Putting the ‘fun’ in fundamental: students at Leduc Estates learn mental health tools

École Leduc Estates School is using mental health week to practice and learn about mental health tools.

In a schoolwide event held this week, students from all grades rotated around activity stations to learn skills designed to assist them in regulating their mental health and finding healthy outlets for their emotions. 

The stations ranged from physical activities like dodgeball and outdoor games, to artistic activities like drawing, origami and sculpting, and calming activities such as yoga and boardgames. 

While one of the goals of the day was to, of course, have fun, organizers say that giving kids tools to manage their mental health earlier on in life is a way to help them succeed as they grow and progress into junior high and high school. 

“It’s nice to see them engaged and happy to be working on their mental health and not just viewing it as a chore,” Kyla Donovan, teacher and event organizer, says, “It’s really positive.”

Erin Keca, the school principal, hopes that having these kinds of mental health focused events will help students understand that taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. 

She also notes the importance of these regulation tools when it comes to helping students succeed in the classroom.

“Our brains can’t be ready to learn if we’re in flight or freeze mode,” Keca says, “When we can regulate our bodies, our nervous systems, our brains, then we can be ready for learning.”