Children’s Mental Health Week at DECAL is May 2 – 6, 2022!
The early years in a child’s life provide a key opportunity to establish safe and secure relationships and to support healthy social and emotional development.
DECAL is excited to offer a week full of activities to celebrate early childhood mental health including:
Virtual puppet shows about feelings:
Register 3 year old and Pre-K Classes for a virtual Mental Health America of Georgia Puppet Show about Feelings:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/decal-childrens-mental-heath-week-puppet-show-registration-tickets-320641195447.
If you are unable to register for a puppet show this week, you can schedule a FREE show by contacting Lorie Summers at Lorie@mhageorgia.org or visiting the Mental Health America of Georgia Webpage: https://www.mhageorgia.org/kids-on-the-block/.
An early childhood mental health educational opportunity for early childhood professionals:
Register for the Better Brains for Babies Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Webinar presented by Zero to Three: What is Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and Why Care? – May 5, 10 am Eastern (Speaker: Therese Ahlers, Zero to Three): Registration link: https://bit.ly/BBBWebinarMay522
A dance party with CALi:
Join us for Feelings Friday on May 6th and dance with CALi to celebrate your mental health and being you with this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtODxPC_mBs. Post pictures to DECAL social media using the hashtags: #DECALCMHWeek2022 or #littlekidsbigfeelings to win prizes!
Classroom activities and giveaways:
See activity guides for infant, toddler, and pre-K classes in the tabs below and post pictures on DECAL social media using the hash tags: #littlekidsbigfeelings and #DECALCMHWeek2022 to be entered into a drawing for teacher self -care gift cards, provided by the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS)!
One grand prize winner will receive a $300 Lakeshore Learning gift card provided by CHRIS 180 to design a Calm Corner or Zen Den in their classroom! This prize also comes with infant and early childhood mental health expert consultation from Kathy Brown-Bragg, MSW, LCSW, MAC of CHRIS 180’s New Generation Project. Kathy is also the Co-President of the newly established Georgia Association of Infant Mental Health (GA-AIMH): https://cld.gsu.edu/ga-aimh/
Activities and Resources:
A big thank you to the 2022 Children’s Mental Health Week Planning Committee:
- Kerry Bayens
- Veronica Thomas
- Jerry Brown
- Perri Walden
- Lori Ballew
- Megan McGraw
- Morlinda Dawson