Student Wellbeing

Greenhills Wellbeing Focus: Building emotional awareness, one strategy at a time

At Greenhills, we’re continuing our journey in supporting students to manage big emotions through simple, mindful practices. So far, we’ve explored how breathing and using the senses can bring calm and focus during moments of stress or overwhelm.

This week, we’re introducing three more regulation strategies, all grounded in the power of sensory awareness and gentle movement. These small actions might seem subtle, but they work by sending signals of safety to the nervous system, helping children pause, reset, and return to learning.

Here’s what we’re exploring in classrooms and how you can support at home:

Cool the cheekbones - Applying a cold, damp washer or an ice cube wrapped in a tissue to the cheekbones or neck can have a calming effect on the body. It works by activating the “diving reflex,” which slows the heart rate and soothes the nervous system. This can be especially helpful when a child feels hot, overwhelmed, or emotionally flooded.

Listen and name all the sounds you can hear - Encourage your child to pause, close their eyes, and listen carefully. Can they name five different sounds around them, near or far? This simple act of tuning into sound draws attention away from worries or frustration and brings it back to the present moment. It's a powerful way to quiet the mind and reconnect with the here and now.

Mindfully move a fidget - Fidget tools, like a smooth stone, stretchy band, or textured toy can offer calming input when used with intention. The goal isn’t distraction, but mindful movement, noticing the feel, shape, or resistance of the object as it moves through the hands. When used this way, fidgets can help with focus, release tension, and support emotional regulation.

These strategies are part of a growing toolbox that we’re helping students build, tools they can turn to in times of stress, challenge, or transition. The more they practise when they’re feeling calm, the more likely they are to access the strategy when they have big emotions.

We encourage families to try these ideas at home. You might be surprised how something as simple as holding a cool face washer or tuning into distant sounds can help your child shift from “fight or flight” into calm and capable.

Together, let’s keep equipping our students with skills that support their wellbeing and set them up for success both in the classroom and beyond. 

Janine Hough                                                      

janine.hough@education.vic.gov.au           

Brad Ryan

bradley.ryan@education.vic.gov.au