let it be there....it will change, like the weather.                  

                        *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class:
                                       - "welcome the weather inside yourself";
                                       - "Weather" breathing;
                                       - moody music;
                                       - emoji party;

Supplies for this class: space to move around, paper and markers to draw and colour in; choose a favourite song and let me know what it is in class. 

                ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 20 - Week of - "𝐈 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝" -  𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐦?
Your thoughts and the way you think about yourself are amazingly powerful! How is your inner voice making you feel right now?
It feels good to appreciate yourself and realise that you are pretty awesome!!
                        *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class:
                                       - what is "self-esteem"?;
                                       - "feel good" statements;
                                       - the "magic mirror of compliments";
                                       - "mountain" and "superhero" pose;
                                       - positive "inner voice = self-talk" strategy 
                                       - "supervision glasses" imagine you see "the best you" with those glasses. What would you look like? What would you do? How would you behave? How would you walk?

Supplies for this class: a small mirror, funky glasses/sunglasses, paper, pens to draw/write with.

                ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 21 - Week of  - "𝐈'𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐌𝐄!" - Developing Confidence 
Growing up is great and every day offers new challenges. Sometimes we make mistakes and this can make us feel bad and those feelings hang around like a bad smell! In this easy-to-understand class about confidence, we encourage self-awareness, emotional understanding and the development of self-esteem and self-confidence.

                     *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class
                                       - hand breathing;
                                       - "Mistakes are learning opportunities"
                                       - "A Recipe for Happiness" strategy
                                       - "confidence mindful affirmations"

Supplies for this class: space to move around, paper and pens.

                ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 22 - Week of  - "𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬?"
We hear people talking about stress all the time. You  may have heard your parents saying "My work is so stressful" or "I'm so stressed about my work/exam!" Stress is the unpleasant feeling when we are worried for a long time, and it can make you tense. Moving your body to unwind will help you feel better. It's fun to do it. Your body gets tense and tight in some spots. 

                     *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class
                                       - body movement "unwinding your stress";
                                       - "the stress scales";
                                       - "Power On" and "Power Off" (energise and relax);
                                       - "Energy Slime" (we will actually be working with slime, squeezing it and releasing it to compare "stressed" and "calm");

Supplies for this class: space to move around, paper and pens, slime (cornflour, water, bowl, spoon to mix, food colouring is optional).

                ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 23 - Week of  - "𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲, 𝐁𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲" - 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
Do you think that anybody can be happy all the time - never worried, never sad, angry, scared or disappointed? In a way, it might be nice, but it is not realistic! Humans, however, feel all sorts of emotions. We can train our brain to focus on the positives, rather than the bad in any daily situation.

                     *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class
                                       - half-full or half-empty;
                                       - "all or nothing" thinking;
                                       - "Let It Go" - strategy and also the Disney Song;

Supplies for this class: space to move around, musical instrument of choice, a glass/bottle of water, half full, playdough.

                ~ 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 24 - Week of  - "𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 - 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟"
How well do you know yourself? It might seem like an odd question, but it is an important one. The more you get to know yourself, the way you think, feel and behave, the better you'll be able to respond to actions, thoughts and challenges in your life. 

                     *𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 in this class
                                       - "love myself jar";
                                       - "Being My Best" spider diagram;
                                       - Mindfulness - awareness;
                                       - "fake it before you make it" - try it!;
                                      - growth mindset vs fixed mindset.

Supplies for this class: worksheet I will provide, markers, colouring pens, paper.

                   ~ Week 25 - Week of - "𝐒𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲"
Shyness is a feeling. When we are shy, we can feel worried, awkward, embarrassed and nervous. Shyness is not a bad thing, but it can make us want to hide away and miss out on fun. Being shy is normal, but it can make you feel isolated. You are not alone, there are loads of us!

                    *Strategies taught: 
                                      - levels of shyness;
                                      - when do you feel shy?
                                      - how does shyness feel inside our body?
                                      - what does shyness do to our brain?
                                      - "burger layers" - we love ourselves with all our qualities and quirks;
                                      - "reset button" - starting over.

Supplies for this class: play dough (3-4 colours please), paper, colouring pens.

                   ~ Week 26 - Week of  - "𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄!"
In this class about LOVE, we will explore different facets of what we call "love": kindness, friendship, compassion, remembering the ones that are no longer with us, being gentle, taking care of me, love is gratitude, helping hand, shared smile, listening etc. . 

                    *Strategies taught: 
                                      - where does "love" come from? (nurturing feelings of peace, confidence, happiness;
                                      - what makes "love" grow? (words, actions, confidence, kindness, giving thumbs up, hugs, etc);
                                      - we are different - we like to be loved differently; 
                                      - What do you love about yourself?
                                      - loving yourself even when you make mistakes;
                                      - making your own love "stack".

Supplies for this class: space to move around, a LOT of play dough, a play dough cutter (a heart, but no worries if you don't have a heart, just any shape cutter will be good), post-its, colouring pens, musical instrument of choice.

                   ~ Week 27 - Week of  - "𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐌𝐞 𝐚 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥"
Like us, children have a wide range of feelings, but it is sometimes difficult to express what they feel with the right words and understanding. In this class we will focus on the signals sent from our body to us when we feel a specific emotion. 

                    *Strategies taught: 
                                      - hand model of the brain;
                                      - "flip the lid";
                                      - Traffic lights strategy; 
                                      - "What Am I feeling?" - game
                                      - soothing/self-regulating basic strategies.

Supplies for this class: space to move around, play dough, paper, colouring pens, a box of tissues.

                   ~ Week 28 - Week of  - "𝐀𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬"
Like us, children have a wide range of feelings, but it is sometimes difficult to express what they feel with the right words and understanding. In this class we will focus on different scenarios where children can feel strong emotions: school, bed time, meal time, going to a new place, etc. We will explore different emotions but also try to come up with ideas to solve the conflict. 

                    *Strategies taught: 
                                      - fight, flight, freeze modes of the brain;
                                      - "rose, bud, thorn" strategy;
                                      - feelings thermometer; 
                                      - offer solutions to the conflicts presented in the scenarios;
                                      - breathing exercises.

Supplies for this class: space to move around, play dough, paper, colouring pens.

                   ~ Week 29 - Week of - "𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬"
Putting effort into waiting for good things to happen can be hard work. Sometimes, it seems more appealing to choose the option where we get pleasure right now. Does it make you frustrated when you have to finish your homework first then go and play? 

                    *Strategies taught: 
                                      - visualisation;
                                      - What is "patience" and how it can help?;
                                      - fixed vs growth mindset; 
                                      - pathways in your brain;
                                      - breathing exercises.

Supplies for this class: play dough, paper, colouring pens.

                   ~ Week 30 - Week of - "𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬"
Nobody on this plant is perfect, but every single human being is special and capable of achieving things they want to achieve. But what can you do when you reach setbacks?

                    *Strategies taught: 
                                      - what is "mindset"?;
                                      - say "yes" to opportunities;
                                      - build your support team; 
                                      - "role Models";
                                      - how to stay motivated.

Supplies for this class: play dough, paper, colouring pens.

𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦:
>> Children don't need to have previous experience of mindfulness or positive mindset strategies. No background knowledge of the strategies is required in order for the children to succeed in this class.

>> This course is for all children as part of their Social-Emotional development, not just for children who find it difficult to deal with some emotions.

>> The discussion, questions and examples given in each class are not supposed to be from the child's personal issues/experiences, but rather a broad example (i.e. What could make a child angry at lunchtime?).

>> Please note that students can't engage in direct conversation sharing personal feelings and experiences related to their emotions. If you notice that your child's microphone is on, and they start sharing something like that, then I will have to mute them, and they can continue the conversation with you, if you chose so.


                                → 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴:

Week 1: The Angry Dragon Brain: space to move around, play dough, a bouncy ball (football or fitness ball), paper, colouring pens, a box of tissues.

Week 2: My Mad Balloon: 2 colourful balloons (not inflated), a sharpies / permanent marker to write/draw on the balloon.

Week 3: Turtle Power! - a paper shopping bag, space to move around, scissors, paper to draw on, colouring pens/markers, a few books (we will put them on our belly and practise deep breathing).

Week 4: My Worry Box: You will need 2-3 (or more) different sizes of boxes (i.e. chocolate box, match box, plastic take away box, cardboard tissue box, etc) for this class and a few post-its, markers, stickers (shapes, animals, any kind of stickers) and pens. You will also need a drum or a shaker/tambourine.

Week 5: Thoughts and Bubbles: lots of bubbles, paper, pen, colouring pencils/felt tips, space to dance and move around.

Week 6: The Guard Dog vs The Wise Owl: play dough (3 colours, please), colouring pens and paper to draw and write on. 

Week 7: Choose Your Thoughts: paper, colouring pens, strips of colourful paper/ tissue paper.

Week 8: Calm Spot In Your Home: objects that are used in your household to self soothe your learner (i.e. teddies, squishy toys, etc), paper to draw/write on, pencils, colouring pens.

Week 9: Be a Feelings' Detective! - a magnifying glass, a mirror, space to move and dance around, musical instruments.

Week 10: 3 coloured paper circles: red, yellow, green, blue, pens.

Week 11: Birthday party attire children can wear! Paper and pens, scissors.

Week 12: modelling dough.

Week 13: paper, pens, googly eyes and any other arts and crafts resources to create a "worry"-puppet-like.

Week 14: dominoes (if you have any); anything that can create a chain reaction.

Week 15: colouring pens and paper to draw and write on, a musical instrument of choice. 

Week 16: paper, colouring pens.

Week 17: paper to draw/write on, pencils, colouring pens, scissors.

Week 18: strips of paper to draw/write on, pencils, colouring pens, glue stick, a drum (or something to drum on). 

Week 19: space to move around, paper and markers to draw and colour in; choose a favourite song and let me know what it is in class. 

Week 20: a small mirror, funky glasses/sunglasses, paper, pens to draw/write with.

Week 21: space to move around, paper and pens, slime (cornflour, water, bowl, spoon to mix, food colouring is optional).

Week 22: space to move around, paper and pens.

Welcome to   S I N G   C R E A T E    P L A Y!

We are an original educational organization dedicated to providing top-quality music education and social-emotional learning to young children. 

With a keen understanding that learning cannot happen without a happy, relaxed, and confident mindset, we have developed a music curriculum designed for learners as young as 3 years old; our social-emotional curriculum teaches children strategies, tools and techniques to understand and manage their emotions.

Would you like your child to become more confident, have a high self-esteem and a positive attitude towards life-challenges? You’re in the right place! Our team of dedicated educators is committed to inclusivity, to nurturing a growth mindset and supporting children in their wandering of self-exploration. We build on children’s curiosity, their love for music, we help them find their true self, express their feelings in a safe way, and increase their confidence. 

Join us now, on this incredible journey of self-discovery, creativity and personal growth!

Be the best of you, today! Shine Brightly!

T E A C H E R S :

BELLA ELY:
 💫 Certified K-12 teacher 
 💫 Degree in Social Work
 💫 20 years of experience in elementary, middle, & high school classroom settings
 💫 Level 3 Diploma in Children's Psychology 
 💫 5+ years teaching specifically SEL
 💫 4+ years teaching online

SARAH GEENENS:
🌟 Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Early Childhood Development
🌟 4+ years teaching in public schools 
🌟 experience working with children with dyslexia, ADHD and selective mutism.
🌟 experience leading different programs in schools
🌟 2+ years experience teaching online

Homework Offered
At the end of each class, the teacher will direct the students to keep talking about their feelings with the trusted grown-ups around them and also use the strategies taught in each class, when necessary.

Week 5: Parents and children can make together the child's worry box and include objects that resemble the child's worries. Once the worry is contained in the box, it shouldn't overwhelm the child anymore. Parents and children can get the box when the child is worried about something and talk about their worries. 

Week 6 class will encourage students to create a calm space in their own house/room. Teacher will not assess this suggested homework. 

Week 8 class will encourage the children to make an outline of their own body with a trusted adult and talk about the ways their own emotions are felt in their own bodies. Teacher will not assess this suggested homework. 
Assessments Offered
Learner's progress is evaluated by contribution to discussion, participation and also through the hands-on activities.
Grades Offered