Life-Based Learning
Delivering subject content for pre-teenage children through nine life themes
Category: Mental Health
Getting involved with nature is a great way to deal with eco-anxiety
An article in the British Medical Journal this week warns that levels of eco-anxiety are on the rise, particularly among children and young people, and “are likely to be significant and potentially damaging to individuals and society”. Meanwhile, another recent report warns of the… Continue Reading “Getting involved with nature is a great way to deal with eco-anxiety”
Researchers identify link between nutrition and mental health in children
Here’s what we know already: (i) there is a link between nutrition and physical health (ii) nutrition is particularly important for children’s growth and development (iii) many children do not have a good diet (iv) there is a growing crisis in children’s mental health.… Continue Reading “Researchers identify link between nutrition and mental health in children”
Why we need to invest in our local swimming pools
The contrast could not be more jarring: just weeks after Team GB won a total of 25 swimming medals at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics (nine of which were gold), a report from Swim England is warning that 2,000 swimming pools in England could… Continue Reading “Why we need to invest in our local swimming pools”
Children’s commissioner’s stirring call for a new settlement for children
The children’s commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, has just published the results of the ‘Big Ask’, the biggest ever survey of children anywhere in the world, with over half a million responses. In her foreword she talks of a “heroic generation …… Continue Reading “Children’s commissioner’s stirring call for a new settlement for children”
“Alarming state of decline”, says new children’s wellbeing report
A report published today by the Children’s Society provides additional evidence that young people’s mental health and wellbeing is in “an alarming state of decline”. The charity warns of a trend that stretches back at least ten years and that has been exacerbated over… Continue Reading ““Alarming state of decline”, says new children’s wellbeing report”
The Summer of Play campaign promotes children’s wellbeing and development
As pressure continues to build on the government over its post-Covid education recovery programme — to ensure that it is not just adequately funded but also sufficiently ambitious in its aims, scope and timescale — a campaign is underway to encourage as many people… Continue Reading “The Summer of Play campaign promotes children’s wellbeing and development”
The BBC’s Plant Britain scheme is a great way to promote nature education
Ahead of the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow in November, Glasgow City Region has announced a plan to plant 18m trees — 10 for every resident — over the coming decade, part of a new urban ‘forest’ to tackle climate change. The announcement… Continue Reading “The BBC’s Plant Britain scheme is a great way to promote nature education”
Why we must do more to promote reading for pleasure
Hurray! At last, some good news about the impact of lockdown on children! Apparently, they have not only been reading more during lockdown but also tackling more challenging texts as well. Alas, the positive headlines masked what is actually a rather less encouraging situation.… Continue Reading “Why we must do more to promote reading for pleasure”