Play, Support, Care: How Child-Friendly Spaces Strengthen the Mental Health of Children and Parents
October 10 marks World Mental Health Day — a reminder that the mental well-being of both children and adults is an integral part of our overall health.
For children, mental health is reflected in their ability to play, explore, express emotions, and build relationships with others. For parents, it means being able to support their child, understand their own feelings, and maintain emotional resources for the family.
In Child-Friendly Spaces, we use a variety of approaches to strengthen mental health:
- Art therapy and drawing, helping children express feelings they cannot put into words.
- Cinema therapy, allowing them to experience emotions through stories and characters.
- Sand therapy, encouraging symbolic expression of inner experiences.
- Workshops and developmental activities that enhance creativity and social skills.
- Performances and theatre exercises that help rebuild trust, connection, and emotional openness.
Professionals at the space support both children and parents, creating an atmosphere of acceptance, safety, and care. Every game, drawing, or movement becomes a tool for healing and self-regulation.
When we say that “mental health takes the shape of play,” we emphasize that even simple actions — play, drawing, movement — help a child restore inner calm and feel alive, seen, and heard.
Today, on World Mental Health Day, Responsible Citizens NGO reminds everyone: caring for mental health builds resilience, gives strength to grow, and helps us find joy in everyday life.
Psychosocial support is provided as part of UNICEF’s project “Strengthening Community Capacity to Provide Core Protection and Resilience Services in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia Regions,” implemented by Responsible Citizens NGO with support from the Government of the United States of America.
Більше новин
-
Educational forum “Points of Support”: How to support students and teachers in times of ongoing challengesA two-day educational and resource forum, "Points of Support," took place in Dnipro, bringing together educators from across Ukraine. The main goal of the event was professional collaboration to find effective solutions for students' psychological resilience and the educational process as a whole.
-
Psychological Support and Cash Assistance: The Story of Maria’s Family from Velykyi BobrykЧерез виклики війни та втрату житла родина Марії переїхала до Великого Бобрика на Сумщині, де отримала психологічну підтримку та грошову допомогу від ГО «Відповідальні громадяни» у партнерстві з JERU.
-
Project to overcome educational gaps completed: what we achievedNGO Responsible Citizens, in partnership with the government of the Faroe Islands, has completed a project aimed at addressing educational gaps among primary and secondary school students in Dnipropetrovsk oblast.
-
Career development training enrollment openThe NGO “Responsible Citizens,” in partnership with Mercy Corps and with support from the UK government, is offering opportunities for those seeking new...
-
How Residents of Frontline Communities Assess their Readiness for a Possible EscalationOur team conducted anonymous surveys on social media to better understand how prepared people from communities near the front line are for a potential escalation. More than 720 people took part. According to the survey results, 67% of respondents said they do not have the financial means to rent housing in case of evacuation.
-
Renewal through learning: creating new opportunitiesAnastasia, a school psychologist with over 13 years of experience, has always sought growth. Her role involves helping children and teachers overcome challenges and maintain resilience.
-
A training for social workers took place in Kharkiv: new knowledge for supporting peopleIn Kharkiv, social workers from various parts of the Kharkiv region—Sakhnovshchyna, Zachepylivka, and Pivdenne—participated in a two-day training to enhance their skills and address the challenges posed by the war.
-
Integrated Support for Families in Kharkiv Region: Case Management, Cash Assistance and Art RehabilitationSince October 2025, Responsible Citizens NGO has been implementing the project “Integrated Multi-Sectoral Support for Vulnerable Families in the Kharkiv Region,” supported by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. The initiative unites partner organisations to deliver coordinated assistance to families affected by the war.