“This is My Place”: Creating Belonging Through Movement and Wellbeing

This year’s Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week running from 9–15 February 2026 — carries the powerful theme “This is My Place.” Organised by the children’s mental health charity Place2Be, the theme focuses on belonging — encouraging schools, families and communities to foster environments where children feel valued, included and understood. It highlights that when young people feel they truly belong, their confidence, wellbeing and emotional resilience can flourish.

At first glance, stormbreak may seem like a charity focused primarily on short bursts of physical activity but look deeper, and you’ll see how its mission beautifully aligns with the essence of “This is My Place.”

What Is stormbreak?

Stormbreak is a charity dedicated to improving children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing through mentally healthy movement. Its mission is to embed movement that supports mental wellbeing into the everyday lives of children, helping them develop lifelong coping strategies. Rather than traditional ‘talk based’ support alone, stormbreak uses inclusive, playful movement and guided conversations — “stormbreaks” — to help children recognise and respond to emotions and build skills that help them navigate life’s challenges. 

How does stormbreak Fit the Theme of “This is My Place”

The “This is My Place” theme celebrates environments where children can feel they belong: in school, in friendships, in families, and in their communities. Stormbreak supports this sense of belonging in a number of different ways:

1. Movement as a Shared Experience

Stormbreak activities bring children together in shared moments of play and engagement. These experiences encourage connection, cooperation, and mutual encouragement, building safer and more inclusive spaces where children feel welcome to take part just as they are, regardless of ability or background. Movement becomes a safe space where every child’s presence matters, fostering a sense of collective belonging. 

2. Developing Skills That Build Identity and Confidence

Stormbreak’s core focus areas of resilience, self-care, relationships, self-worth and hope & optimism help children see themselves as capable, valuable contributors to their own lives and communities. By reinforcing these mental health skills, stormbreak supports children in feeling confident in who they are and where they belong.

“Children are accepting of how their peers feel and understand that it is ok for others to have different experiences and opinions to their own.” stormbreak teacher

3. Strengthening Relationships With Trusted Adults

Another powerful dimension of belonging is connection with supportive adults. Stormbreak is delivered not only to children but alongside trusted adults: teachers, mentors, parents and carers, creating shared opportunities for understanding and communication. These strengthened relationships help children feel heard and understood, reinforcing a sense of emotional safety and “place” within their world.

“Stormbreak has helped us to build some relationships when the class have had some tricky moments together” stormbreak teacher

“We have found strengthened relationships between staff following stormbreaks.” stormbreak teacher

4. Inclusive School Culture and Accessibility

Stormbreak’s whole-school approach, especially through its Surge and Surge Light programmes, encourages schools to embed mentally healthy movement into their everyday culture. This means children don’t just join in occasionally, instead they become part of a whole-school culture that values wellbeing, movement, and connection. A child’s place within that culture becomes a vital part of their emotional and social identity.

5. Growth Within Diverse Settings

Stormbreak doesn’t just work in classrooms, it reaches out into homes, communities, and care settings, helping children feel they belong not only in school but in life outside school too. Whether it’s through family activities, community movement sessions, or programmes supporting looked-after children, the charity fosters belonging across multiple life spaces.

Bringing the Theme to Life With Action

Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week invites everyone: schools, families, community groups, to explore and celebrate belonging together. Stormbreak naturally complements this by offering:

• Practical activities that encourage children to express how they feel and see themselves as part of a supportive group.
• Tools for adults to meaningfully talk about emotions and mental wellbeing with children.
• A movement-based approach that makes wellbeing accessible, joyful and inclusive for all.

In a world where children face increasing pressures, both socially and emotionally, stormbreak reminds us that belonging often grows from shared experiences, supportive relationships, and opportunities to feel seen, valued and connected. That is exactly what “This is My Place” stands for and stormbreak helps make that a tangible, everyday reality.

In short, stormbreak helps children find their place, not by fitting into a mould, but by moving together, talking openly, feeling supported, and building emotional skills that last a lifetime. Stormbreak shows us that belonging isn’t just about a physical place, it’s about:

• Feeling accepted
• Feeling heard
• Feeling safe to be yourself

By combining movement, conversation and connection, these activities help children truly experience the message of “This is My Place” not just during one week, but each and every day.