🧸 Helping your child through…
Doctor visits, dental check-ups, starting school, big feelings and other big firsts. Gentle guides, stories and activities to help little ones feel ready.
Find help for your child →For parents, caregivers & grown-ups
The Kitchen Table
A little corner for grown-ups. Pull up a chair. The kettle’s on.
Collyvale is a little place for big feelings, and that includes the grown-ups. Here you’ll find gentle, practical ideas for everyday ups and downs, with stories and activities to share with your child. You don’t have to get everything right.
☕ Looking after you
Wobbly days, guilt, tiredness and finding a moment for yourself. Kind words and practical support for the grown-ups too.
A little support for you →Free help for families
Little Helps for Big Feelings
Explore seven gentle packs: starting school, potty learning, dentist visits, a new baby, remembering a pet, bedtime and friendship.
Explore our free help packs🎒 Free Starting School Pack
Five gentle pages to help the first day feel more familiar
A free printable pack for children aged 4–7 and their grown-ups, with simple activities and reassuring ideas to explore together before school starts.
Inside your pack
- My First Day at School — a fun activity sheet
- Starting School Checklist — a simple guide to help you prepare
- My School Worries & Wonders — a place to share thoughts, questions and hopes
- A gentle Grown-up Guide — helpful tips for families
Pop in your email address and we’ll send the complete pack straight to your inbox. You can also choose, separately, whether you’d like occasional Collyvale news and updates.
Read together
Meet Ollie and his first-day wobble
Ollie is six. He thinks big kids are not supposed to worry, so when his first day at school arrives he puts on his very best Brave Face. His tummy has other ideas.
The story gives children a character to talk about before they have to explain their own feelings. You can read a free 8-page preview of Ollie and the Very Loud School online, or continue the complete story in the paperback.
Read the free 8-page preview → Buy the paperback on Amazon ↗
Explore together
What your child can do on Collyvale
Collyvale's interactive activities are designed to be gentle, playful and low-pressure. There are no scores, timers or streaks to keep up with.
📮 The Collyvale Mailbox →A guided activity using prepared choices and Collyvale character replies — not an open child-to-child messaging service.
✂️ Things to Do →Coloring, puzzles and gentle activities from around Collyvale.
🗺️ Explore the Map →Visit the school, woods, cottage and other places in the Collyvale world.
⭐ Sticker Book →Collect little rewards while exploring — without scores, timers or pressure.
For grown-ups
Our approach to feelings
Collyvale does not try to tell children that difficult feelings are wrong or that they should simply “be brave”. Worries, wobbles and uncertainty are allowed to be part of the story. The aim is to give families gentle opportunities to notice feelings, name them and talk together.
Our grown-up guides use plain language and point families towards trusted information where factual health or wellbeing guidance is relevant.
Collyvale provides general information, stories and family activities. It is not a medical or mental-health service and does not replace professional advice. If a child's worry is persistent, severe or interfering with everyday life, speak to their school, school nurse or doctor. If you're worried about your own wellbeing, please talk to your doctor. You can also find trusted information at healthychildren.org.
Who's behind Collyvale? Meet Brendan, the father and grandfather who created it →