Building Belonging and Wellbeing – serie

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the story book, The Lonely Little Cactus: A Story About Friendship, Coping, and Belonging. Both books can be purchased together as a set, Building Conceptual PlayWorlds for Wellbeing: The Lonely Little Cactus Story Book and Accompanying Resource Book.This vital resource uses the evidence-driven Conceptual PlayWorlds model of intentional teaching developed by Professor Marilyn Fleer to provide supporting classroom or home-based activities to help children aged between four and eight solve challenges and learn wellbeing concepts through play.Intended for use with the accompanying picture story book, The Lonely Little Cactus, a tale about a cactus that feels lonely living in the desert, this guide offers imagery-rich scenarios, including 20 unique activities, so children have an opportunity to experientially grasp wellbeing concepts that can be otherwise difficult to explain. This resource guides educators and teachers through a range of wellbeing activities, including:Identifying feelingsCoping (social support, problem solving, and self-regulation)Friendships (relationship building, working together, time with friends, social skills)Positive emotions (happiness, joy, doing something you love, enjoyment, fun)Relaxation strategiesBelonging and inclusion (working together, collaboration, joining in play, including others)Offering a unique opportunity for children to learn about psychological strategies while being engaged in a beautiful narrative and visually captivating illustrations, this is the ideal resource for educators or teachers, support staff, practitioners, and families looking to help children understand and manage their feelings. While the context is centre-based, the activities can be done almost anywhere, such as in family homes, the Botanical Gardens, when on holidays, or when visiting a park.

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the activity book, Conceptual PlayWorlds for Wellbeing: A Resource Book for the Lonely Little Cactus. Both books can be purchased together as a set, Building Conceptual PlayWorlds for Wellbeing: The Lonely Little Cactus Story Book and Accompanying Resource Book.The Lonely Little Cactus is a children’s picture story book about a cactus that feels lonely living in the desert. Through a series of colourful interactions with desert dwellers, the little cactus learns strategies to cope with their feelings of loneliness. Both entertaining and educational, the story book is aimed at children aged 4–8 years old and spreads the message that loneliness is a common emotion that is manageable and can be overcome. It teaches children an array of coping strategies and encourages them to try various approaches to managing a difficult situation to find the strategies that best work for them. Offering a unique opportunity for children to learn about psychological strategies while being engaged in a beautiful narrative and visually captivating illustrations, this is the ideal resource for educators, support staff, practitioners and parents looking to help children understand and manage their feelings.

For the most effective use, this book should be purchased alongside School is Where We All Belong and the accompanying activity book, Conceptual PlayWorlds for Belonging. The books can be purchased individually or together as a set, Building Conceptual PlayWorlds for Belonging: Stories and Activities to Build a Sense of Belonging.Mia Belongs Here is a beautifully illustrated story book introducing five characters: Mia, Ying, Zainab, Dom and Willow. Each character shows how they know they belong through their different senses, be it hearing dogs charging down the hallway, smelling a sister’s incense candles or tasting fresh tomatoes from the garden.With its engaging illustrations and narrative, children are encouraged to mindfully think of the sounds, smells, tastes, sights and sensations that make them feel like they belong, sharing the message that belonging is largely experiential and special to each person.Belonging is a fundamental building block in the wellbeing of children. In a world of increasing rates of loneliness, disconnection and social isolation, opportunities to encourage a feeling of belonging in children have never been more vital. This story provides a unique opportunity for children to practice mindfulness, to pause and fully engage with the place and moment they’re in. By focusing on their senses during the fun, interactive moments, this book promotes a greater sense of belonging in children.

For the most effective use, this book should be purchased alongside Mia Belongs Here and the activity book, Conceptual PlayWorlds for Belonging. The books can be purchased individually or together as a set, Building Conceptual PlayWorlds for Belonging: Stories and Activities to Build a Sense of Belonging.School is Where We All Belong is a beautifully illustrated story book that helps to develop a sense of belonging in children, particularly at school. It narrates the different ways by which five characters identify their feelings of belonging to school through the five senses (hearing, touch, smell, taste and sight).With its engaging illustrations and narrative, children are encouraged to share their own experiences at the end of each character’s story which allow them to develop a better sense of school belonging, sharing the message that belonging is largely experiential and special to each person.School belonging is an important ingredient for many positive outcomes for student learning and wellbeing. This story provides a unique opportunity for children to practice mindfulness, to pause and fully engage with the place and moment they’re in. By focusing on their senses during the fun, interactive moments, this deceptively simple book promotes a greater sense of belonging in.