Mental Health Awareness Week

The theme of this year's Mental Health Week is Nature - click here to find out more. This week in school we have learned how important it is to boost the mental health of our children and staff through different nature activities. The children have learned that connecting with nature benefits our mental health, our relationship with nature - how much we notice, think about and appreciate our natural surroundings - is a critical factor in supporting good mental health and preventing distress. It also increases our creativity, empathy and a sense of wonder. It turns out that is not just being in nature but how we open ourselves up and interact with nature that counts. From the activities we have completed, it has shown that even small contacts with nature can reduce feelings of social isolation and be effective in protecting our mental health.