5 Ways to Wellbeing
As part of our whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing, the Healthy Minds Team deliver five sessions focused on the Five Ways to Wellbeing. These sessions will focus on and encourage children to incorporate each of the five ways into their lives, which research has shown can improve our emotional wellbeing.
The 5 Ways to Wellbeing are:
The children will focus on 1 of the 5 ways each week and will be encouraged to participate in activities linked to each.
Session 1: The first session focuses on the importance of connection and how positive, happy, respectful relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. Connection with others can help you to build a sense of belonging, give you an opportunity to share positive experiences, opinions and goals and provide emotional support or allow you to support others with any issues, including mental health.
Session 2: The second session is all about taking notice. This means being calm, slowing down and being more aware about what we are doing. This is sometimes called being MINDFUL. Sometimes we are too busy to focus on the little things that are going on around us, or that people do for us. However, by paying more attention to the present moment, which includes your thoughts, feelings and emotions, your own body and your surroundings, this can improve your wellbeing. This awareness can be called ‘mindfulness’. Mindfulness can help you to stop and enjoy the smaller things in life.
Session 3: The third session looks at the importance to ‘keep learning’. Learning new skills can improve your mental wellbeing by boosting your confidence and self-esteem, helping you to build a sense of purpose and achievement and possible helping you to connect with others with the same interests. This could be joining a new club; learning to play an instrument; learning how to cook and learning a new skill!
Session 4: In the fourth session, we will focus on being active. Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows that it can really improve your mental health and wellbeing by raising your self-esteem and helping you to set goals and feel motivated to achieve them. It also causes chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood. Activity is very important for mental wellbeing and all children should have time to switch off and get moving. Children don’t have to be an athlete to be active! Find something that they enjoy – be that swimming, walking, dancing or yoga – begin at a level that works for them and make it a regular activity.
Session 5: The fifth way to wellbeing is the ‘give’ skill. This skill is all about the importance of giving and showing kindness towards others. In turn, this can improve your wellbeing by creating positive feelings and a sense of reward, giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth and helping you connect with people around you. The acts of kindness can be big or small, all that matters is that you feel connected to the act and the person or people it helps.
Ways you can support at home:
At home you can encourage your child to practise each of the 5 Ways to Wellbeing. you can find out more information on www.
Watch this video from Rochdale Borough Council to find out more about the 5 ways to wellbeing:
