Using animal resources to support social and emotional wellbeing

In this blog, Jenny Phillips (a qualified nurse, senior lecturer in paediatric nursing and animal therapist) looks at the role animal resources can have on the social and emotional wellbeing of learners. The TTS resources that she will discuss include:

• Vibrating weighted lap buddy – Cat
• Vibrating weighted lap buddy – Guinea Pig
• Calming Cat and Cards –Calming Cat
• Wellbeing Dog – Griff

Animals – a source of security, comfort and love

For most children, animals hold a unique fascination and will draw their attention quite easily. Children view animals, especially pets, as sources of safety and comfort. This is because children recognise pets and other animals as part of their daily life and environment.

Animals have roles to play within homes as pets, within their local community and environment as both other people’s pets, as wildlife and through recognised environments i.e. farms, zoos, sanctuaries, etc. Various forms of interactive media, for example, storybooks, films, cartoons,toys, drama and songs, also feature animals.

Animals and animal resources can be great for supporting children’s social and emotional wellbeing. We often feel safe talking to them as they offer no judgement, and can provide security and love. Since animals are appealing, reassuring and friendly, children often view them as a source of comfort and will seek them out as a way to process their feelings. Even though in this instance we are talking about live animals, this awareness and understanding can also apply to animals represented by toys. This then gives educators and those within social care an opportunity to draw on animal resources to support learners with their social and emotional wellbeing, and mental health. They are able to to work through and develop different skills, knowledge, and abilities within their developmental journey. While all this information focuses on children, the same applies to older people, especially those with Dementia and/or Alzheimer’s.

The vibrating weighted lap buddy – Cat

This weighted lap buddy lets children see a sleeping animal in a natural position. More importantly, it helps them recognise this common daily activity, as they may have seen cats sleeping like this. The addition of the small weighted blanket for the cat to sleep on supports the awareness and understanding of the sleeping function.

This resource can support educators to focus on the need for good quality sleep and allows for discussions based on this. You can place the cat in the centre of a group or on an individual’s lap to draw attention to it. The children may ask questions such as:

• What is the cat doing?
• Why is he sleeping?
• Do we need sleep?
• Why do we need sleep?
• What can help us to sleep?

If a particular child has difficulties sleeping, the cat can mimic the child’s experiences, allowing them to discuss and explore any issues in a non-personalised, focused way.

Smooth design

The vibrating weighted cat is a resource that is smooth to touch, rather than being furry. The cat has a silky texture with the weight evenly distributed throughout its body. This means that it has potential benefits for learners who may have a sensory processing issue and find it hard or too overwhelming to interact with a fur-based resource.

Distributed weight

The distributed weight facilitates those learners with a sensory based processing disorder. The cat presents itself as an easier and more balanced experience with an equal equilibrium. Some learners seek balance in their self-calming and self-centring resources.

You can use the cat in various ways, either as a sensory processing engagement opportunity tailored to each child or as a form of self-regulation, with the educator modelling and explaining the process to the child.

Social, emotional wellbeing and mental health

An ideal resource for exploring children’s social and emotional wellbeing, along with aspects such as friendship and kindness. The cat serves as a good focus for this activity and allows educators to use the empathy approach with learners.

The five elements of empathy:

1. Listen to others without interrupting.
2. Recognise body language and other forms of nonverbal communication.
3. Try to understand others, even if you do not agree with them.
4. Ask questions to learn more about a person and their lives.
5. Imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes.

Introduce the cat, a living being with a name and social history. Present any difficulties or problems experienced by the learner(s) who are participating in the activity. The cat should also express its interest in hearing all learners speak, highlighting that it respects all opinions and ideas shared with it and on its behalf. Issues can range from friendships, sharing and behaviour, to shyness, anxiety and fear. The children listen to and understand the cat’s story and the problems it faces. Then, give the cat to individuals as they speak, share their insights, thoughts, opinions, or answer questions. Speaking through and for the cat takes the pressure and focus off the learner, making it easier for them to express themselves. It also reduces the pressure and expectation of correct answers only.

The vibrating weighted lap buddy – Guinea Pig

The vibrating weighted guinea pig is a compact, medium-sized resource. Its open eyes are positioned to give the appearance of looking directly at you, and its neutral mouth does not convey any specific emotion . This allows for the exploration of emotions through conversation.

You can pose questions such as:

• What is the guinea pig feeling?
• What makes you think it is feeling ……?
• Why could the guinea pig be feeling ……?
• How can we help the guinea pig feel better / happier / less scared etc?

In contrast to the weighted cat, the guinea pig has a fur covered body. The fur is soft to touch and encourages children to stroke the body. The soft feet offer a different tactile experience as they are covered in a material that provides a soft texture . The combination of the materials offers children the opportunity to learn and develop self-regulating and calming opportunities. The physical contact with the fur and the rhythmic motion of the stroking offers children the time and space required to calm, centre themselves and refocus. The addition of the weighted blanket further supports these processes and outcomes as the additional weight gives extra grounding support and focus while providing the feeling of security.

Exploring emotions

The vibrating guinea pig is a great resource for exploring emotions relating to fear, anxiety and stress. Before introducing the guinea pig to the children, place the guinea pig in vibration mode. Introduce the guinea pig, providing details such as its name and story. The story should be based on the learner(s) own issues but delivered in a slightly different way – presented as the guinea pigs’ difficulty, not the learner. When the story has been provided, pass it around and let them experience the vibrating sensation. Highlight the vibration and ask the following questions:

• Why do you think it is vibrating?
• What do you think could have caused it to feel ……?
• Do you think it likes feeling ………?
• What do you think the guinea pig could do to make it feel better?
• How could we help the guinea pig to feel better?
• Have you ever felt …….?

After discussing the issues, pass the guinea pig back to the adult. Face the guinea pig as you speak to it, going through the main points in the discussion. Does this make the guinea pig feel better? While you are talking to the guinea pig, discreetly switch off the vibration mode. Give it back to the children to pass round and let them feel the difference. How do they feel now and why might this be?

Stimulating the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

The vibrating lap buddies stimulate the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). ASMR is a tingling feeling/sensation which normally starts on the scalp and then moves down through the back of the neck and the upper spine. This experience is a subjective one and so therefore not experienced by all. It produces a low-grade euphoria presented through a combination of positive feelings and a static-like tingly sensation on the skin. The trigger for ASMR is generally a specific auditory or visual stimulus. However, we recognise that while not everyone experiences an ASMR response, many people often feel more relaxed and calm with low-pitched and slow-paced auditory stimuli.

Educators or social care workers may find it helpful when working with learners experiencing over stimulation, loss of control, sleeping problems, anxiety etc. Providing the cat or guinea pig in a calm and quite space (either in vibrating mode or still mode depending on the individual learner and their needs)  can reset the human body homeostasis level and improve social, emotional wellbeing and mental health. The learner can then choose to stand, sit or lay with the animal provided (and their blanket if deemed appropriate) and can stroke the animal and listen to the low sounds. These experiences allows the learner to calm down, reground themselves, regulate and regain focus in the present moment.

Calming Cat

Calming Cat is a multi-textured blue cat with a zip front pocket and muff like middle, where learners can place their hands. The resource can also be purchased with a box of resource cards. This resource is great for developing empathy, empathetic thinking, actions in learners and social and emotional wellbeing.

Calming Cat is good for school/home working which acknowledges every child’s feelings, regardless of the child’s ability to communicate or articulate this to others. The cat can stay and participate in everything the child/children do. This allows them to build a genuine and meaningful bond.

Allowing the cat to be another member of the group creates a natural empathetic bond which allows for the exchange of experiences, feelings, and thoughts between:

• Child and cat
• Child, cat and adult
• Child, cat, group and adult

This encourages children to explore their social and emotional wellbeing. It helps them to recognise and have discussions about the emotions and feelings they might experience (Individual child or group of children), and allows exploration of emotional intelligence (recognition, understanding, processing, coping and resilience).

Calming Cat can support learners through each stage. It can provide comfort and security, give encouragement and offer warm hugs when needed. Calming Cat does not deal with negative situations, only with the positives, finding ways to help and build self-regulation and resilience.

Things to remember

• Name the cat
• Add it to the class/group registers
• Provide the cat with a peg/home and incorporate it into daily routines such as snack/meal times (it really is an extra child in the class!)

Exploring feelings and emotions

An ideal resource for exploring emotions as they are being processed. What emotion am I feeling? Calming cat has no one defined emotional expression allowing learners to transfer and interpret their emotions onto him. During one-to-one, small group or large group circle time, pass the cat to a child and ask how they (and the cat) are feeling. Allow them to express themselves in their own way (the way they are comfortable with or able to). Expression can be supported with the use of emotion cards, colour cards, core boards etc. Adults should support and encourage children to express themselves in their own individual ways. When the feeling is expressed, the conversation can then focus on understanding, connection with cause of the feeling/emotion, outcomes from the event, interventions and those that could have been used to deal with the situation or used again if it previously resulted in a positive outcome.

Examples of questions to pose:

• Why do you feel this way?
• What made you feel like this?
• What is the feeling like?
• What could you do to change this feeling?
• What could you do to help you feel better?

Children can hold, stroke, or cuddle Calming Cat during this process, giving them the opportunity to feel calm, secure, comforted, supported, and grounded.

Create a Chatter Cat Corner

Why not create a Chatter Cat Corner?

Place Calming Cat (Chatter Cat in this instance) in a ready created and set up cosy corner along with resources like rugs, cushions, blankets etc. You could also provide writing/mark making resources and paper in a variety of colours and shapes (paper hearts, cats etc.).

Explain to the children that Chatter Cat loves to listen to “EVERYTHING” they have to say. The cat especially loves to hear about what makes them happy, sad, angry, and scared.  Chatter Cat really wants to hear about these emotions and wants them to share these, either by talking to the cat directly or by writing it down and placing the message inside the zip pocket to be read later.

Adults can discreetly listen to the conversations giving them an awareness of what is happening and how the learner is feeling etc. After reading the messages in the pocket, adults can later express Chatter Cat’s  questions, ideas, thoughts, and thanks as appropriate. Chatter Cat may also find it useful to have supporting resources in the corner to help conversations and interactions i.e. emotion expression cards, colour cards, emotional thermometer etc.

For younger children in the EYFS, why not try using the Calming Kittens and Cards?

Griff, the wellbeing dog

Griff the wellbeing dog is a puppet. It allows educators and social care professionals to draw on this pedagogical approach to support their work and provision to learners.

The resource comes complete with a black and white boarder collie dog puppet, basket and a set of six easy to read short wellbeing focused stories featuring Griff. This is a great resource for practitioners to use, engaging learners in developing knowledge and skills around physical health and wellbeing.

Caring for an animal

Educators introduce learners to Griff the Wellbeing Dog, highlighting that he is a dog who, like all pets or animals, needs love, attention, and care. They then encourage and support children to consider what Griff needs to be a happy and healthy dog. The children focus on the requirements for food, water, shelter, exercise, medical care, love and attention. Each element is discussed in detail, giving the children the opportunity to explore each concept, including the smaller components that make up the larger needs. For example,’food’ includes not just providing food to Griff but also understanding:

• What should the food be placed in?
• Where should the food be given to Griff?
• How often should he be fed?
• What types of food should Griff be offered?
• What types of food should not be offered? (i.e. human chocolate is toxic to dogs, not too many dog treats etc)
• What is a healthy dog diet?

You can break down these discussions and explorations into individual elements, allowing for deeper exploration and investigation across multiple areas of the EYFS , national curriculum and when teaching children about their emotional and social wellbeing in subjects such as PSHE. Some examples include:

• Weighing and measuring food quantity – mathematics
• Changing diets for dogs as they get older – puppy, adult, senior – Research skills, ICT
• Cost of food per meal, per day, per week, per month – mathematics
• What can/cannot dogs eat – research and investigate via books, internet, conversation with vets, dog charities etc? – research skills, ICT
• Making healthy dog treats from scratch? – food technology
• Creating a healthy food plan for Griff for the week – literacy and science.

Language and communication opportunities

Griff is a great resource for practitioners who wish to engage learners in developing their imagination and supporting non-verbal communication or to develop communication. Learners meet Griff at the start of each session. The educator introduces the learner to Griff, providing a social history or story during the introduction when appropriate. Children then have the space and freedom to explore the information and concepts provided to them through Griff.

Adults can watch the interactions between the children and Griff to observe what they do and how they behave. With insight and information, adults can then provide extra information. They may ask the dog a question or ask it to undertake an action. By focusing on the puppet and not the learner, the adult reduces pressure/anxiety from the children, and instead places the focus on Griff, allowing the children the freedom to explore concepts and ideas through the dog.

Griff can be used in the following ways:

• To encourage children to create their own Griff stories
• To work through personal experiences to allow greater understanding of the events and outcomes they have experienced
• Creation of the learner’s own scenarios, giving them the confidence to explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas.

For children who struggle with language and verbal communication, Griff offers them the opportunity to have open and free conversations with him. Griff does not mind any mispronounced words, non-structured sentences, vocalisations which replace words or even gestures.

Griff loves to listen to everything a child has to say in anyway they wish to say it.  Each engagement with Griff will encourage and support language development. Children who are shy could benefit from interaction with Griff, allowing the puppet to be their voice to others. They can also manipulate Griff’s body and head to express themselves through non-verbal communication as well as through vocal sounds. This provides those with limited or no verbal communication the same opportunity as their peers. It allows them to express themselves, share their thoughts, ideas, and opinions, while also recognising their individuality.

Making mistakes is okay

Teaching children about the reality of making mistakes can help a child with their emotional and social wellbeing. As adults we all realise that mistakes are made and this is part of our daily lives. However, for young children, this can be a hard concept to comprehend and understand, especially in a society where expectations are high with increasing pressure for them to achieve and succeed.

Explain to the children that Griff does not mind if learners make a mistake or get things wrong. In fact, there have been times when he has made mistakes and has got things wrong too (examples could be given to highlight this fact). Highlight that Griff recognises and understands that it is OK to make mistakes as he can learn from them. Again, give examples to highlight the mistakes made and the learning from it.

Explain that the biggest thing Griff has learned from his mistakes is that he now knows that it is normal to not always understand what to do or of what is being asked, but what he does need to do is recognise and understand that it is okay to ask for help. By doing so, someone can help him and prevent him from making more mistakes. Griff also recognises that it is hard sometimes to use his voice to ask for help. In these cases, explain that he can use another non-verbal approach to asking for help, i.e. a card system where he identifies to others that he is either OK and understands what needs to be done (green card/paws/thumbs up) or to show a ‘I need help’ sign (red card/paws/thumbs down).

Learning about difference

All animals can be used as a prop to teach neurodiversity as well as supporting social and emotional wellbeing. Adults will need to use two different animals i.e. vibrating weighted cat and guinea pig. This activity is looking at the concept of Milton 2012 -the empathy problem, whereby he identifies that two children have difficulty in understanding each other’s communication, feeling and thoughts, resulting in feelings of confusion and frustration.

By utilising the animal resources, the double empathy problem can be addressed. The two learners each pick an animal on offer. They then work out the differences and similarities between the animals (colours, size, weight, patterns, sounds etc.). The adult then explains and discusses with the children that this is how our brains, bodies, and personalities, function and that each animal (and person) is unique and have different ways of speaking, expressing themselves, moving etc. Emphasis should be placed on the fact that all animals, or people, are still valuable, respected, and loved regardless of their differences.

Supporting interoception

The animal resources can be used to support intero-breathing (a form of short meditation to support regulation). The term interoception means an awareness of your internal body states and sensations. This includes biological cues and how emotions are physically felt inside the body. The children are provided with an animal for them to stroke. When introducing this concept, the adults need to model and explain that the stroking motion is rhythmic. While performing the stroking motions, the learner needs to breath slowly and in time with each stroke performed. One stroke = one breath in, one stroke = one breath out. When learners understand the process, they then have access and understanding of a self-regulation, calming intervention that they can utilise in their daily life to help them with their emotions and to build resilience.

In conclusion

As highlighted in this blog, live animals or animal resources can be a great benefit to our social and emotional wellbeing. They can teach us about responsibility, caring for others, feelings and emotions and understanding differences. They can also be a source of comfort and security for some individuals, helping them to self-regulate and manage their emotions more effectively.