Bellie and Whizz Minding Me: How we made a show to help kids understand their emotions

Here, Director Paula Rouse, tells us the story behind the show and how it can help childen to understand and deal with their emotions - everything from Anger to Love

I began working in telly with G Marsh TV 20years ago, after graduating with a BSc in Film and Broadcasting. I carved out a career as a freelance shooting director, working on a varied slate of projects across different genres, and I was predominantly working with young people, which I really enjoy.

After I had my daughter Ali in 2016, I went back to the books and qualified as a Play Therapist which gave me a huge insight into those early childhood years and the foundations of social and emotional wellbeing in childhood. It really impressed upon me how children need to learn to label and regulate their emotions, it is not a given that they will know how to process their feelings or even understand what is happening inside without guidance.

It was during this time that myself, Gillian Marsh and Eimear Healy of G Marsh TV had many meetings devising a format that could help children identify and regulate their emotions, using tools such as breathwork and mindfulness. We wanted to create a world that was fun and engaging and allowed room for unscripted real children to contribute to the programme.

Cue Bellie the Badger and Whizz the Hare! Through the fun and frolics of our two cute puppet protagonists, we learn about 12 different emotions. Each episode deals with one emotion, dedicating time to discussing the feeling and how it impacts us physically and mentally with real children, unscripted, offering lots of real-life experiences.

Working with creative wellbeing consultant Derval Dunford who delivers her Mindfulness Matters programme in Irish Primary schools, we set about designing bespoke breathwork practises that Bellie and Whizz teach to the children that help with emotional regulation. Each episode also has a creative playful activity too, from Whizz and the kids making mud pies to MC Bellie Badger busting out some rhymes!

The programmes are a great tool for the classroom, we have received lots of positive feedback from teachers who are using Minding Me to complement their Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum and teaching the breathwork exercises which are fun and easy to follow along with Bellie and Whizz. One teacher mentioned how watching the anger episode in class allowed a child to open up and speak about their anger which was an issue in the classroom.

My 5-year-old son arrived home from school recently and after he explained an incident in the yard I mentioned the concept of jealousy. I showed him the Bellie and Whizz episode on jealousy and he immediately recognised the feeling and we did the breathwork together. I saw firsthand how he was able to grasp the concept of jealousy, there was real learning in it for him and it was wonderful to see that 'penny drop' moment!

All episodes of Bellie and Whizz Minding Me are available to stream on the RTE Player.