UNICEF unveils mental health content that teaches young children to express emotions through play

[Financial News] The UNICEF Korea Committee and the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family have developed educational content that uses play and hands-on activities to help young children express their emotions and build relationships.
According to the UNICEF Korea Committee on the 21st, the two organizations plan to distribute “A Journey of the Heart to Find Myself,” social-emotional competency content for young children, to 100 daycare centers that applied in advance.
The content is organized into three stages—“I-You-We”—and 12 sessions in total. It is designed to help young children build the ability to understand and express their own emotions, form relationships with others, and manage conflict. Each package includes a picture book, a guidebook for teachers, activity materials, and activity sheets for use at home.
By developing content for young children to complement its existing social-emotional learning (SEL) materials for elementary, middle, and high school students, the committee has established a mental health learning framework tailored to each stage of development, from early childhood through adolescence.
The UNICEF Korea Committee describes “mental health literacy” as the ability to understand one’s own mental state, put into practice ways to maintain mental health, and seek appropriate help when needed. In addition to materials for students, it also provides separate resources to support guardians’ mental health.
The two organizations held a content development sharing session on the 20th at Seoul Women’s Plaza in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. The event was organized to highlight the importance of social-emotional competencies in early childhood and ways to put them into practice in care settings and at home amid rapid changes in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology.
Around 150 people, including early childhood care workers and caregivers, attended and listened to Professor Lee Ho-seon’s lecture, “Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies in the AI Era.” Presentations on pilot programs at daycare centers, as well as hands-on activities and an exhibition featuring the content, were also held.
UNICEF Korea Committee Secretary-General Heo Geum-ju said, “Understanding their emotions and forming healthy relationships with others are important foundations for children’s healthy development,” adding, “We will work to create an environment where children can grow up healthy and happy.”

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