Feel Good Friday Challenge

Fabulous well-being

Getting physically active

Feeling the kindness

Creative and artistic skills

You may be aware that we have a Feel Good Friday initiative for the staff. This is something I introduced in September. The concept is very simple. On a Friday staff have to be ‘kind’ to another colleague in whatever way they feel appropriate to make them feel good about themselves. This can range from complimentary post-it notes left on a computer to a coffee from McDonalds. There is no stipulation what the act of kindness is, however, we do something kind for someone else. This concept has worked far better than I could ever have imagined and I have been encouraging staff to engage with it outside of school too. What I would like to do next is to introduce it for students.

Therefore on Friday 12th February it is time for me to give back to the students and staff for their mental health and wellbeing. The online learning is hard and looking at the screen all day can take its toll on students and staff. Therefore I am introducing the Feel Good Friday Challenge for all staff and students. It will hopefully be a day where they can participate in a range of activities which will help their mental well-being and health.

The school is open to critical worker, vulnerable students and Designated Provision on the 12th February and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) will cover all the classes that day. The students in school will not miss out and my SLT will makes sure we have something fun planned. For those who are in school on the 12th they will not have to wear uniform.

I would like the students and staff to decide on 3 activities and each one has to link to our Christian Values of Hope, Compassion and Endurance. So for example you may do some meditation, this might come under Hope, as it gives you a clear head and time to think positivity. You might decide to make tea for your family and this would come under Compassion. Or, you might do a fitness challenge and this would come under Endurance

The students and staff will then need to make a quick record of the activities they have completed. They can do this by:

  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Email descriptions
  • Vlog
  • Blog
  • Podcast

The students then need to send the evidence to their Form Tutors by the end of the day and the Staff need to send their evidence to me. There will be prizes available for the best representation of the Christian Value.   

SOME possible ideas to think about for your activities.

This is NOT a ‘to do’ list. You will be able to think of a million things you could do and I do not want to be prescriptive. However, it is often useful to have ideas to get you started.

Instagram baking class

Bread Ahead bakery school and shop in Borough Market are doing free online tutorials via their Instagram page. Whether you fancy learning how to make doughnuts, brownies or bread they have it all.

Go to the zoo without leaving the house

You can view the live webcams at Edinburgh Zoo on their website. You can see pandas, penguins, tigers and koala bears. There are lots of fun facts about the animals on the website too.

Listen to a podcast

Watched everything on Netflix? Can’t concentrate on a book? Then why not get lost in a podcast. Pop your earphones in and get transported from your house to somewhere more interesting without even getting off the couch.

Check World’s Most Famous Landmarks

Enjoy a virtual tour from Peru to Paris

 https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/mar/30/10-best-virtual-tour-worlds-most-famous-landmarks

Watch some live music

Since it doesn’t look like any of us will be going to a concert anytime soon, why not bring the concerts to your living room? There are loads full length concerts to stream for free online.

Museum tours

Since we can’t get to any museums or art galleries for a while why not explore them from home? Take a tour of the British museum in London for free online

Tour the USA’s greatest national parks

We might not being taking journeys anytime soon but thanks to the internet we can take our online journeys far and wide. Always wanted to visit some of the beautiful national parks in America? Then thanks to google earth we can.

Play Pictionary with a robot

Use the free game ‘quick draw’, which google have created to have fun and draw pictures for their robot to guess

Cooking lesson with a Michelin star chef

Massimo Bottura has taken to his Instagram account with free nightly cooking lessons.

Lunchtime doodle session with a top kids illustrator

Mo Williems invites you into his studio every lunchtime. Learners all over the world can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing for free.

Audio books or short stories

Audible have made a huge section of their collection free. Check out their website to see if there is any you would like.

P.E with Joe Wicks

Fitness guru Joe Wicks has become the nation’s P.E teacher. Check out his videos every morning at 9am on youtube.

Learn how to make pasta

An 84 year old Italian grandmother who teaches pasta making classes had to stop when the country went into lockdown. Her granddaughter has helped her take her class online.

Check out the rides at Disney

Disney world might be closed but that doesn’t mean you need to miss out on all the fun. Have a fun filled day by checking out the virtual rides on Youtube.

Head to Hogwarts

Always dreamed of being a wizard? Well now’s your chance. Hogwarts is here is a website created by Harry Potter superfans, you can sign up, chose your house and even create magical potions.

Relax on the beach without leaving your house

Fancy hearing the sound of the waves and looking at a beautiful sandy beaches? Then check out this live beach webcam.

Watch some baking classes

The Big London Baking team will be sharing three online baking classes on their social media channels every week. Check out their Facebook page to keep up to date.

Make a memory box

Find a box big enough to hold loads of items. Decorate the box and then fill it with lots of your favourite memories from over the last few years for example pictures and concert tickets

Make paper mache

Fancy making some paper mache at home? The check out these easy steps to do so.

Play a board game

Board game lovers will be pleased to know that there are ways to play your favourite games online, so you don’t have to venture out to end to try out your new Scythe strategy or to finally play Terraforming Mars with a friend. 

Websites like Tabletopia have free accounts for players, but you may need to pay to play some of the more popular or newer games. 

Learn a language

Always wanted to speak Italian? Intrigued by Norwegian? Think that Mandarin will be useful for work, or perhaps German? 

Why not learn a new language? Online tools give you everything you need to help you brush up on vocabulary, and test out pronunciation. 

Go to the aquarium

It’s almost impossible to recreate the strange grace and tranquility of aquariums but not entirely.

Although they’re closed to the public, Monterey Bay Aquarium have added a number of live cams to let you keep an eye on the jellyfish, kelp forest, coral reef, and even the penguins, completely free. 

Stretch out with a yoga class

If you’re trying to de-stress and stay healthy from home, you’ll be pleased to know that plenty of yoga studios are now streaming online classes for you to join in with. 

A lot of studios are still running paid classes, but you can also find plenty of free classes online, like those run by Adrienne on YouTube.

Have a work out

Keeping active will make a big difference to how you feel mentally and physically – physical activity should help you sleep better and lift your mood, even if you’re stuck in the same room for most of the day. 

You don’t need any equipment for a good workout, and there are plenty of free online videos to take you through a routine. Check out Joe Wickes’ 7 Days of Sweat to get started.

Solve a mystery

True crime fans can immerse themselves in mysteries or even start solving them. There are plenty of online communities like Reddit’s Unresolved Mysteries, where mystery fans get together to swap theories and combine information to try to get to the bottom of old cold cases. 

Start a blog

This could be a great time to build your audience, especially if you have relatively cheap, indoor hobbies that you can share. 

Interest in pastimes like cooking and board games has shot up over recent weeks – if your hobbies are trending, why not set up a blog and share your knowledge? You can set up a WordPress account and blog for free, and take it from there

Learn first aid

It’s good to be prepared for an emergency, especially when urgent care centres are overwhelmed or you may not want to leave self-isolation for a relatively minor injury. 

You can learn basic first aid online, for free with FutureLearn. 

Meditate

Meditation and mindfulness doesn’t just help people stay calm – practitioners around the world rely on it to help them focus, remain present, and appreciate what they have. 

It’s a simple concept that can be hard to master, but you can start now, at home, and see if it works for you.

Upcycle old clothes or accessories

Got a wardrobe full of clothes that you hardly ever wear? Or lots of basic staples that lack personality? You can update, reuse, or upcycle everything from old t-shirts to shoes and garden pots. Just figure out what you’d like to use and find a project on Upcycle That to get started. 

Try bird watching 

You might have heard that nature took back the cities during lockdown, from wild boar in Italy to goats in Llandudno. If you want to get a little closer to nature, you can start with your own back garden (or balcony). Resources like eBird can help you get started. 

Learn Origami

Got some paper sitting about doing nothing? Then why not try to learn the ancient art of paper folding

Wash your make up brushes

When was the last time you washed your make up brushes? Give them all a freshen up, your skin will be grateful.

Organise your wardrobe

Why not sort through all your clothes, you could even do a fashion show. Who knows you might discover some outfits you forgot you even had

Make a wish jar

Write some things you would love to do in the future and pop them in a jar and when all of this is over start to complete them

Make a musical instrument

Have a look around the house and see what you have to make your very own musical instrument.

Give yourself a makeover

Been desperate to try out some hair and make-up skills or upcycle some old wardrobe items? Well now’s your perfect time.

Video call your friends and family

Don’t forget to check in on your friends and family, and cheer yourself up by seeing your favourite faces.

Paint your nails

It may be a while before we can all head to the nail bar so why not give yourself a manicure at home.

Write a play or short film

Perhaps your work is better realised by actors rather than staying on the page? You’ll be pleased to know that the BBC is on the hunt for original scripts about self-isolation that they can turn into short films. 

If you’re daunted by that task, you could try out our free screenwriting course to learn the ropes and (hopefully) catapult you into stardom after your first film is made. 

Visit the MoMA

A huge number of art galleries and museums around the world have digitized their collections and are now offering free virtual tours.

New York’s MoMA is just one of the incredible galleries that you can visit from your own sofa, where you can enjoy Pollock and Monet without the crowds

Try a fitness challenge

Don’t fancy the gym (or the hefty membership)? There are plenty of fitness challenges you can try out from home, so you can work on your fitness without having to leave the house. You could try the 100 pushup challenge, or squat challenge, or just doing a 30-day bodyweight workout challenge to stay healthy at home for free. 

Just make sure that you don’t push too hard early on, and warm up thoroughly before you do any exercise.

Next Steps

  • Think about what your activities are going to be under the 3 headings.
  • Think of how you are going to have ‘evidence’.
  • Think ‘outside the box’.
  • Plan ahead if you need any resources.
  • Make sure whatever you decide to do makes you feel good.
  • Parents/Carers please let Mrs Scott-Herron know if you need a place in school on the 12th so she can work out the activities and staffing.