VERO BEACH – Even for our county’s youngest students, this has been a stressful time. At the Childcare Resources School, the wellness and early intervention team, dedicated to promoting physical and social-emotional health for program students and families, have taken innovative activities to facilitate stress management and resilience.
Recently, one classroom participated in a stress management activity, the ‘Worries-Away Volcano,’ developed by Hunter Sullivan, who became a part of the Childcare Resources School’s wellness team earlier this year. As a Certified Child Life Specialist, Ms. Sullivan has undergone rigorous training and works to promote the optimal development of children and families while minimizing the effects of trauma those families may face.
“I could not imagine a better or more fitting time to implement the ‘Worries-Away Volcano’ with everything going on in our world today,” said Ms. Sullivan. “These children love to learn and seem to embrace each moment to learn to better cope with the struggles around them.”
To kick off the ‘Worries-Away Volcano’, the four-year-old students first read Tom Percival’s “Ruby’s Worry,” a picture book about a young girl who finds a worry that grows and grows. Following the story, the class brainstormed how they could manage their own worries. Reaching the idea that talking to a parent, teacher, or sibling would help, it was time for the volcano.
As they gathered around the papier-mache volcano, each student had the opportunity to discuss a worry or two with Ms. Sullivan, who wrote it down on a piece of paper. One by one, the paper worries were added to the volcano. Together, the entire class said goodbye to their worries as the volcano erupted.
“The room was filled with laughter, happiness, and rid of worries,” said Ms. Sullivan. “We will definitely be utilizing the ‘Worries-Away Volcano’ throughout the year.”
Childcare Resources of Indian River, a partner agency of the United Way of Indian River County and Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee, elevates and promotes the highest quality early childhood development and education in Indian River County, focusing on economically challenged children and families. To learn more about Childcare Resources, visit ChildcareResourcesIR.org or call 772-567-3202