Make mental health education fun for yourself and those you work with.
Mental health can seem like a serious thing, and that’s for good reason. But learning about it doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming. Mental health activities can help you understand, teach, and improve overall wellness.
By learning more about mental health and developing positive coping skills, we can create a happier and healthier future for ourselves and our communities. Promoting mental health in a fun and approachable way helps break the stigma and empowers people to take care of their mental health.
Here are 11 creative mental health activities to help you, your clients, and your organization prioritize wellness.
1. Host a Jeopardy Mental Health Game
The correct answer is: “What is mental health?”
Jeopardy, of course, is a popular game show enjoyed by audiences around the world for decades. Contestants select categories and answer clues in the form of a question. Beyond being a fun activity, the game’s format can be used as a tool to promote mental health awareness.
Using a game show format as a mental health activity is a great way to engage and educate individuals about various mental health topics. It's available for schools, workplaces, and mental health organizations.
Jeopardy games, or those in a similar quiz show style, encourage active participation and create a sense of accomplishment to help individuals better retain information and concepts related to mental health.
“Promoting mental health in a fun and approachable way helps break the stigma and empowers people to take care of their mental health.”
Because some individuals might find topics related to mental health difficult or intimidating, they may feel more comfortable discussing sensitive topics and sharing their own experiences when prompted through a game.
There are several templates and options available online, including tools provided by Jeopardy! itself. Or, you can use a PowerPoint template to create or modify your own game show that makes learning about mental health more engaging and fun.
Meanwhile, if you work with clients or groups that are a bit more mental health savvy, try out our CBT Coping Skills Game Show. It covers categories such as mindfulness, feelings, and developing coping skills. Some of the higher-level questions go a bit deeper into coping and mental health. Shop the CBT Coping Skills Game Show.
2. Play Mental Health Board Games
Mental health board games, such as FEELOPOLY, can be an effective tool to promote mental health awareness and education. They disguise heavier topics as light and fun questions.
For example, in FEELOPOLY players move their pieces around the gameboard and answer questions related to emotions and mental health.
The format makes learning about mental health more enjoyable and accessible, while encouraging individuals to engage in the topic more deeply.
Mental health board games also promote social interaction and communication, key aspects of a mental health education
If you don’t have the time it takes to create a mental health boardgame of your own, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a quick look at our most popular mental health board games. You can also get them as one convenient bundle which includes games, worksheets, and other mental health activities.
FEELOPOLY is a game about identifying, validating and coping with emotions.
Our Coping Skills Game Show (inspired by Jeopardy) covers skills and ideas based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It works well with groups that have some mental health awareness already, or it can be used as a teaching tool to teach more of the concepts.
The Grounding Stones Activity set is an entire mental health activity that’s ready to go, focused on teaching mindfulness and grounding skills.
Feelings Jenga Stickers offer a great way to help build emotions vocabulary and make the concept fun.
You can save money with our Giant Store Bundle. It includes all of the games above plus dozens more activities and worksheets that help support ideas like CBT, self-care, mindfulness, and feelings–all at a deep discount. Shop the mental health bundle.
Mental health games can be particularly beneficial for individuals who may feel isolated or alone in their mental health struggles. Games provide opportunities for individuals to practice skills related to emotional regulation and empathy.
Mental health board games, like FEELOPOLY, can also be a helpful tool for mental health professionals, such as counselors or therapists. These games provide a structured way to engage clients in mental health education and discussion, which can enhance the therapeutic process.
3. Organize a Mental Health Expo
I’ve had the great privilege of helping run a unique “mental health station” for my state’s mental health department. It was a great hit!
We set up a special room within a state conference where professionals could visit to learn new mindfulness exercises, complete art activities, and even use self-massaging tools. This could work at an event, or as an event itself within an organization.
A mental health fair or station can be offered as a day-long event to provide employees with resources and information related to mental health, as well as opportunities to engage in creative and educational activities.
The mental health fair can include booths and stations set up by mental health organizations, support groups, and mental health professionals, who can provide information and resources on a variety of mental health topics, such as stress management, anxiety, depression, and addiction.
The fair can also include interactive and creative activities, such as mindfulness meditation sessions, art therapy workshops, and games that promote mental health awareness.
These activities can be designed to be engaging and fun, while also promoting important mental health messages and practices.
4. Keep a Mental Health Scrapbook
One creative and unique activity relating to mental health is creating a mental health scrapbook. It’s a way to keep a personalized collection of memories, quotes, and images that can serve as a visual reminder of one's journey towards mental health and wellbeing.
Creating a mental health scrapbook can be a therapeutic and reflective process. It can provide an opportunity to reflect on one's experiences and emotions, and to express them in a creative way. Participants can include things like affirmations, inspirational quotes, photos, journal entries, or artwork that represent their personal mental health journey.
It can also serve as a resource for individuals during difficult times, providing a source of comfort and inspiration.
Create mental health scrapbooks individually or as part of a group activity. Group scrapbooking sessions help people connect with others and share their personal experiences and emotions. Sessions can also be led by mental health professionals, such as counselors or therapists, as a therapeutic activity.
5. Gather a Self-Care Kit
Another creative and unique activity that can promote mental health is creating a "self-care kit." A self-care kit is a collection of items that can be used to promote self-care, relaxation, and wellbeing.
Creating a self-care kit is a fun and personalized activity that allows individuals to reflect on their own needs and preferences. Participants can include items such as aromatherapy candles, stress balls, journals, tea or hot chocolate, adult coloring books, and other items that bring comfort and relaxation.
The kit can be tailored to an individual's specific needs and interests, and can be used as a resource for self-care during difficult times. It can also serve as a reminder to prioritize self-care and to take time for oneself.
Assembling self-care kits is a great idea for a group activity. The group setting provides an opportunity for individuals to connect with others and share self-care tips and strategies. Groups can be led by community members or professionals such as therapists or human resource specialists.
6. Create an Inspirational Vision Board
Creating a vision board is a popular technique for promoting overall mental health as well as setting and achieving goals. It can be done on your own or within a group.
A vision board is a collage of images, words, and phrases that represent the things you want to achieve or experience in your life. When you create a vision board for mental health and wellness, you are essentially creating a visual representation of the state of mind you want to achieve.
The first step in creating a vision board for mental health and wellness is to identify the areas of your life that you want to focus on. This could include things like reducing stress, improving self-esteem, practicing mindfulness, or cultivating positive relationships.
Next, gather images and words that represent these areas of focus. You can find images in magazines, online, or create your own. Choose images that evoke positive emotions and inspire you to take action towards your goals.
For example, if you want to reduce stress, you might include pictures of peaceful landscapes, yoga poses, or calming activities like reading or meditating.
Once you have gathered your images and words, arrange them on a poster board or piece of paper. You can organize them in any way that is visually appealing and meaningful to you. Some people like to create a structured layout, while others prefer a more free-form arrangement.
Hang your vision board in a place where you will see it regularly, such as your bedroom or office. Take time each day to look at it and visualize yourself experiencing the things you have included. Use it as a reminder of your goals and a source of inspiration to keep you motivated.
7. Try a Mindfulness Challenge
Another fun school or organization-wide activity to promote mental health awareness is a mindfulness challenge. This challenge encourages students or employees to take a few moments each day to practice mindfulness, which has been shown to reduce stress and improve mental well-being.
The challenge can be structured in a variety of ways, but one idea is to have a daily announcement or reminder for everyone to take a moment to practice mindfulness. During this time, perhaps a few minutes, students and staff can close their eyes and focus on their breath or use a guided meditation.
The challenge can be tracked with a bulletin board or online platform, where participants can mark off each day they complete the challenge.
To make it more engaging, the organization could also host a competition or offer rewards for participation. For example, classes or individuals who complete the challenge for the entire month could be entered into a raffle for a prize, such as a gift card to a local restaurant or bookstore.
Unfortunately, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health. This makes it challenging for people to talk about their struggles or seek out help when they need it. That's why promoting mental health awareness is so important. We want to help create a world where everyone feels comfortable and supported when it comes to their mental health.
If you’d like more resources, shop our mental health activities or download our Giant Store Bundle.
-Jennie Lannette Bedsworth, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed therapist and clinical social worker. She specializes in treating anxiety and post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and has provided multiple professional and community-based classes and mental health activities.