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
-
The team of Responsible Citizens NGO consistently develops partnerships and collaboration in frontline regionsHead of the board of Responsible Citizens NGO, Olga Kosse, conducted a monitoring visit to Kharkiv region to assess community needs together with local partners, including those communities hosting internally displaced persons, and to determine further priorities for supporting people.
-
St. Nicholas Day in safe spaces: warmth, creativity, and support for familiesIf it’s a holiday, it’s only in child-friendly spaces! Festive events dedicated to St. Nicholas Day took place in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions!...
-
In Brussels, Head of the Board of NGO “Responsible Citizens,” Olga Kosse, participated in presenting the final proposals for Ukraine’s post-war reconstructionThe proposal package from civil society representatives is the result of over six months of research conducted by the Center for Social and Labor Relations, support...
-
NGO “Responsible Citizens” Joins the Ukraine Education ClusterThe Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, international organizations, donors, and partners of Ukraine, together with the public sector, are working on a single platform to overcome the serious challenges brought by the war.
-
Mobile support in action: The story of a new psychologist in our teamFor our team, it’s a great responsibility when people come to us for their first professional experience. Especially when it’s a conscious decision to change career...
-
How training becomes the start of change: the story of Iryna from Dnipropetrovsk regionIryna from Kryvyi Rih has been connected to art her entire life. Teaching painting and helping people through creativity is her true calling. For over 30 years, she has been teaching others to see the world through colors, lines, and images. Today, she works at a music school in her hometown, but more and more often, she feels the need to grow, move forward, and discover new opportunities.
-
“I will gain experience and open a family-type children’s home. This is my dream,” says Ivan, a social worker from Kryvyi Rih.Ivan's story is about how small actions grow into big dreams. As a schoolboy, he helped displaced people from Donetsk and Luhansk regions—collecting sweet gifts for children, writing motivational notes, and joining volunteer initiatives. Back then, he had no idea that this help would be the beginning of a long journey.
-
Teachers’ training in Kyiv: Addressing educational gaps caused by the warA specialized training session for teachers took place in Kyiv, focusing on overcoming significant learning gaps among students caused by the war. Over the past yea...