In a powerful display of community, care, and connection, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs joined forces with Young Academics Early Learning Centre to empower children with tools for emotional wellbeing and mental resilience.
Held at the Young Academics Early Learning Centre in Harris Park, the event saw Bulldogs duo Blake Wilson and Bailey Hayward trade the field for the classroom, guiding children through age-appropriate conversations about mental health.
Bulldogs + Young Academics Huddle for Mental Health!
The message was simple: it’s okay to feel big emotions and talk about them.
From guided breathing exercises and mindfulness activities to storytelling and group Q&A sessions, the young children enjoyed a fulfilling day of emotional learning.
Wilson and Hayward answered thoughtful questions including “What makes you nervous?” and “What do you do when you feel angry?”, offering relatable responses to show that vulnerability is a strength.
“Emotional literacy is just as important as learning the basics of ABCs,” said James Kazzi, Founder & Executive Chairman.
By starting these conversations early, we’re giving children the tools to express themselves, build resilience, and understand their feelings in a safe, supportive way.
Children explored emotions through a range of play-based activities designed to help them recognise, understand, and express their feelings.
These included identifying emotions through facial expressions, replicating feelings using role-play and movement, matching emotions to scenarios, and practicing simple breathing techniques to manage big feelings.
The activities were carefully structured to support emotional development in a way that felt natural, playful, and age-appropriate.
“We want children to grow up emotionally confident,” added Kazzi.
This initiative positions Young Academics as a sector leader in embedding wellbeing into early learning frameworks, not as an add-on, but as a core part of the educational experience.
As emotional challenges continue to rise in early childhood, "Huddle for Mental Health" stands as a powerful example of what’s possible when care, education, and community come together, teaching children that their feelings matter, and that expressing them is a vital part of growing up strong.
