World Mental Health Day 2023

What is it?

World Mental Health Day aims to spread awareness about mental health and the importance of looking after it! The day is a chance for everybody to talk about mental health and emphasise how important it is to reach out if you’re struggling. The day was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, an organisation that advocates mental health education worldwide!

Theme

In 2022, the theme for World Mental Health Day was ‘Make Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority’. This year’s theme will be announced soon!

Kindness and Mental Health

Kindness doesn’t just help other people, but it also improves our own physical and mental health. Whether we’re giving kindness, receiving kindness or even just witnessing kindness, it can have a great effect on us!

When we experience kindness, a hormone called dopamine is released in our brain which gives us a feeling of elevation – it’s often referred to as ‘Helper’s High’. Kindness can also improve relationships. Our evolutionary ancestors had to cooperate with each other for survival. This means we now have ‘kindness genes’ etched into the human genome. So, when we’re kind to each other, we feel a connection that strengthens our relationships and helps us to create new ones. How great is that!

There are many other scientific benefits of kindness, which you can find out more about here. Teaching children about the effects of kindness will empower them to take charge of their own well-being. We have a range of free video lesson plans available to download here. 

Other Ideas for Schools Celebrating World Mental Health Day

Change a Life With Kindness: In our Kindness Workshops, we tell the children about a real person in need of kindness and challenge them to do something to help that person, such as making cards, writing letters, recording songs, or making small gifts. It helps children to realise that little things can make a big difference, and that their actions have the power to change lives. You can find people to help through the 52 Lives charity, or perhaps you could write letters to residents of a local care home, or to thank doctors and nurses at your local hospital.

Take on a Kindness Challenge: Every week in our Kids’ Kindness Club, we set the children a Kindness Challenge, emphasising the many benefits kindness can have on our mental wellbeing. Sign up to our free Kids’ Club and take on a challenge this month!

Decorate your Classroom! We have a range of printable colour posters with facts about kindness, kind quotes and kind science. Browse them here