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Early Years Educator Wellbeing Matters

Early Years Wellbeing week was set up by Kate Moxley in 2021 and runs this week 7th to 11th October in line with World Mental Health day on 10th October.

This year’s theme is: Prioritising Mental Health in the workplace.

Take a look at the attachment which talks about creating healthy work habits for yourself/team and check out https://earlyyearswellbeingweek.co.uk/

What will you do this week to support your team?  Settings have been sharing activities and events:

  • Staff shoutouts - each practitioner picks a staff name (from the hat) and writes (on a post-it) something kind and/or appreciative about that person. Display post-its for all to read.
  • A social outing - maybe a night out, an escape room, bowling or even a lunch time walk and talk.
  • Staff room treats - fruit basket, pamper basket.
  • Supervisions with comfy chair and coffee or even outside under a tree.
  • Hosting a healthy lunch or breakfast or healthy grazing snacks.
  • Self-care ideas - challenge staff to exercise, eat well, sleep well and connect with friends.
  • Bucket activity – encourage the team to reflect on what’s in their mental bucket, finding the positives, and looking for ways to let go of everything that is weighing them down.
  • Staff guided meditation or yoga. 
  • Gratitude Journaling – teams write down what they are grateful for at work and share, Why not write on a pumpkin
  • Make an appreciation tree:
  • Music Therapy – play music in staff room, practitioner choice.
  • Display affirmations in staff room; I deserve to feel calm and relaxed, I am strong enough to overcome challenges, I am able to learn from my mistakes, I am confident etc.
  • No phones in the staff room lunch hour (can you imagine!)
  • Display information on mental health in the staff room on where to get help.
  • Staff tidy up spaces – clear and clean.
  • Provide board games in staff room.
  • Draw something funny, write a joke or leave a positive message on a board/mirror in staff room.  

Let us know what you are up to this year – we love receiving your pictures and stories.

We hope you can take time to celebrate Early Years Wellbeing week and hope that it brings fun, relaxation, companionship and compassion.

As we know educator well-being is inextricably linked to children’s well-being and whatever you are doing, planning to do or have done makes a difference.