The 2-Week Plan That Will Strengthen Your Child's Mental Health
Help your child thrive these holidays: 14 days to better mental health and confidence
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Want to give your child’s wellbeing a genuine boost?
School holidays and vacation time offer the perfect opportunity for kids to unwind, have fun, and nurture their well-being.
They’re even better if they can develop positive wellbeing habits that will stay with them when they return to school.
So, I’ve created a 14-day mental health challenge, explicitly designed for primary-aged children.
This challenge is packed with simple yet effective habits that help kids develop essential skills, such as emotional regulation, mindfulness, and positive thinking.
Each day provides a unique focus and practical, engaging, and healthy ideas that are easy to incorporate into your holiday routine.
The 14-Day Challenge in a Nutshell
The 14 days are split into two separate weeks, each with its own focus.
Week 1 covers the fundamentals of mental health, while Week 2 explores mental health and wellbeing practices in more depth.
Week 1: Building the Foundations
This week’s activities concentrate on the fundamental aspects of good mental health and wellbeing - mindfulness, gratitude, exercise, creativity, empathy, emotional intelligence, and connection.
Day 1: Mindful Moments - "Notice 5 Things"
Activity: Go for a short walk (even just in the garden) or sit quietly. Ask your child to name: five things they can see, four things they can hear, three things they can feel (e.g., breeze, seat), two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste (if applicable, e.g., lingering taste of breakfast).
Why it helps: Fosters awareness of the present moment, helping to reduce overthinking or worry.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Download the Smiling Minds App and introduce it to your kids.
Day 2: Gratitude Rocks! - "Thankful Jars"
Activity: Decorate a jar or box. Each day, encourage your child (and yourself!) to write or draw one thing they are grateful for on a small piece of paper and place it in the jar. Read them out at the end of the week.
Why it helps: Shifts focus to the positive aspects of life, encouraging optimism.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Create a Gratitude Journal for your child to fill out each day.
Day 3: Move Your Mood - "Go for a nature walk"
Activity: Take a 15-20 minute walk outside. Extend it to at least 30 minutes for older primary school children.
Why it helps: Physical activity releases endorphins, lowers stress, and boosts mood.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Choose a half-day or full-day bike ride around your neighbourhood or on a nearby bike trail.
Day 4: Creative Corner - "Express Yourself Art"
Activity: Provide a variety of art supplies (crayons, markers, playdough, paint). Encourage your child to create a picture or sculpture that shows how they’re feeling today or something that makes them happy. There’s no right or wrong way to do it!
Why it helps: Provides a non-verbal way to express emotions and enhances self-expression.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Create an emotions collage that shows a variety of emotions they commonly feel. Please discuss with your child first and assist them in recognising common emotions.
Day 5: Kindness Crusaders - "Secret Kindness Mission"
Activity: Think of a small act of kindness your child can do for a family member or friend without being asked. Examples include leaving a friendly note, helping with a chore, or sharing a toy. Older children can come up with an act of kindness to do for someone outside their family.
Why it helps: Acts of kindness increase empathy, connection, and personal fulfilment.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Identify a local need for your child to address - like tidying a nearby park, washing a neighbour’s dog, or organising a bake sale for a charity. This is a great way to introduce volunteering.
Day 6: Feeling Detective - "Emotion Charades"
Activity: Write down different emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised, calm, silly) on slips of paper. Take turns acting out the emotions without speaking, and guess which one they are. Discuss how each emotion feels in the body.
Why it helps: Builds emotional literacy and the skill to recognise and name feelings.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Introduce more nuanced emotional language into charades. Act out our different words for angry - mad, furious, seething, grumpy.
Day 7: Connection Day - "Family Game Night"
Activity: Spend the evening playing a family board game, card game, or outdoor games. Concentrate on fun and teamwork.
Why it helps: Strengthens family bonds, fosters a sense of belonging, and diminishes feelings of isolation.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Turn your dinner table into a restaurant. Dim the lights, put on some background music and enjoy a meal in a more formal setting.
Week 2: Deepening The Habits
This week’s activities explore more about good mental health practices, including nature immersion, positive self-talk, breath work, stress management, resilience, and creativity.
Day 8: Nature Nurture - "Outdoor Scavenger Hunt"
Activity: Create a simple list of natural items to find outdoors (e.g., a smooth stone, a crinkly leaf, something red, a feather, a tiny flower). Explore a park, garden, or local bushland together.
Why it helps: Connecting with nature reduces stress, improves concentration, and provides a sense of wonder.
Got a better idea? Do this instead. Go for a nighttime walk or scavenger hunt.
Day 9: Powerful Words - "My Strengths Shield"
Activity: Help your child draw a shield. In each section, write or draw a personal strength or something they are good at (e.g., "I am kind," "I am a good friend," "I am good at drawing," "I am brave").
Why it helps: It builds self-esteem and encourages positive self-talk.
Got a better idea? Do this instead:Â Invite your child to design a superhero. Instead of superpowers, they list their actual strengths and positive qualities that help them navigate their day.Â
Day 10: Calm Zone - "Bubble Breaths & Gentle Stretches"
Activity: Teach your child "bubble breaths" (imagine blowing a giant bubble, taking a slow, deep breath in, and a long, slow breath out). Then, do some gentle stretches, such as reaching for the sky, touching your toes, or gentle animal stretches (cat/cow pose). Try square breathing and other techniques for older children.
Why it helps: Introduces simple calming techniques for relaxation and stress management.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Select some yoga poses for your child to practise. Spend a minimum of 30 minutes doing these poses.
Day 11: Problem-Solving Superheroes - "What If?" Scenarios
Activity: Create and present a list of ten simple, age-appropriate "what if" scenarios (e.g., "What if your toy broke?", "What if you wanted to play but no one else did?"). Brainstorm different solutions together.
Why it helps: Builds problem-solving skills and resilience when encountering challenges.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: the Mystery Box Challenge. Place 10 everyday objects inside a shoebox. Your child must guess each item by asking only yes-or-no questions.
Day 12: Healthy Habits Check-in - "Sleep & Fuel Chart"
Activity: Briefly discuss why sleep and healthy food are important for feeling good. Create a simple chart for the day to track drinking water, eating fruits and vegetables, and going to bed on time.
Why it helps: Strengthens the link between physical health and mental well-being.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Research what contributes to a good night's sleep and then create a Sleep Hygiene Chart for your child to help them achieve it.
Day 13: Just for Fun! - "Imagination Play"
Activity: Set aside time for unstructured, creative play. This might mean building a fort, playing dress-up, inventing a new game, or telling a story. Let your child take the lead in the play.
Why it helps: Fosters creativity, reduces stress, and allows for emotional processing through play.
Got a better idea? Do this instead: Help your child identify five different ways they can engage in free play to turn to when they feel stressed or overwhelmed. Place on a chart for easy reference.
Day 14: Reflect & Celebrate! - "My Wellbeing Wins"
Activity: Look back at the "Thankful Jar" from Day 2. Talk about favourite activities from the challenge. Ask your child what made them feel good, strong, or calm. Plan one or two favourite activities to continue doing regularly.
Why it helps: Consolidates learning, celebrates achievements, and promotes ongoing practice of good habits.
How To Make It Work
Flexibility is Key: Adapt activities to suit your child's age, interests, and energy levels. The goal is engagement, not perfection.
Lead by Example: Participate alongside your child! Your enthusiasm is contagious.
Get Your Kids on Board: Make it fun, be flexible, and consider their ideas.
Make It Visual: Create a chart displaying all days and activities—ensure it's clearly visible.
Keep it Positive: Focus on successes and effort, not just outcomes.
Short & Sweet: Many activities can be done in 5-15 minutes.
Talk About It: Use the activities as a springboard for conversations about feelings, challenges, and joys.
Start and End With a Bang: Begin with something special (such as a breakfast or a day at the beach) and finish with a fitting celebration.
By engaging in this challenge, you're not just filling holiday time; you're equipping your child with invaluable tools for lifelong mental health and wellbeing!
Enjoy!
Do you know someone who would be interested in learning about this 14-day Mental Health Plan? It’s easy to share.
Making Good Mental Health Habits Stick
So your kids complete the 14-day Mental Health Challenge. What’s next? How do you build on their good work?
Join me live for a special 30-minute interactive session where I’ll show you exactly how to build on what your kids have learned through this session.
Mark the date in your diary. I’ll email details 48 hours before each event.
Australia and the Pacific region
Tuesday, 24th July 1.00 pm (AEST)
UK, Europe, India and Africa
Tuesday, 24th July 10.00 am (GMT) (7.00 pm Melb)
North and South America
Monday, 23rd July 6.00 pm (CT) (9.00 am Melb Tuesday)