Health and Wellbeing in the Early Years
Wellbeing is the state of being comfortable, healthy and happy. Being physically and mentally healthy allows us to reach our full potential, and is true for both adults and children alike.
It is something that has become increasingly important, especially post covid where anxiety in young children has been on the rise. It is already more visible in Early Years settings and schools, but having awareness and understanding of how wellbeing is supported in your own setting is essential.
What is Wellbeing and Why is it Important?
For many, wellbeing is now at the heart of everything they do and is taken seriously when it comes to both child development as well as for staff. It is essential that children are given both the time and the opportunity to explore the language of feelings, helping them to appropriately develop their emotional literacy. They also need somewhere they can feel safe to express themselves and in a variety of ways.
For the growing child, thinking about their own wellbeing can be a complex task and difficult to understand. As adults, we sometimes take for granted being able to understand how we are feeling. We know ways to help. We know how to ask for help. Children on the other hand often struggle to articulate their feelings and thoughts. Some children may not have the confidence in the wider classroom, or even in small groups, to express how they feel. By making wellbeing part of a daily or weekly routine, you can give each child the opportunity to express themselves or just to have some quiet time to reflect.
A key area of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is PSE Development which is all about supporting a child’s personal development in terms of self regulation and self confidence. Promoting strong and supportive relationships with adults will enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings as well as those of others.
Do you think you could be doing more to promote wellbeing in your setting? Evaluating your current approach is a good place to start. Think about what activities and processes you have in place now. How do they already promote wellbeing for both children and staff? This will help you to see where there may be gaps or areas to improve.
Types of Wellbeing and their Benefits
Here are some ideas of wellbeing activities you can introduce in your setting:
- Mindfulness activities, encourage quiet time and periods of reflection
- Exercise, including calming activities such as yoga
- Talking, showing empathy towards each other
- Explore and play, building confidence through collaborative play
- Health related discussions, such as nutritious foods
There are lots of different activities that you can do. It is just important to recognise a one size fits all approach will be less effective. Look to include a blended range of ideas to cover different areas, and appeal to different children.
By initiating some of these activities your setting will benefit in the following ways:
- Supports managing anxiety
- Improves concentration
- Develops strength and flexibility
- Improves empathy for the child as well as the teacher
- Improves overall happiness and effectiveness of the setting
It’s not just for the little ones!
Research around wellbeing for teachers and practitioners has shown that how Early Years and Primary teachers feel on a daily basis can subsequently pass down to the children.
If you think you or your staff could benefit from wellbeing practices, why not try:
- Mindfulness
- Making time to rest effectively
- Fresh air
- Exercise
- Create opportunities to discuss issues, or ask for help
Incorporating wellbeing in our daily lives, both in and outside of an educational setting, leads to increased contentment and confidence. We all deserve to reach this state mind, regardless of age, but if we can teach our children to embrace these practices from an early age we can support the next generation to be confident, assertive, and self-aware, ready to take on whatever challenges come their way.