Reception marked Children’s Mental Health Day with a lovely Welcome Circle. We took part in a Welcome Circle, a simple but powerful activity designed to help children notice one another, use each other’s names, and practise inviting friends to play. We sat together in a circle and used a special soft toy as our “talking object” so everyone knew when it was their turn to speak. First, we modelled how to introduce ourselves by saying our name and something we enjoy. Then the children had a turn to share their own names as the toy was passed around the circle. In our second round, children were invited to use friendly words to ask a classmate to join them in an activity—many lovely invitations were shared, and we celebrated these moments of kindness. We finished by highlighting a few examples of thoughtful invites and encouraged everyone to think about who they might like to include in their play today. The children practised listening, taking turns, and showing care for their peers—small steps that help build a strong sense of belonging in our classroom.
Reception- Childrens mental health 2026
