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Make play and routine part of wellbeing

Play and a steady routine help children and adults cope with stress. This is a core reason the module exists, not a luxury.

How

1. CDC advises returning to a normal daily routine as soon as you can, such as family meals, and explaining any changes to children.
2. CDC also advises limiting children's exposure to frightening news about the disaster.
3. The American Academy of Pediatrics says play buffers toxic stress and builds executive function, and that screen media is displacing play.
4. WHO advises that when young children sit still, carers read or tell stories to them.
5. Agree a daily rhythm: chores and learning in the morning, outdoor play, a quiet reading hour, then a family activity in the evening.
6. Watch for children who stay anxious, fearful or angry for more than two to four weeks. CDC suggests talking with a professional then (see living-4).

Do these first

• living-4
• continuity-22

Sources

1. Helping Children Cope with a Disaster. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), accessed 2026-11
2. Healthier children: play, according to the AAP. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, accessed 2026-11
3. To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more. World Health Organization, accessed 2026-11

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