They come in all shapes and sizes! We would encourage you to engage with a few children well rather than try to be really ambitious and chasing your tail. The key is to encourage space and time for the children to build relationships with you and one another, as well as reflect. Simple is good. Fun, enjoyment, time to talk and think are vital.
Here are some examples we have seen:
- An intergenerational club where grandparents from the church join children in the school and do the club together. This is hosted on alternative weeks by the church and the school.
- An afternoon club where a teacher stayed with the children and supported the church team to deliver the club to her whole class during the school day
- Only 5 sessions in which 2 keys were explored each week
- Only 5 sessions where only 5 keys were explored overall
- We have even seen happiness club run in 3 sessions, hosted by the church, and they covered a few keys
- Sessions inside and outside
“We have been meeting each Monday with 8 year 6 students from W… Primary School. Each week we have covered 2 keys; each key we introduce and have one of the activities in the book to take part in, we finish the time together with a mindful activity they can add to their tool belt. A few occasions Cyril the scientist has joined us to share his wisdom, knowledge and results of happiness experiments. The children have engaged amazingly with the activities and mindful activities. One of the girls in particular has said she has used a couple of the mindful activities to help her when she became anxious on the school residential. Another child was so excited by the curious conversation task; she took the cards to help her make friends at senior school in September.
Next school year the plan is run every term with a different year group.”
(Children’s worker)
