Children at Anagh Coar School filled buckets full of kind thoughts and feelings for their classmates as part of Children’s Mental Health Week.

The idea was inspired by the story Have you filled a bucket today? by Carol McCloud, which explains that everyone needs positive thoughts and feelings from others to keep their invisible buckets full of happy thoughts and to improve their self-esteem.

Pupils were then tasked with filling their own buckets up with positive comments about each other to be shared throughout the week.

Head teacher Rob Coole explained: ‘It is such a simple idea and one that the children fully understood as a way of thinking about the positive things they could do for one another throughout the week and going forward.’

The school also installed a Buddy Bench, donated by the Friends of Anagh Coar School.

And the school council has ordered play equipment including ankle skips, velcro balls and diablos using money donated by one of the school governors.

Mr Coole said: ‘The children are very excited about making playtimes even more positive than they already are and the school council is keen to get proper playground buddy system organised in the coming weeks.

‘This should hopefully then have a positive impact on our pupils’ mental health because they will have even more to be happy about every day.’

Meanwhile, a Friendship Bench has been installed at Ballasalla School’s playground for children to go to if they don’t have anyone to play with.

Other children keep an eye out for anyone sitting on the bench so that they can go and ask them to join in their games.

The bench was donated to the school by Carol Walmsley of Hope Home Care in Ballasalla.

It was made at the Manx Workshop for the Disabled.

Head teacher Jamie Cox said: ‘We are very grateful to Mrs Walmsley for this thoughtful donation.

‘The bench is already making a positive contribution to relationships in the school.’

Brandon Krypner-Roberts, aged 10, has already seen for himself the benefit of the bench.

‘It is a nice thing to have in the playground,’ he said.

‘As soon as someone saw me sat on it they came and asked me if I wanted to play.’

The bench is the second of its kind provided by Mrs Walmsley, the first of which is at Manor Park School, in Douglas, and it is proving very popular.