Rainbow of Emotions marks the completion of a pioneering six-week project at Thoresby Primary School led by Hull Art & Wellbeing Entrepreneur, Jodie Smith, with four more Hull schools already expressing interest to take part in her Happy Doodles method.
Pupils at Thoresby Primary School have written, illustrated and published their own book about emotions, after a six-week creative wellbeing programme co-produced and led by local illustrator, children’s author and founder of Happy Doodles, Jodie Smith.
The book, Rainbow of Emotions, was co-produced by the children themselves, built on their own experiences of emotions and guided by Jodie’s Happy Doodles method, a mental health peer led prevention approach that uses doodling as a simple, non-verbal way for children to understand and express how they feel. It is not art therapy and is not intended to replace clinical support, but offers an accessible first step at a time when waiting lists for children’s mental health referrals are long and growing, and also helps shine a light on everyday emotions vs mental illness through group viewings of each other’s artwork at the end of the session, vs Jodie’s own book Bipolar Blob that is a snippet of what living with Bipolar is like for her.
The pilot, funded by Generation Hull and Arts Council England project called ‘Fight for our creative futures’ was celebrated at an event at the school last week, where pupils, families, teachers and project partners gathered to mark the book’s completion.
“Rainbow of Emotions belongs to the children of Thoresby, every word, every drawing, every colour, every feeling is theirs,” said Jodie Smith, founder of Happy Doodles.
“I started doodling with my own daughter at our kitchen table because I needed something simple and honest to help us both through some really hard times. Watching that method turn into a book a whole school of children made from their own feelings is exactly why I do this work.
Doodling won’t replace clinical mental health support, but it gives children a way in, a way to say something before they’ve even found the words for it. Iffour more schools are already asking to be part of this, that tells me Hull needs it.”
“It has been a genuine pleasure to work with Jodie. The children have thoroughly enjoyed creating their artwork and, in doing so, have developed a range of new skills and techniques. This experience also provided a valuable opportunity for the children to explore and express their emotions, with Jodie creating a supportive environment where they felt comfortable to discuss and deepen their understanding. We are thrilled with the book!”
— Laura Butcher, Teacher, Thoresby Primary School
“It was a truly amazing event last Friday and the children were inspirational. At Generation Hull we know how much hard work is needed to deliver such a great production as is the Rainbow of Emotions and we never underestimate that. It was a joy to be part of the celebration of the collaboration and commitment of the creative leads in the school who worked alongside the brilliant and intuitive approach taken by such a superb artist as Jodie and the honest and authentic work of the children. I know that I was not the only one with tears in my eyes… I know that the legacy of the work you have undertaken will resound across the whole school and the partner schools in your Trust.”
— Trish Dalby, Chair of Generation Hull, Deputy Lieutenant of the County of the East Riding of Yorkshire, and Chair of Trustees, HEY Smile Foundation
The Thoresby project is the first step in a much bigger ambition for Jodie, who developed Happy Doodles from her own lived experience of mental illness. Jodie has bipolar disorder and experienced postpartum psychosis and a mother and baby unit hospital admission after the birth of her daughter in 2021 during the COVID19 pandemic.. She began doodling alongside her at the kitchen table as soon as her daughter was able to pick up a crayon, an everyday ritual that supported their bond and emotional wellbeing became the seed for Happy Doodles.
Jodie is now developing Happy Doodles into Just Doodle, a licensable programme for schools across Hull and, eventually, the country. After presenting the method to Thrive Hull, a room of senior mental health leads from primary, secondary, alternative provision and SEND schools across the city, four schools volunteered on the spot to be a part of it. The project is backed by Hull City Council’s public mental health lead, Will Adams, as part of its Mentally Healthy Hull prevention strategy, and Jodie isworking with Dr Elaine King at CARA in the University of Hull to build the academic framework behind the method.
Happy Doodles is currently being established as a Community Interest Company (CIC), and Jodie has recently applied for further funding, including a £5,000 grant from the Ferens Education Trust and almost £3,000 in arts development funding from Hull City Council, with the hopes to expand the pilot into more schools should they be awarded.
The long-term vision extends beyond the classroom too. Jodie wants Happy Doodles to eventually support elderly people in isolation and care homes, patients in mental health settings, perinatal and postnatal parents, home-schooled and neurodivergent children, and neurodivergent adults, using drawing as a low-barrier, non-clinical route into emotional wellbeing that anyone can pick up, whatever their age or ability.