The Autumn Season and Emotional Literacy.

Ahhh, Mid September is here which means Autumn is arriving. This is such a great season to teach emotional intelligence in an engaging way. As well as all the beautiful visual ways to learn about emotions using leaves, acorn faces or pumpkin faces, the cosy fall vibes that adults enjoy to soothe the nervous system can help children too. 

Autumn provides some fantastic opportunities for mindfulness. Walking through Autumn leaves is the best IMHO! Art work such as leaf or tree rubbing, collecting conkers or enjoying mindful hot chocolates are lovely seasonal activities. 

Autumn is a time of transition in the natural world, and we are not isolated from this energy. We can all find ourselves impacted by falling light levels which can affect mood. Sunlight is an important source of Vitamin D and so shorter days and lower light levels can result in Vitamin D deficiency. Research suggests that Vitamin D deficiency is required for our mental health as well as physical, with evidence showing a link between low Vitamin D levels and anxiety or depression symptoms. This applies to children as well as adults, so ensuring you and your children get outside during daylight hours is an important wellbeing activity during the cosy season.

Because Autumn is a season of change, it’s also a great opportunity to explore the concept of transitions with children. Using the analogy of the season, Autumn provides a teaching tool for reflecting on letting go of things that we have outgrown or are no longer working for us. Just like the trees let go of their leaves and allow a time of reflection before regrowth. It can also provide the chance to talk about self soothing techniques because Autumn is full of grounding experiences, such as using blankets, putting on a warm coat and warm drinks. In age appropriate ways, we can guide children to think about things that make them feel warm, relaxed and safe.

We’ve created an Autumn themed emotional wellbeing pack which is now available to download HERE! We really wanted to help you make the most of the cosy season, using it to teach emotional recognition, self awareness, emotional reflection skills and coping techniques. My Cosy Corner features over 40 pages of seasonal SEL support and visual tools. Although it will make a fantastic calm corner toolkit, it can also be used as a general emotional education resource and will support meaningful discussions. 

Note: As a UK based business, we have used the British Spelling of ‘cosy'. However, the Cosy Corner resource has an American English version included which uses the spelling ‘cozy’.