The digital packs, launched by Australian not-for-profit Smiling Mind, deliver practical, preventative online resources for children aged five to 12 years.
This demographic has been identified as being at high risk of facing mental health challenges amid the pandemic.
The free downloadable toolkits were developed by psychologists and provide parents, carers and educators with evidence-based activities to support children at home and in the classroom.
Smiling Mind has seen "unprecedented" demand across all platforms this year, with the summer bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic giving way to feelings of unease and anxiety.
It saw its busiest month to date in April with a total of 181,213 app downloads– a 165 per cent increase compared to April last year, taking total downloads past five million.
Smiling Mind chief executive and clinical psychologist Dr Addie Wootten said while this period had been tough on everyone, children were particularly vulnerable.
“The presence of mental illness in children is already high, with one in seven primary school children and one in four secondary students experiencing a mental illness in any one year,” she said.
“The rapid shifts in routine and major disruptions to their schooling, home and social life are significantly increasing unease and anxiety in children.
“With no real answers about when their world will ‘go back to normal’, there’s a need for kids to develop and actively use practices to help them recognise, communicate and regulate their emotions – skills that are generally far more developed in adults.
“We’ve been inundated with requests from parents, carers and educators looking for ways to support children and build resilience at home.
“The Smiling Mind Care Packs have been developed with the clear intention of meeting this demand.”
To download a pack, visit smilingmind.com.au
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