Military-style exercises help UK children's resilience

Hula hoops, camouflage mats and body tyres don't sound like typical items deployed to fight the coronavirus. But they're useful props as British army veteran Mike Hamilton prepares to lead children in a military-style game designed to boost their resilience and mental health at a time of particular stress.

The children's mission is to pick up the 'virus' - a small ball - with wooden blocks, race to a trash can, and drop the ball inside before pretending to wash their hands.It's one of many games devised by Hamilton, who served with bomb disposal teams in Afghanistan and Iraq, and now runs a company called Commando Joe's.

"In the military, you are trained to deal with adversity and they throw things at you all the time, and it's trying to build your resilience up so that when something goes wrong that you can deal with that," he says. "Our team are trying to support teachers in this uncertain time with the same thing."

The company sends former soldiers to British schools to guide exercises in teamwork, dealing with adversity and staying calm under pressure. The firm, which is partly funded by the government, works with hundreds of schools.

One of them is Seymour Road Academy in Manchester, where Hamilton is helping pupils deal with any anxiety caused by the virus. In Britain, schools never completely closed during the virus lockdown. Some have remained open for students whose parents still had to work outside home in key professions, as well as for children under social care.

The familiar routine may be reassuring, but it's an unsettling time for many of these children. Playgrounds and classrooms typically bustling with hundreds of youngsters are now hushed and quiet.

Sienna-Leigh Murphy, whose parents are separated, attends school while her mother goes to work as a nurse.

"I feel happy because she looks after people and makes sure they don't die or anything," Sienna-Leigh says.

"I do miss going to places that are really fun with my friends like the park or something. And I really miss my dad."

Sophie Murfin, executive headteacher at Wise Owl Trust - which operates includes three schools in Manchester including Seymour Road Academy - says the key is giving the children a friendly and positive environment. "It's about ensuring the children's worries are alleviated by giving them different activities to complete in a fun and engaging way," she notes.

Eight-year-old Sonny Turner, who took part in the "catch the virus" game, said it gave him a confidence boost. "It makes me feel confident about not feeling coronavirus is going to get me," Turner says.

(Image credit: Representative Image)