myHappymind - Meet your brain - what our children think

The children have now completed the first module of myHappymind – Meet the brain.

We asked a group of children if they enjoyed the meeting their brain sessions, here are some of the things they said:

‘I like it – it tells us and makes us learn about our brain – when we feel certain emotions in our brain and why we feel them.’ (Tooki Y6)

‘I like the quizzes because it tests the knowledge that you’ve learnt in the sessions.’ (Ava Y5)

We asked what they had learnt through the meet the brain sessions, here are some of the things they said:

‘When you’re scared the amygdala takes over and it means that you can feel a sense of danger even when there’s none there.’ (Naomi Y6)

‘That when the different parts of the brain don’t work together, we panic and can start to worry about simple things.’ (Hanani Y4)

‘That the brain’s job is to keep us safe.’ (Mikey Y3)

‘The amygdala can take over and make team HAP not able to work together because it goes in to fight, fright or freeze.’ (Noah Y5)

‘Betsy and Bertie, they keep trying to draw and they get neater when they practise.’ (Isabelle Rec)

The children have learnt a technique called happy breathing. We asked if they had used this to help them, here are some of the things they said:

‘ I used it when I was writing up my work, I got stressed because it wasn’t quite right and I wanted to start again.’ (Hanani Y4)

‘I went horse riding the other day and my horse started fast trotting and I got scared and my amygdala took over so I did my happy breathing.’ (Layla Y3)

‘I’m mostly happy but in my lesson Bertie and Betsy help you do it.’ (Alfie Y2)

‘I do it when I feel sad.’ (Neriyah Y1)

We asked if they could describe a neuroplasticity moment and when they’d had one, here are some of the things they said:

‘It’s when you keep on trying to do something and your brain gets bigger and forms neural pathways. When I was trying to do the obstacle course – I kept on trying and eventually I got to the point where I could do.’ (Hanani Y4)

‘I did in maths – I keep on learning more new things AND FUN FACT YOUR FIST IS HOW BIG YOUR BRAIN IS!’ (Mikey Y3)

‘When you try new things and your brain tries to get used to it and you make a stronger pathway and you get more used to doing it – I’ve got better at the flashback 4!’ (Noah Y5)