Winter Wellness Wheel Activity

Objective

To identify and personalize self-care strategies for physical, mental, and emotional well-being during the winter season.

Materials

• Wellness Wheel Worksheet
• Pens or colored pencils

Instructions

1. Understand the Wheel: Your teacher will explain the different sections of the wellness wheel (Physical, Mental, Emotional, Social, Spiritual/Environmental) and how they relate to staying well in winter.

2. Brainstorm & Reflect: On your Wellness Wheel Worksheet, think about activities and strategies that help you feel good in each area, specifically with winter in mind. Consider:

   • What do you already do to take care of yourself?
   • What new things could you try this winter?
   • How can you adapt your usual self-care for colder weather or holiday busyness?

3. Fill Your Wheel: Write or draw your ideas in the appropriate sections of your wheel. Try to come up with at least 2-3 specific ideas for each section.

   • Example for Physical: Bundle up and take a short walk in the snow; try a new indoor sport like basketball; drink warm herbal tea to stay hydrated.

My Winter Wellness Wheel

Think about how you can take care of your mind, body, and spirit during the winter months. For each section of the wheel, write or draw at least two specific activities or strategies you will use.

Physical Wellness

(How you care for your body during winter)

Mental Wellness

(How you care for your mind and thoughts during winter)

Emotional Wellness

(How you care for your feelings during winter)

Social Wellness

(How you connect with others during winter)

Spiritual/Environmental Wellness

(How you connect with your surroundings and purpose during winter)

Reflection Questions:

1. Which section of your Winter Wellness Wheel do you think will be the easiest for you to focus on? Why?
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Which section might be more challenging? What could help you with that challenge?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Name one new wellness strategy from your wheel that you are excited to try this winter.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Discussion Guide: Winter Wellness

Objective

To facilitate student reflection and sharing of personalized winter self-care strategies, fostering a sense of community and reinforcing the importance of proactive well-being.

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Teacher: "Alright everyone, you've done a fantastic job crafting your personal Winter Wellness Wheels. Now, let's share some of our insights and learn from each other."
• Teacher: "To start, thinking about your wheel, what was one new idea or strategy you wrote down that you hadn't really considered before winter?"
  
  
  
  

Sharing & Reflection (8 minutes)

• Teacher: "Let's go around the room, or if you prefer, volunteer to share. What is one specific strategy from your wellness wheel that you are either already doing, or are really excited to try this winter? Please also share which category it falls under (Physical, Mental, Emotional, Social, or Spiritual/Environmental)."

  • Allow 3-4 students to share their strategies. Encourage them to explain briefly why they chose that particular strategy.
    
    
    
    

• Teacher: "It's great to hear all these thoughtful ideas! Looking at the reflection questions on your Wellness Wheel Worksheet, who would like to share their answer to question #1: Which section of your Winter Wellness Wheel do you think will be the easiest for you to focus on? Why?"
  
  
  
  

• Teacher: "And for question #2: Which section might be more challenging? What could help you with that challenge? It's important to acknowledge challenges so we can plan for them."
  
  
  
  

Group Discussion & Connection (7 minutes)

• Teacher: "Why do you think it's especially important to be mindful of our wellness during the winter months? What are some unique things about winter that can affect us?"
  
  
  
  

• Teacher: "Beyond individual actions, how can we support each other's wellness in our classroom or school community during winter?"
  
  
  
  

• Teacher: "What's one thing you learned or were reminded of today about taking care of yourself?"
  
  
  
  

Conclusion (Optional, 2 minutes)

• Teacher: "Remember, your wellness wheel is a personal tool. It's not about being perfect, but about being proactive and finding ways to nurture yourself. Keep your wheel somewhere you can see it, and revisit it throughout the winter. Crafting your calm is a skill you can use all year round!"