Health and Wellbeing Resources -Secondary

In addition to subject-specific activities that older students might be engaged in, learning activities that are focused on health and wellbeing are a good way to keep in touch with these groups of learners during this period of school closure and to encourage wellness and resilience among them.

Some ideas.

Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

• Mental Health Foundation - https://menorg.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak - practical tips to stay in good mental health whilst we stay at home.

• See me - https://www.seemescotlaorg/young-people/resources/ - resources for young people and adults to promote the importance of talking about mental health and providing resources to facilitate this.

• Mind - https://www.minorg.uk/information-support/for-children-and-young-people/understanding-my-feelings/ - information for young people about their emotions and feelings and how to seek the help needed.

• Childline - https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/ - practical advice and support for children and young people on a range of topics affecting their health and wellbeing.

• Headspace - https://www.headspace.com/ or App

• Calm - https://www.calm.com/ or App

• Mentally Healthy Schools resource – Looking back and planning ahead toolkit : Mentally Healthy Schools

• World Mental Health Day Toolkit - WMHD toolkit (mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk)

Potential Activities to Support Mental Health

• Express yourself! - Using one of the photographs in this link - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52096963 - consider the different ways in which individuals have expressed their feelings during this time when we are social distancing self-isolating. Using a medium of your choice (photography, drawing, painting, music, dance, make-up artistry, writing), express how you are feeling about the current health situation.

• How many positives? – https://youngminds.org.uk/resources/school-resources/how-many-positives-activity-sheet/ This exercise helps young people to focus on the positives in their llives by identifying one positive quality which they have, one thing they can do well and one thing they have that is a positive influence in their lives, e.g. friends that care. You might want to do this over the course of a week by identifying positive aspects of the day before and create a positivity log! Think about illustrating it too.

• Learn how to express your feelings through art – this guides takes you through a process of identifying your feelings and representing them through drawing or painting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0dgjSG4CpA

• Yoga to relax - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G1ZkxbTzL8

• Mindfulness – what is it and how can it help? Before introducing this as a practical exercise, it might be worthwhile setting out the benefits which some have found from this tool.  The following clips present the views of other young people as well as famous artists in music and rap:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk7IBwuhXWM or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up3MZuYkf-g

• Mindfulness in practice - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb8jpNZ1g6E

Physical Wellbeing

• Nike App or website - https://www.nike.com/gb/ntc-app - 190 free workouts across strength, endurance, yoga and mobility, targeting specific muscle groups. Sessions range from 15 – 45 minutes and are progressive.

• Joe Wicks Daily Workout - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyCLoPd4VxBvQafyve889qVcPxYEjdSTl

• Just Dance - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChIjW4BWKLqpojTrS_tX0mg

• Zumba - https://family.gonoodle.com/channels/zumba-kids

Potential Activities to Support Physical Health

Don’t worry if you can’t get to the gym or do PE in school.  There are lots of activities which you can do at home, in the garden or during your daily exercise.  In addition to the websites and online activities which you can use, here are a few suggestions to keep you fit and healthy:

• Remember you can still go outside for one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.
• Who needs a treadmill? – Instead develop a Stair Climbing Action Plan. Start small (running up and down three or four times).  As you build strength, then you can increase your time doing this as well as increasing your speed. 
• Daily mile – walk or run the daily mile by doing laps of your garden or going outside for a walk.
• Bleep test – test your fitness and see it improve by using the Bleep Test: http://www.bleeptest.co.uk/thebleeptest/
• Couch to 5K – use your daily exercise time to train using the Couch to 5K resource: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/

Social Wellbeing

• Mental Health Foundation - https://mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak - practical tips to stay connected with friends and family whilst we stay at home.

• Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/for-children-and-young-people/understanding-my-feelings/ - information for young people about their emotions and feelings and how to seek the help needed.

• Childline - https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/ - practical advice and support for children and young people on a range of topics affecting their health and wellbeing.

Potential Activities to Support Social Wellbeing

• Random Acts of Kindness - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/random-acts-kindness - a range of different activities designed to bring people together at this challenging time.  Suggestions range from watching a film at the same time and video calling to sending a cute picture of an animal to someone who is struggling or even just making a cup of tea for someone who lives with you.

• Play a board game with a family member – look out those games of Cluedo or Monopoly and step away from technology for a bit. It will help you re-connect with those you live with!

• Stay connected and engage with others - Compare and contrast how we are living today with the experience of those who lived through World War II – consider interviewing someone you know or use research techniques to help you in this process. You might even want to talk to a grandparent over Skype or FaceTime to find out what they think.  Present your findings through writing, drama or an oral report.

• Movie time - Get the popcorn out and watch a family movie or watch a movie at the same time as your friend and arrange a videocall at the same time!

• Cheer up a friend or family member - Send a motivational text or design a card for someone who is struggling!

Healthy Diet/Healthy Mind

• The Eatwell Guide - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/

• Healthy Recipes - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/?tabname=recipes-and-tips

• Cooking with Jamie Oliver - https://www.jamieolcom/features/category/get-kids-cooking/

Potential Activities to Support Healthy Diet/Healthy Mind

• Investigate what we need in our diet to stay healthy – how does this compare with your own diet? What changes do you think might help you feel better?  Set yourself a goal – what two positive changes can you make to improve your diet over the next two weeks?  Keep a log and see you how you get on.  Make it into a family challenge!

• Time to cook – plan a healthy meal for the family, design the menu, and get cooking! You might want to choose a recipe from Jamie Oliver (see website above) or from one you have researched yourself.

• Rainbow Cake – treat yourself and your family by baking a rainbow cake. This website - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P4F-G3FZp8 – has a recipe and other fun ideas for treats. 

Music

• BBC Ten Pieces - https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces

• Music Mark - https://www.musicmark.org.uk/resources/home-learning-resources/

• The Benedetti Foundation - https://www.benedettifoundation.org/resources

• BBC Proms - https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms

•  MEPG Doorstep Samba Project - https://wemakemusicdoorstepsamba.weebly.com 

• Benedetti Foundation - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpKffHOzsdGY_IpZwgRoKPbEWcWJ6i00n

Note in relation to the use of online resources

Where online resources have been referenced, access to the resource is currently free.  In some cases, this may be for a limited period and members should monitor their engagement on this basis. All online references have been selected on an illustrative basis for the relevant potential learning activities.  There may be other websites and platforms which will provide similar activities.  In referencing these websites, the EIS does not endorse any advertisements shown on the page, the views of those presenting or the wider content of the website.