Be the Jellyfish Training Manual

The Be the Jellyfish programme uses creativity, relaxation, and communication to support social and emotional wellbeing in children. With structured lesson plans for groups of varying sizes, this manual offers training and activities in massage, bodywork, breathing exercises, and creative expression.

Designed to support schools in nurturing the social and emotional wellbeing of children in their care, the lessons are structured around sensory relaxation and include relaxing exercises in breathing, visualisation, and massage.

Based on their experiences teaching in primary schools, the creators were inspired to develop a programme that focusses on a child's specific social and emotional needs in order to fulfill their learning potential. Structured as one hour lesson plans, the activities included encourage children to relax, communicate and explore themselves creatively using art materials, peer massage, visualisation, bodywork, breathing, sensory equipment and mindfulness. This manual contains planning ideas for lessons, visualisation scenarios, illustrated bodywork exercises, photocopiable templates and posters to use in the classroom or one on one with a child.

'What a wonderful resource – creative, enlightened and highly accessible. Cree and Brogden have captured vital elements inherent in the development and growth of social and emotional wellbeing and produced a comprehensive, fun approach which is respectful of each child's imagination and where no child's contributions are 'right' or 'wrong'. Highly recommended!'
– Deborah M. Plummer, author of Helping Children to Build Self-Esteem and Inspiring and Creative Ideas for Working with Children.