Innovative puzzle helps Fife pupils Connect & Grow

Kinglassie Primary is taking part in a pilot project with local company Be You Mindfulness to try out their new Connect & Grow mindful activity programme for schools.

The brainchild of Kelly Laing, Connect & Grow takes children on a journey of imagination using themed interactive magnetic puzzles.

Each puzzle has a different theme, has 60 pieces and contains an activity from one of six categories.

The children randomly select a puzzle piece, search for the square the piece fits into and complete the selected activity with their class.

The categories have been specially selected to enhance resilience, awareness, compassion, kindness and emotion regulation plus much more.

The categories are mapped to align with many aspects of the health and wellbeing curriculum and support the five ways to wellbeing.

Kelly said: “I am delighted to bring this programme to schools in Scotland and beyond.

“My ultimate aim is to give schools a fun, interactive and flexible programme to not only help children develop and grow those all important social and emotional skills but to help with staff wellbeing too.

“Now that I’ve successfully piloted the programme, I’d love to hear from other Fife schools who would be interested in using it in their classrooms.”

Youngsters and their teachers at Kinglassie Primary are really enjoying and benefiting from using the new resource.

Jeni Roy, class teacher, said: “It has been a real privilege to be able to trial the Connect & Grow programme with my P1 class. I have noticed that using it in transition times has meant the children are more ready to learn and move on.

“It is very easy to use, exciting and has a wealth of ideas that I feel can be implemented to improve mental health and well-being in children.”

Kelly recently showcased the programme at the Scottish Learning Festival exhibition where the feedback was really positive.

For more information visit www.beyoumindfulness.com