Junior Prep learners marked World Mental Health Day by exploring their feelings and discovering how small acts of kindness.
Johannesburg, South Africa (20 October 2026) – There was a ton of colour and kindness at the Junior Prep as learners and staff came together to celebrate World Mental Health Day under the theme “Stronger Together”.
The week-long programme encouraged children to think about their mental wellbeing, recognise their emotions and understand the importance of healthy habits, encouragement and looking out for one another.
Music and Drama lessons brought these messages to life through an imaginative exploration of Dr Seuss’s My Many Coloured Days. Using colour to represent different feelings, the children dressed in colourful fabric and expressed emotions through movement, rhythm and song.
By working together, they developed rhythmic patterns and movement sequences inspired by the story, turning their ideas into a lively creative experience. The celebrations ended on a high note with the Rainbow Song, leaving the young learners smiling and embracing the many emotions that make each person unique.
The colour continued on Friday, 9 October, when learners and staff arrived dressed in shades that made them feel happy, confident and joyful.
Gathering on the Village Green, each class brought along its own “Stronger Together” paper chain, with every link featuring a drawing or sentence about something that helps a child feel calm, happy or supported.
When the individual chains were joined in the centre of the oval, they formed a colourful reminder of the connections that make the school community special. Each link represented a different experience, but together they told a bigger story about belonging, care and encouragement.
Throughout the activities, learners were reminded that supporting someone’s wellbeing does not always require grand gestures. Listening when a friend needs to talk, offering help, sharing kind words and encouraging others are all simple ways to make someone feel seen and supported.
The celebration gave the children an opportunity to learn that every emotion matters and that asking for support is part of looking after themselves, too.
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And if there was one message for the children to take away, it was that every feeling has a place and every act of kindness counts.
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