wild for life

mud emojis

Children often struggle to understand and process their emotions, especially more challenging emotions like anger, anxiety, fear.  Encouraging them to talk and be open about their feelings is so important, but if they are unable to to do that, then try using creative outlets to help them to express themselves.

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Try making mud emojis. Simple, messy, fun and therapeutic.

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Go for a walk and collect up interesting natural items as you go - e.g. feathers, flowers, twigs, leaves, shells. 

Back at home, take a bucket filled with mud. Add water and stir until it reaches a wet cement-like consistency.

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Now for the messy bit ... get your hands into the pot of mud and splat a ball onto a tree trunk, fence or paving slab. 

Ask your children to think about how they are feeling - happy, sad, worried, scared, exited - or try asking how their mud person is feeling (often the mud person's feelings reflect those of the child). Then, ask them to make their mud person's face out of the materials you have collected.

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Ask them questions while they are making their mud person - why they are feeling that way? What would make them feel better? How can you help?

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If you feel your child needs a little more help, feel free to get in touch or take a look at our Recovery and One to One Programmes.