This FRIENDSHIP intervention planning resource pack is ready to go. Just print and deliver!
This pack is suitable for WHOLE CLASS as well as group work. If there are teachers out there who have children who just don’t get along then try running this as an intervention during PSHE time. Each lesson will take approximately 40 minutes to an hour.
It is perfect for an ELSA or teaching assistant who has to work with a group of children with friendship issues.
Included in this pack:
FRIENDS certificates (children colour in a letter after each lesson and take them away at the end of the intervention).
7 planning sessions which could be done over several weeks.
40 positive friendship cards
The Key to deserving good friends worksheet
Five posters looking at skills for empathy.
Skills for empathy bookmarks for the children to take away
A ‘Friend’ venn worksheet.
Heart friends template
How to apologise bookmark for the children to take away after the lesson.
9 pages of useful ‘All about me’ information. You can choose whether to do all the pages or just a few of them depending on the needs of the pupil you are working with. This is suitable from about 10-16 years old. Great for learning mentor, Teaching assistant or ELSA intervention.
Pages included in the ‘all about me secondary booklet’:
About me
Questions time
Personal qualities
Words to describe me
Body image
Staying healthy
Proud moments
Hobbies and interests
Social media
Worries that I have
All about my pets
Things I do to relax
My perfect day
Feelings
My future career
My friends
Things that make me happy at school
School rules
School feelings
How I learn best
Things I don’t like about school
Family tree
More about family
Home feelings
Family rules
Things that make me happy at home
Things I don’t like about my home
Circle of trust
The intervention
Who is if for?
This Anxiety and Worries Group intervention is for a group of up to six children and is led by a teaching assistant. The focus age range would be 7 to 11, although older pupils would probably benefit from this intervention. Children who worry a lot would be a good focus group for this intervention. It runs for approximately 40-60 minutes, weekly for six weeks.
What does it cover?
This Anxiety and Worries Group intervention covers emotions, relaxation, calming down techniques and learning objectives around anxiety and worries. Children will learn about emotions during each session and will also learn relaxation and calming techniques through the ‘relaxation time’. This knowledge and these skills will help them to become more emotionally literate. The warm-up games teach a variety of skills such as co-operation, team work, taking turns, communication skills, friendship, self-esteem and confidence. The coming together of a group fosters a sense of belonging and therefore raises self-esteem. Every opportunity should be taken to promote belonging and friendship. Relaxation exercises will help children to manage their anxiety and these are visited each session.
Information on Anxieties and worries
It is important to mention that anxiety is such a big problem and affects people in different ways and at different things. Sometimes there appears to be no reason for the anxiety. This intervention is about giving children the knowledge to help themselves and to gain a little understanding about what anxiety is. It is NOT about fixing children’s problems but about supporting them through their problems. Anxiety work needs to be done by professionals who have training in counselling or psychology. An ELSA or TA can offer knowledge and support and it is important that this line is not crossed and boundaries are clear. By giving children the self-awareness, knowledge and some relaxation skills you are empowering them to help themselves cope. If you are ever worried about a child then please do refer them on to professional services so they can get the help they need.
What’s included in the pack?
A planning booklet with 6 session plans.
Circle time rules
Warm up games for circle-time
Assessments
Emotion wheels
Emotion wordmat
Certificates
Five Star Breathing poster
NEEDS to know Poster
Emotion cards
NEEDS to know cards
Anxiety physical symptoms cards
Where in your body worksheet
Anxiety cards
Coping strategies poster
Worry tree
Thought bubbles (ants)
Changing those thoughts worksheet
Zap anxiety poster
My Five a day plan
ELSA/Teaching Assistant notes
This covers:
Skills
Luck
Feelings around winning and losing
Poor sports
Cheating
Sportsmanship
Making a Loser Plan
Cheating
The PowerPoint makes this available to whole classes or groups but also works well with individuals.
This resource pack contains the following:
PowerPoint show – you can use this for individual, group or whole class. When used for individual, you can act as the partner.
PDF of the show – so you can print it out if you need to or if you don’t have a computer or Whiteboard to work on.
Supporting worksheets
The powerpoint has 14 slides
This Rise and Thrive Teen self-esteem intervention is suitable for pupils in secondary. It may also be useful for mature year 6 pupils. It is a group intervention for approximately 6 pupils. It could be run whole class too.
Self-esteem refers to how a person views and values themselves. It involves having a positive opinion about your own worth, abilities, and qualities. When someone has healthy self-esteem, they feel confident, capable, and deserving of love and respect. Self-esteem is important because it influences how you perceive yourself, how you interact with others, how you handle challenges in life and your mental wellbeing.
An estimate of timings would be:
Review last time and check in 10 minutes
Activity 30 minutes
Review 5 minutes
Next time 5 minutes
Make sure you have 50 minutes to an hour to run the intervention.
There are six sessions to this intervention which will all help to raise self-esteem.
Boosters and drainers – pupils will explore what boosts self-esteem and what drains self-esteem
Strengths and talents -pupils will explore their strengths and talents
Challenging negative self-talk – pupils will learn how to reframe their negative dialogue
Building resilience – pupils will explore how to build their resilience by facing challenges and setbacks
Healthy and unhealthy relationships – pupils will explore relationships
Impact of self-care – pupils will learn the importance of self-care and the impact that has on self-esteem
Included in the Rise and Thrive teen self-esteem intervention:
Planning booklet with 6 fully planned sessions
Self-esteem scale for scaling at the beginning and end of the intervention
Lesson 1 – 36 Booster and drainer cards, Booster and drainer worksheet, emotions and self esteem visual
Lesson 2 – 40 strength cards, Building my strengths worksheet
Lesson 3 – Inner dialogue list for prompting, Challenging my inner dialogue worksheet
Lesson 4 – Resilience diary – front cover and one sheet to be copied multiple times
Lesson 5 – 8 prompts cards for relationships, Profile of a healthy relationship worksheet
Lesson 6 – Self care plan worksheet
This bundle of posters and worksheets will help you explore physical signs of 10 different emotions with your pupils. I have included a learning objective to go with each worksheet.
The pack contains the following:
10 Posters covering the emotions/feelings of Worried, happy, sad, angry, irritated, surprised, disgusted, embarrassed, tired and scared.
10 Worksheets covering their signs and sensations
10 Worksheets covering their physical appearance when feeling an emotion
10 Worksheets concentrating on different areas of the body for them to colour
8 Worksheets for coping skills.
This is a six session fully planned EBSA intervention. EBSA is emotionally based school avoidance. This intervention is for working one to one with a pupil that has difficulties in coming to school or staying in school. It is aimed at KS2 and could also be used with Year 2 pupils.
It covers areas such as anxiety, the CBT cycle, exploring the perfect day at school, what pushes them into school and what pulls them away from school, what is safety and feeling safe? Pupil led plan on returning or staying in school. Emotions and relaxation are included along with work on strengths to help raise confidence and self-esteem.
Included in the EBSA intervention:
Planning booklet with 6 fully planned sessions
6 warmup activities based on strengths
6 relaxation exercises using visualisations
Emotions check in with resources to cover aspects of emotional literacy
Comic strip and callouts for spotting anxiety
Comic strip and callouts for the perfect day at school
CBT cycle pack
Safety shield resource
Anxiety thermometer
Safety scale
Pushing and pulling resource pack with visual, worksheets and scenario cards
Attending school questions and a pupil led plan
This is a HUGE ELSA Secondary worksheet bundle with 68 worksheets that will be helpful for secondary pupils. It will also be good for upper KS2 or for those more mature pupils. It will also be helpful for adults too.
All the worksheets are black and white for easy and cost effective printing. There is minimal clipart.
Areas covered are:
Self-esteem
Emotions
Wellbeing
Anxiety
They can be used individually with pupils, with groups of pupils and whole classes of pupils. Build your lesson around a worksheet.
You could make up a workbook for each child you are working with to help with their specific problems by carefully choosing worksheets that would help them.
A great way to learn about emotions.
What it looks like, synonyms, what you might say, what you might think, what causes it and how to cope with it.
20 Emotions covered and a blank template to use as a worksheet so you can write and draw other emotions.
These emotion work cards will help children to learn more about their emotions. They will help them learn new vocabulary and to really use and think about their emotions. Learning about emotions is incredibly important for all children and this resource is perfect for that.
This is a set of 30 cards, 2 on each page. Each card has a task to do related to emotion cards. A set of emotion cards has been included with this resource but the cards which match this resource is available in my TES store.
The cards can be printed on A4 or A3 and laminated. Children can use dry wipe pens to write or draw. You can then photocopy what they have done to keep it or you can just print them as worksheets.
This is a HUGE ‘Feelings Diary or journal’ pack so you can put together the PERFECT diary or journal for each pupil you work with.
There are over 65 different templates to use. Pupils can write or draw or do a bit of both. This resource is suitable for children as young as 5 or 6 to teens.
Pupils can track their feelings, talk about their feelings, explore thoughts, look at body sensations, be mindful of the 5 a day for wellbeing, use brain dumping and scale emotions along with many other things like mindful colouring.
The emotions iceberg is a metaphorical representation of the concept that there are visible and hidden aspects to our emotions. It suggests that what we express or display on the surface is just a small part of the broader emotional experience we have internally.
The iceberg is divided into two main parts:
Visible Emotions (the ones that show on the surface)
These are the emotions that show and what can be seen
Visible emotions could include happiness, anger, sadness, excitement, fear, surprise, and disgust.
They are usually accompanied by recognisable facial expressions, body language, and vocal cues.
Hidden Emotions (the ones that are hidden under the surface)
These are the deeper and less visible emotions that lie beneath the surface.
Hidden emotions are often more complex, and influenced by personal experiences, memories, beliefs, and thoughts.
Examples of hidden emotions include shame, guilt, jealousy, anxiety, vulnerability, insecurity, loneliness, and grief.
Identifying hidden emotions requires self-awareness, and empathy towards oneself and others.
All the sheets print as A3 apart from the worksheets which are A4.
Included in the Emotions Iceberg display pack:
Emotions iceberg in A3 but you could print it bigger using adobe print settings
Two pockets to include emoji faces and word cards
A set of 20 emoji cards that will fit into the pocket
32 cards with suggested feelings words plus some bank cards for handwriting more words
A set of editable cards (in PowerPoint)
A banner
6 Supporting worksheets
2 quotes
This self esteem booster wheel will help children to reflect on their Strengths, talents and personal characteristics. There are so many things they are good at. A star stands out and shines brightly in the dark sky so thought I would use this for the centre of the wheel. There are two coloured versions and a black and white version. Pupils of any age can draw or write their strengths, talents or personal characteristics.
Resource from ELSA SUPPORT
Print out the skin tone that you require. This resource has five different skin tones to suit all children. There are also 15 different sets of eyes and mouths and a set of emotions vocabulary flash cards. Laminate all the pieces and keep in a zipped bag for convenience. The aim of this resource is for children to begin to recognise facial expressions and talk about their feelings. It is excellent for children on the autistic spectrum. This resource is also very good for early years settings and can be put into an area of provision, allowing children to experiment and make different faces. Can they match the eyes to the mouth? Can they tell you what the expression is that they have made? Parents would also find this resource helpful for their preschool children.
Questions you could ask – can you make me a ‘angry face’? What would ‘angry’ eyes look like? What would ‘sad’ eyes look like? Can you make me a ‘sad face’? Also use other vocabulary such as ‘miserable, frustrated, terrified, proud’.
There are so many possibilities for working with this resource. The cards could be used as a matching pairs game. Lay out all the cards and ask a child to choose a mouth and eyes that match – name the emotion.
Use the face (laminated) for drawing emotion faces. Put it alongside a mirror so children can make faces themselves.
Use the angry eyes and mouth to discuss anger and how to recognise when they are becoming angry. What makes them angry? What could they do when they are angry?
Pick an emotions flashcard(included with the pack) and make the appropriate face.
Pupils will learn about what is a kind thing to do and what is an unkind thing to do.
Ideas
Sort a selection of cards between ‘kind’ or ‘unkind’ (Template 1)
‘The kindest thing I ever did’ – comic strip. Ask the pupils to think about a time when they did something very kind. They can draw a comic strip of what happened. (Template 2)
Use the cards as a prompt for circle time. Each child to decide whether they think the statement is kind or unkind. Prompt them to give a reason why.
‘10 kind things I can do’ –Pupils can create a list of 10 things they could do to be kind. (Template 3)
‘Kindness Challenge’ – a simple diary entry each day, listing acts of kindness. (Template 4)
Play a simple board game. Stack the cards where indicated. Use a counter to move around the board. Use a die to roll a number. Move that number of places. If they land on a thumbs up (Smiley face) or thumbs down (Sad face) they pick a card. If they land on a thumbs up and pick a card that is kind then they keep the card. If they land on a thumbs down and the card is unkind then they keep the card. If they land on a thumbs up and the card is unkind then it has to go back onto the pile of cards. The person who collects the most cards is the winner.
Two boards are included for the game to suit younger and older children.
Here are a set of 20 Christmas/Winter themed Mindful Mandalas with some lovely quotes to discuss. Pupils can enjoy the mindfulness of colouring along with chat about the quote.
Print as a booklet or just print what you need. You could also blow them up quite large due to the excellent image quality so if you want to do a group colouring you could do.
This is our Know Yourself Reflections activity for Children’s Mental Health Week 2025
Our Know Yourself Reflections Sheet is a simple and fun tool for children aged 7 to 11 (or older) to explore what makes them unique. This resource encourages children to think about their proud moments, strengths, likes, and feelings, helping them develop self-awareness and confidence.
By reflecting on who they are and what they enjoy, children can better understand themselves and build a strong sense of identity. This sheet is perfect for classrooms, wellbeing activities, or home use, offering a creative way to encourage positive self-reflection and meaningful conversations.
Use this resource to help children celebrate who they are and recognise what makes them special!
Pupils can enjoy colouring in the little characters and shapes whilst talking about the different areas. Simply print out onto A4 and use with your children.
Benefits of the Know Yourself Reflection Sheet
Builds self-awareness – Helps children understand their feelings, strengths, and preferences.
Boosts confidence – Encourages children to recognise and celebrate their unique qualities.
Supports emotional intelligence – Promotes understanding and healthy expression of emotions.
Encourages self-reflection – Inspires children to think about their experiences, achievements, and goals.
Fosters positivity – Focuses on proud moments and strengths, cultivating a positive mindset.
Promotes creativity – Includes opportunities for writing, drawing, and coloring for engaging self-expression.
Strengthens communication – Sparks meaningful conversations in group or one-to-one settings.
Provides calm and focus – Colouring elements add a mindful activity to support relaxation.
Supports wellbeing – Encourages children to explore what makes them happy and calm.
Here are some jigsaw templates for a huge display. The pieces fit together horizontally and vertically. You can do one for each member of your class or group.
This is a lovely class, group or one to one activity for the return to school. It is suitable for all age groups to do.