For Kids
Hey! Meet HARRY.
HARRY stands for Healthy Activities for Raising Resilient Youth. That's a fancy way of saying: HARRY knows about the stuff you can do to feel stronger, handle hard stuff better, and feel more like yourself, even when life is tough.
CREATE is HARRY's framework, six types of activities that actually help. Scientists studied real kids and asked them what helped them get through hard things. Then they turned those answers into something any kid can use.
The CREATE Framework
CONNECT
Spend time with people you like. Talk to a friend. Hang out with your family. Go to a community event. Connection is one of the most powerful things you can do for your mental health.
Tip: Connecting with others is one of the most important things you can do for your well-being — but do you know what makes a truly good friend? Check out our Healthy Relationships section. [Link to Healthy Relationships]
RENEW
Take a break and reset. Pray, meditate, spend time outdoors, do something calming. Engage in cultural celebrations, tribal, spiritual, or faith traditions. Give your brain a chance to breathe.
Tip: Happy moments are all around you — sometimes you just have to slow down enough to notice them. Give your brain a chance to breathe and explore the simple things that bring you joy. Check out our Finding Happiness section. [Link to Finding Happiness]
EXERCISE
Move your body. It doesn't have to be a workout. Ride your bike, take a walk, play a sport, dance. Moving changes how your brain feels, for real.
APPRECIATE
Notice the good stuff. Do something nice for someone. Treat yourself. Think about what's going well, even if it's small. It shifts how your brain sees things. Celebrate with your family by being a part of family traditions and cultural events.
Tip: Practicing gratitude — even for the small stuff — can shift your whole outlook. Check out our Attitude of Gratitude section. [Link to Attitude of Gratitude]
THINK
Solve problems and learn new things. Try puzzles, take on challenges, think through hard situations step by step. Building problem-solving skills means hard stuff feels less overwhelming.
Tip: When you're stuck on a problem, try SODAS — a four-step method for thinking through tough situations. Ask a parent or teacher to show you how, or find it on Parenting.org. [Link to SODAS for Kids]
EXPRESS
Make something, share something, show who you are. Draw, write, cook, build, play music, make a video. Expressing yourself helps you understand your own feelings and shows the world who you are.
Tip: Looking for healthy ways to handle big emotions? Check out our Coping Skills section.
Here's What to Do
Step 1: Take the Assessment
The HARRY-SF is a quick checklist — 14 activities. Just circle how much each one sounds like you. It takes about 5 minutes and there are no wrong answers. Just be honest.
Step 2: See What You Notice
When you're done, look at your answers. Are there areas where almost everything was "Not Like Me"? That's not a problem, it's just information. It means there might be some activities in that category that could help you that you haven't tried yet.
Step 3: Build Your CREATE Plan
Choose 1–2 activities from each CREATE category that you'd actually want to do. Write them down. This is your personal CREATE plan, a list of activities you know work for you that you can go to whenever you need them.
Step 4: Try Something New This Week
Pick one activity from your plan that you haven't done in a while (or ever). Try it this week. You don't have to do everything at once, just start somewhere.
Step 5: Check In with Yourself
After a few weeks, come back and look at your plan. Is it still working? Has anything changed? Life changes, your plan can change too. Redo the assessment whenever you want a fresh look.