World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to remind children that their feelings matter, that everyone needs care and connection, and that taking care of ourselves is just as important as taking care of others.
For young children, mental health doesn't need to be a complicated subject.
It begins with the little things they already experience every day.
Feeling happy. Feeling worried. Getting frustrated. Needing a quiet moment. Wanting a hug. Asking for help.
These everyday experiences give us a natural starting point for conversations about emotions, well-being, and the importance of feeling safe, understood, and connected.
Rather than trying to explain mental health through big words, we can approach World Mental Health Day through stories, meaningful conversations, creative invitations, movement, play, and moments of connection.
The goal isn't to make difficult feelings disappear or expect children to always feel happy.
It is to help them understand that every feeling deserves attention, that they don't have to face difficult moments alone, and that asking for support is part of growing.
Start With a Story
A thoughtful read-aloud can help children explore feelings and experiences that may be difficult to express in their own words.
Some picture books to explore include:
My Path by Jana Curll — a beautifully illustrated story that invites children to think about their own journeys and the idea that everyone has a path to follow. It offers a gentle starting point for conversations about individuality, self-discovery, and respecting different ways of being.
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas — an engaging introduction to recognizing and talking about different emotions.
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek — a gentle exploration of the many feelings children experience.
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld — a beautiful story about listening, empathy, and being present when someone is having a difficult time.
Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival — a child-friendly story about worries and the importance of sharing them.
You don't need several books.
Choose one story and give children time to revisit it.
Read it again.
Look at the pictures.
Notice a character's expression.
Talk about what might be happening beneath the surface.
Sometimes a single story can help a child find the words for something they haven't quite known how to express.
Explore My Path by Jana Curll
My Path offers a lovely starting point for thinking about individuality, personal journeys, and the many ways we experience the world.
Its enchanting illustrations invite children to slow down, look closely, and imagine where a path might lead.
The message, “Everyone has their own path to follow,” can open meaningful conversations about what makes each of us unique.
When we talk about mental health with young children, it's important to remember that well-being doesn't look exactly the same for everyone.
Some children need movement and conversation. Others need quiet time. Some feel comfortable trying something new, while others need reassurance and time to observe before joining in.
There is room for these differences.
After reading the story, invite children to wonder:
What do you think it means to have your own path?
Do all paths have to look the same?
What helps you feel comfortable when you try something new?
What do you enjoy doing in your own way?
Who can help you when your path feels difficult?
What makes you feel happy, calm, or supported?
There are no single correct answers.
The purpose isn't to turn the story into a lesson about mental health. It's to use the story as an invitation to talk about individuality, feelings, choices, and the importance of finding support when we need it.
Before the Read-Aloud: Look and Wonder
Before reading the words, simply explore the cover of My Path.
Notice the colors, the character, the natural details, and the path that unfolds through the illustration.
Ask:
What do you notice first?
Where do you think this path might lead?
What do you imagine the character might discover?
If you could step inside this picture, where would you go?
Give children time to observe before offering your own ideas.
Picture books create opportunities for children to express themselves without always needing to talk directly about their own feelings.
Sometimes, discussing a character or imagining a different world feels easier than explaining a personal experience.
Let the illustrations lead the conversation.
Create Space for Every Feeling
Young children experience a wide range of emotions, sometimes several within a very short time.
They can feel excited and nervous, disappointed and hopeful, happy and sad.
Instead of dividing feelings into good and bad, help children understand that all feelings are part of being human.
Invite them to explore emotions through everyday situations.
What might we feel when a friend doesn't want to play?
How might we feel when we try something difficult?
What happens when our plans change?
What can we do when we feel overwhelmed?
Children can respond through words, drawings, gestures, or play.
The purpose isn't to make uncomfortable feelings disappear. It's to help children recognize them and discover supportive ways to move through them.
Create Your Own Path
Inspired by My Path, invite children to create their own pathways using loose parts.
Offer wooden pieces, stones, buttons, shells, fabric scraps, or natural materials.
Children can arrange them into straight lines, winding paths, circles, or completely unexpected shapes.
Some may create a path with a clear destination. Others may enjoy changing its direction as they work.
Ask:
Where does your path begin?
Where might it take you?
What happens if you change direction?
Does your path look like anyone else's?
As children create, you can explore the idea that everyone has different interests, preferences, and ways of approaching new experiences.
There is no model to copy and no single finished product to achieve.
The process of choosing, experimenting, and changing ideas is part of the learning.
Practice Naming Feelings
Sometimes children know that something doesn't feel right but don't yet have the words to explain it.
A simple collection of emotion cards can help.
Include faces or illustrations representing:
happy, sad, angry, worried, excited, frustrated, calm, lonely, proud, and confused.
Invite children to choose a card that matches a character in a story or a situation you describe.
You can also use puppets or stuffed animals to act out different feelings.
Ask:
What might be happening?
What could the character need?
How could we help?
Remember that facial expressions don't always tell us exactly how someone feels. Encourage children to listen, ask questions, and respect what another person shares.
Create a Feelings Garden
Invite children to create a garden filled with flowers, leaves, and plants representing different emotions.
Each child can choose a color, shape, or material to represent a feeling.
Some might create bright flowers for excitement. Others might choose soft shapes for calm or darker colors for sadness.
There is no need to assign one fixed color to each emotion.
The important part is giving children the freedom to represent their feelings in their own way.
As the garden grows, talk about how different feelings can exist side by side.
A garden needs many things to grow, and people need different kinds of care, too.
Explore the Story Through Art
The illustrations in My Path offer an invitation to explore natural shapes, colors, textures, and imaginary landscapes.
Set out paper, pencils, watercolors, leaves, fabric, and other open-ended materials.
Invite children to create a path of their own.
It might lead to a place where they feel happy, a place they would love to discover, or an entirely imaginary world.
Some children may draw a familiar place. Others may build a three-dimensional landscape with loose parts.
Encourage them to describe what they have created.
Where does the path lead? What might happen along the way? Who or what might they meet?
There is no need to interpret a child's artwork or assume that a particular color or shape reveals how they feel.
Instead, let children tell you about their creations in their own words.
Art can offer a gentle way to communicate, explore ideas, and share experiences without the pressure of finding the perfect words.
Create a Calm-Down Basket
Instead of expecting children to calm down immediately when they feel upset, offer a small collection of resources they can explore with adult support.
Your basket might include:
A favorite picture book
Playdough
Paper and crayons
A soft sensory object
A small stuffed animal
Simple picture cards showing possible calming strategies
Introduce these materials during relaxed moments, not only when a child is distressed.
Children might discover that squeezing playdough, looking at a book, drawing, sitting quietly, or talking with a trusted adult helps them feel more settled.
Different strategies work for different children, and what helps can change from one moment to another.
A calm-down basket isn't about stopping feelings. It's about offering children supportive choices.
Read, Pause, and Listen
World Mental Health Day is a wonderful opportunity to slow down the pace of a read-aloud.
You don't need to ask a question after every page.
Sometimes simply pause.
Look at the illustration.
Give children a moment.
Then ask:
What do you think is happening here?
What might this character need right now?
What would you do if you were there?
Or simply:
I wonder how this story will continue.
Listening is an important part of emotional connection.
When children feel that their thoughts and feelings are taken seriously, they learn that sharing can be safe and worthwhile.
Explore Movement, Breathing, and Quiet Moments
Emotional well-being isn't only explored through words.
Movement, sensory experiences, and quiet moments can also help children notice what is happening in their bodies.
Invite children to stretch like tall trees, curl up like little seeds, sway like flowers in the wind, or move freely to gentle music.
Then pause.
Notice the sounds around you.
Feel your feet on the floor.
Take a comfortable breath together, without forcing anyone to participate.
You can ask:
How does your body feel after moving?
Would you like to move some more or have a quiet moment?
These simple experiences help children begin noticing their needs and discovering different ways to care for themselves.
Create a “Things That Help Me” Book
Every child has different ways of finding comfort, joy, and connection.
Invite children to create a small book using drawings, photographs, or dictated sentences.
Each page can begin with:
I feel happy when…
I feel safe when…
I like to spend time with…
When I feel worried, I can…
Something that helps me feel better is…
An adult I can ask for help is…
Children can choose what they want to share.
Some may draw a favorite place, a family member, a beloved pet, or an activity they enjoy.
Others may prefer to talk rather than draw.
The book becomes a personal reminder that support can come from relationships, familiar routines, meaningful activities, and trusted adults.
Explore Kindness and Connection
Mental well-being is closely connected to how we treat one another.
Create a collection of simple phrases that children can practice through play:
Would you like to play with us?
Are you okay?
Can I help you?
Would you like to talk?
I'm here with you.
Use puppets or stuffed animals to create everyday scenarios.
One character feels left out. Another feels disappointed. Someone needs help.
Invite children to imagine what they could say or do.
These small interactions help build empathy while reminding children that caring for others begins with noticing and listening.
A Simple World Mental Health Day Rhythm
You don't need to plan an entire week of activities to make the day meaningful.
A gentle rhythm might look like this:
Day 1 — Read & Wonder
Share My Path by Jana Curll. Explore the illustrations and talk about the idea that everyone has their own path to follow.
Day 2 — Name & Express
Use emotion cards, puppets, or drawing to explore different feelings.
Day 3 — Create & Discover
Build a path with loose parts or create an imaginary landscape inspired by the story.
Day 4 — Move & Pause
Explore movement, music, sensory materials, and comfortable moments of quiet.
Day 5 — Care & Connect
Create a “Things That Help Me” book and talk about trusted adults and supportive relationships.
You don't have to complete every activity.
If one conversation becomes meaningful, stay with it.
If children want to revisit the same book, read it again.
If an invitation leads somewhere unexpected, follow their curiosity.
The goal isn't to cover a topic. It's to create opportunities for connection, expression, and understanding.
A Gentle Reminder for the Adults, Too
World Mental Health Day is also an opportunity for the grown-ups in children's lives to pause and reflect.
Young children don't need adults who are happy every moment or who always know exactly what to say.
They need caring adults who listen, offer comfort, acknowledge feelings, and seek support when they need it.
We can model healthy ways of responding to difficult moments.
We can admit when we feel frustrated.
We can take a pause when we need one.
We can apologize when we make a mistake.
And we can show children that asking for help is a strength, not a failure.
Supporting children's well-being begins with relationships, and those relationships don't have to be perfect to be meaningful.
Keep World Mental Health Day Gentle
World Mental Health Day doesn't need to become a lesson filled with complicated explanations or expectations.
Young children can begin with a few simple ideas:
My feelings matter.
It's okay to feel different emotions.
I can talk to someone I trust.
I can ask for help.
I can care for others and myself.
I don't have to handle everything alone.
Through stories like My Path, open-ended play, creativity, and everyday moments of connection, we can create space for these messages to take root.
Perhaps the most important reminder is also the simplest:
Everyone has their own path to follow.
Some days that path feels easy. Other days, we may need a little more time, a helping hand, or someone willing to walk beside us.
And that's okay.
Because caring for our mental health begins with recognizing that we all have different needs, that our feelings deserve attention, and that none of us has to find our way alone.
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