JN Junior: Children’s Mental Health Week and why February is a good month

February can get a bit of a bad rap. The second month of the year is typically known as one of the most miserable – cold and dark with short days. BUT… there’s a lot to like about February, our shortest month of the year: Its name comes from the Latin word februum, meaning purification, The Welsh call February y mis bach which means ‘little month’ It’s one month away from Spring, and in the Southern Hemisphere, February is a summer month the equivalent of August! Yet more importantly, February includes Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week, which takes place 6-12th February. Place2Be launched Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015 to highlight the importance young people’s mental health. This year’s theme is Let’s Connect, encouraging people to connect with others in a meaningful way. It’s a good opportunity for us to think about how we can best look after our own mental health and also support family or friends with their mental health. Kindness is a simple way to help. When we are kind to each other, it helps us to feel connected, which means we create new friendships or strengthen existing ones. This month I might talk to someone at school that I haven’t before, play a game with someone online or connect with my local community by volunteering.

What could you do to connect with someone in a meaningful way?

To connect with someone in a meaningful way we can; Catch up and talk to each other, hang out and play together, give someone a hug or a high five! Go and help out at the local charity, go to the park with someone new! Play online video games with friends, visit someone who is lonely and sad and brighten up their day, and doing good deeds for example helping homeless people with some food. Jesse Nyman, 10, East Finchley

Just for Laughs with Ivor Baddiel

Why are skating parties always boring?

Because no one want to break the ice!

What’s on this Month – Half Term!

Imagine Children’s Festival at the Southbank

Head to the Southbank for the very best in children’s theatre, comedy, music, literature, dance and full-on fun for families this half term’s Imagine Children’s Festival. Highlights include talks by well-known authors Cressida Cowell (How to Train Your Dragon) and Michael Rosen (Going on a Bear Hunt), plus poetry, puppetry, music and a daytime rave with the world’s youngest DJ, DJ Archie! 8 – 18 February  www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Draw-along with Nick Sharratt

Join popular children’s writer and illustrator Nick Sharratt for a fun-filled draw-along for all ages. Nick, who has worked with Julia Donaldson, Michael Rosen and Kes Gray, is also the illustrator of Dame Jacqueline Wilson’s children’s novels. Draw along with Nick as he sketches characters from his latest stories. Bring pencils, paper and something to lean on! Saturday 18 February at 2pm. www.artsdepot.co.uk

Biscuiteers Icing Classes

Budding bakers can head to one of Biscuiteers hour-long icing courses this half term, running in their icing cafes for young people. www.biscuiteers.com

Play Build Play at the National Gallery

Drop in to the National Gallery for a free Play Build Play session. Children can play with scale, shapes and sensory materials to create new structures to move in 14 -16 February 11am-4pm drop in

The Power of Music in Manchester

If you’re in Manchester this half term, the Science and Industry Museum is hosting a major exhibition exploring the science of music. You can make music, play with beat, melody and harmonies in a newly commissioned musical playground, meet Haile the musical robot and see the groundbreaking MiMU Gloves, used by artists like Ariana Grande. Until May 2023. www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk

Good News For …

A seven-year-old from Los Angeles has been granted a license to own a unicorn and keep it in her garden Madeline sent a handwritten letter to the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control to request to keep a unicorn. Two weeks later, she received a response from the department with pre-conditions of ample exposure to sunlight and moonbeams and a diet of watermelon. Now she just needs to find ones of the mythical creatures.