Learning Begins With Feeling Safe
A lifelong commitment to understanding how children learn
My entire teaching career has been shaped by a fascination with how uniquely each child learns. No two children make sense of the world in the same way, and I’ve always believed that education should honour that individuality. My role as an educator has never been to deliver a one‑size‑fits‑all model, but to create tools and experiences that help every child thrive in their own way.
This passion naturally led me into the world of Special Educational Needs, where I explored how to engage children who learn differently and how to help them reach their true potential.
Learning from nurture, connection, and emotional safety
Working as a Nurture Group teacher was a turning point. I supported children who struggled to thrive in mainstream classrooms, and I learned that before a child can achieve academically, they must feel safe, loved, and emotionally grounded. My work became about inspiring them to want to engage — showing them that learning could be joyful, playful, and meaningful. This deepened my understanding of emotional wellbeing and the essential role it plays in learning.
Becoming a mother and seeing behaviour as communication
Motherhood added a new layer to my journey. Supporting my son through his emotions taught me the importance of curiosity — of seeing behaviour not as “good” or “bad”, but as communication. Through observing him, listening to him, and creating tools to help him navigate the world, I discovered how powerful personalised emotional resources can be.
Characters that bring learning to life
Throughout my career, I’ve used characters to inspire and engage children. Claire Bear, the class bear, became a beloved part of family life as children documented her adventures. I’ve had puppets, pets, and even an emotional support hedgehog named Popcorn. This creativity continued at home. Big Foot wrote letters to my son, celebrated his achievements, and helped him feel seen. As he grew older and faced new emotional challenges, I created the Emotional Animal Explorers — a playful, pressure‑free way for him to understand his feelings.
A mission to support children and families everywhere
I want to share these tools more widely so every child and family can explore emotional regulation in ways that feel fun, safe, and engaging. I’m building a growing range of resources — from emotional regulation packs and workshops to bespoke packages, subscriptions, and eventually an app. Everything I create is rooted in the belief that emotional wellbeing is the foundation of learning, and that every child deserves tools to help them understand themselves and the world around them.
Here’s how this journey has grown into Emotional Animal Explorers today.
Why We’re Different
A gentle approach tailored for families and schools
About Me
Throughout my teaching career, I’ve explored how uniquely each child learns and created resources that help them thrive. My work in Special Educational Needs and Nurture Groups taught me that every behaviour is a form of communication. Becoming a mother deepened that understanding, inspiring me to design playful, character-based tools to help my son navigate his emotions. Now I’m sharing these ideas with other families through creative, engaging resources that make learning feel safe, joyful, and personal.
Why
My work has always been about helping children feel understood. I’ve seen how powerful it is when a child realises that learning can be joyful and that their emotions make sense. Through teaching, nurture work, and motherhood, I’ve learned that emotional safety is the foundation of everything. The characters I’ve created — from Claire Bear to Big Foot to the Emotional Animal Explorers — help children feel seen, supported, and curious. I want more families to have access to these tools so children can grow with confidence, connection, and emotional understanding.