The children at KU Merewether Preschool have been learning strategies to better manage their emotions.

The children were visited by Lynn Jenkins, an author and clinical psychologist, and Kirrili Lonergan, an illustrator and art therapist, who created the ‘Lessons of a LAC’ (Little Anxious Creature) series of books the children have been reading.

The books look at anxiety and were created to help young children learn more about anxious thoughts and feelings and how to manage those feelings.

“The children were so excited to meet Lynn and Kirrili as we had been reading their books in preschool and learning about feelings, emotional resilience and mental health,” said KU Merewether Director, Nicole Vesperman.

“Lynn and Kirrili read stories to us, performed a puppet show with characters from their books, and we spoke about how our thoughts connect to our feelings and how our bodies change with our feelings.”

“Through the visit the children revealed how capable they were of understanding more complex emotions such as feeling anxious, brave, worried and calm, and they learnt simple strategies to manage their emotions, such as through mindfulness by breathing and counting, and thinking about how we can be good friends.”

It’s never too early to start learning about these concepts, and to provide young children with more awareness around mental health and emotional wellbeing can provide them with skills for life.

An interesting story to teach young children how to find happiness in things other than toys. A good book with a simple but important story for all young children. Do get it!

A wonderful way to teach my kids the importance of positivity, how we can influence our emotions and look at things differently.

It’s easy to become frustrated when things don’t turn out quite right, and this book is a great resource to help little people understand their feelings and how to deal with them. It also shows adults a positive way to respond to help their little person.

I love this material and while I'm not a teacher it has massively helped with engagement with children. It has given me countless opportunities with students and opened up conversations about what is happening for them. This will be my fifth school as a school chaplain that I have used Loppy LAC. I'm so grateful.

Primary school-children will be shown how to channel their inner calm in this story about managing anxiety. Written by clinical psychologist and mother-of three Lynn Jenkins, Lessons Of A LAC has been branded as an emotional resource to help kids develop strategies to manage their anxiety. And there are probably a few lessons in there for mum or dad as well.

This great book is aimed at helping little anxious creatures manage anxieties … written by a clinical psychologist, this is a wonderful book for parents of anxious children.

As a teacher, finding resources to support my students' emotional well-being is crucial, and the Lessons of a LAC Teacher Pack has been an absolute game-changer. The entire pack is a treasure trove of tools and materials that make managing anxiety in the classroom not only easy but also fun for the kids. The books cover essential topics in a way that's engaging and relatable, and the plushies, finger puppets, and Courage Cards add a delightful touch to our lessons. Plus, the digital video lesson units are invaluable resources that make planning a breeze. It's clear that this pack was carefully designed with input from professionals, and the results speak for themselves, my students are more confident, resilient, and better equipped to manage their worries. If you're a teacher looking to create a supportive and nurturing classroom environment, this pack is a must have!

These books were the best investment I have made for my daughter who has had to navigate not only the loss of her grandparent but also bullying at school. They have helped her understand her feelings and to know they are normal. These books have helped turn negatives into postitives for her and I am truely grateful. They also have the most beautiful pictures and are written in a way that is so easy for children to understand. Love love love Loppy.

Children like Loppy are present in every class, either being afraid to start something in case it is not perfect on the first attempt or giving up in tears, frustration and even anger, so a story and strategies that help them focus on the things that they have done well rather than the ‘mistakes’ they have made can go a long way towards helping them accept themselves, their activities and other people with all their imperfections. Helping them to see the glass half-full, the silver lining, the rainbow rather than the rain can lay the foundations for strong mental and emotional health in the future. Developing a mantra of “I can” rather than “I can’t” is so important if they are to take risks to try new things that will open up so many new worlds to them.

It’s never too early to provide young children with more awareness around mental health and emotional wellbeing can provide them with skills for life.

Written by local psychologist Lynn Jenkins and local illustrator Kirrili Lonergan, this series is popular with Newcastle and Hunter families to assist with their children’s emotional development. It strives to help them become more self-accepting and flexible. Great tools!

As Einstein once said, ‘Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.’ Perfect Petunias sets out to help children let go of perfection. The message: don’t give up, don’t worry and go with the flow. A positive message for little stress heads

It is a really good book that will help to give your child a better understanding of their worries, and help them gain skills that they can use in order to help manage anxiety.

It’s never too early … to provide young children with more awareness around mental health and emotional wellbeing can provide them with skills for life.