Nursery World - Health & Wellbeing: Tuning in to what makes children happy

Following a report on the mental health, wellbeing and happiness of three- to five-year-olds that asked children about their emotions, Annette Rawstrone looks at the findings and asks what early years practitioners can learn from them

Being physically active is a recipe for happiness.

What makes young children happy? Play? Security? Cuddles with a loved one? Being outside? It may seem obvious, but in fact there is little information available regarding the happiness and wellbeing of young children.

A recent report from Early Years Scotland was commissioned to fill this knowledge gap, and asked three- to five-year-olds about their wellbeing and emotions.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of children say play is what makes them feel happy (see box). Nurture also plays a big part in children’s emotional regulation, with children commenting how they feel sad when they miss their parents or don’t have friends to play with.

Other things which children said made them sad were not having cuddly toys and hurting themselves.

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