"Hi there,
When I speak to teachers around the country, I often get asked for techniques which teachers can use to help the children manage their worries or concerns. A really quick and simple technique is the worry monster!
This is a great way for children to communicate their worries and is a popular activity that’s often used by teachers to monitor worries, concerns and anxieties that children may be experiencing.
Here’s how it works:
- Get an empty shoebox and cut a 1 to 2 inch wide slot in the lid.
- Decorate it however you want.
- Anytime your children have a worry, they can write it down on a piece of paper and put it into the worry monster.
- Stick the poem (you'll find in in the download below) on the wall near the worry monster for children to say as they post a worry.
- You (their class teacher) can read the worries and then address concerns individually or as a collective. You might want to then discuss the general matter as a group if it’s a recurring concern, like exams. Some children will need more additional support if they have raised issues like bullying, friendships, homelife or school work.
The poem goes like this:
Worry Monster please eat my worry,
Gobble it up quick I’m in a hurry,
Chew it up and take it away,
So I can be happy for the rest of the day!
Scroll down to find a short video explaining the activity and a download with the instructions and a copy of the poem.
I hope you have fun with this one!
Imogen :-) "
