if the children are happy to share the worries from the bag let them do so and discuss the strategies they could use to deal with the worry. This can be done in role play with advice from the other elves/fairies. Article 17, which states that parties recognise the important function performed by the mass media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health; and

Our Worry Wobbles intervention is fab for working with a group but I thought for working one to one this Worry wobbles workbook might be… Exasperated and exhausted by the weight of her worries, she eventually breaks down outside her home, where a wise, old neighbour lady notices her distress and offers to help Jenny with her bag of worries. Helping children to understand their emotions and worries can promote positive mental health. It also means that children can relate to others better, contributing to social skills. It tells the story of a little girl who carries around a huge bag filled with worries. (‘The metaphor is little monsters). Elmer the elephant is bright-colored patchwork all over. No wonder the other elephants laugh at him!

This worry bag activity is a great one to use with your class to help them think about and discuss their emotions. It can be used as a morning starter activity to set them up for their day, or even as a standalone lesson alongside this Emotions PowerPoint. You can also help your children to relieve anxiety and stress with this Homemade Stress Ball activity. If you’re feeling crafty, making a Worry Worm is a great way to help your children open up about their emotions. There could have been more information about some of the worries that the other characters have, it is helpful to see that for example Mum and Dad also have worries but this could have been talked about more. There are lots of worries in the bag but none are talked about in too much detail, it would have been good to maybe name and explore some in a bit more detail at the end to help with sorting them into groups. The illustrations in the book are very bright and colourful and give lots of highlights to the important points in the story.

Article 25, which states parties recognise the right of a child who has been placed by the competent authorities for the purposes of care, protection or treatment of his or her physical or mental health to a periodic review of the treatment provided to the child and all other circumstances relevant to his or her placement. Protective Behaviours uses 7 strategies. One of these is called One Step Removed. This is a strategy that allows people to explore their feelings and thoughts using the 3rd person so it is not personal to them. Using the Huge Bag of Worries we can use puppets or characters, in this case we used an elf and asked, ‘If the elf had a bag of worries what might be in it?’. Children’s Legal Centre Wales Response: Report by Children’s Commissioner for England on Strip Search of ChildrenWe are passionate about taking the curriculum outdoors. That’s why we have created the first ever whole school training, Taking the Curriculum Outdoors: A Whole School Approach. Wherever Jenny goes, her worries follow her - in a big blue bag. They are with her all the time - at school, at home, when she is watching TV and even in the bathroom! Jenny decides they have to go, but who will help her get rid of them? Article 2, which states that all children have the rights set out in the UNCRC, no matter who they are, where they live, what their parents do, what language they speak, what their religion is, whether they are boy or girl, what their culture is, whether they have a disability, whether they are rich or poor; My favourite character is the old lady who lives next door because she has lots of good advice and she is very helpful and a good friend to Jenny. There were lots of different characters in the book who Jenny could ask for help, I like how we see lots of different people she could ask and how we realise everyone can need help sometimes. The story is a great example of how we will all feel sometimes, and it makes it easy to see how worries can build up and affect all areas of our lives, even for grown-ups like parents or teachers.

A moving, powerful story that shines a light on those that feel invisible in our world - and shows us that we ALL belong - from the author of Ruby's Worry.

Engage children with digital learning

Beyond the UNCRC, the Welsh Government has implemented “Together for Mental Health,” a Cross-Government Strategy setting out goals for improving mental health and mental health services in Wales. This Strategy covers all ages; children and young people, adults of working age and older people. My favourite part of the book is when Jenny figures out how to deal with her bag of worries, the end of the story gives lot of brilliant ideas about how we can all treat our worries. Throughout The Huge Bag of Worries, Jenny experiences many issues that can affect mental health. Although everything in Jenny’s life appears positive at the start of the story, her bag of worries grows bigger and bigger until the weight, the burden of her worries becomes too much to bear and she breaks down. A hilarious picture book about dealing with unexplained feelings…and the danger in suppressing them! A fantastic book that opens discussions about worries and leads to some fun outdoor activities. It also enables you to think about strategies to deal with your worries such as developing your network and who could help you feel safe. *New Online Training* Taking the Curriculum Outdoors: A Whole School Approach