About Me
Hi, my name is Ruth, and I’m the creator of LOLL Cards.
I’ve been working with children and families since 2010 across a range of roles — from teaching English abroad to supporting children on the autistic spectrum through the National Autistic Society, and working as a qualified social worker supporting families through life’s challenges.
My experience includes working with kinship and foster carers, adoption, and children in a variety of care settings, as well as supporting Ukrainian children and families settling in the UK following the war.
Alongside my work, I spent much of my twenties travelling and living in different parts of the world. Experiencing different cultures and communities has shaped my values, strengthening my cultural awareness, adaptability, and respect for different ways of life.
While every child’s world looks different, the foundations of emotional wellbeing — using our breath, body and mind to regulate how we feel — are something we all share.
This is what makes LOLL Cards accessible and relevant for children everywhere. Across all of this, one thing has always stood out to me.
Children experience big feelings every day — but they are not always given simple tools to understand and manage them.
I discovered tools like breathing, movement and mindfulness much later in life, and now use them regularly as an adult.
Sometimes I reflect on how powerful it might have been to learn those simple habits much earlier.
My aim with LOLL Cards is simple:
To support a preventative, early-intervention approach to children’s emotional wellbeing — helping children build small, everyday habits, just like brushing their teeth, that support them as they grow.
How LOLL Cards Took Shape
LOLL Cards didn’t come together overnight.
I first began creating the characters in 2021, starting with simple instructions that never quite felt right. I kept coming back to the idea, knowing there was something more meaningful I was trying to create.
Each time, I found myself reflecting on what would have helped me as a child — and what simple, supportive tools children need as they grow.
When I share LOLL Cards with adults, they say,
“I wish I had these tools as a child — I’m only learning them now.”
Over time, that vision became clearer. Over the past year, I’ve focused on shaping it — learning how to write for children through reading, courses, and exploring how rhythm, rhyme, and imagination help bring ideas to life and keep children engaged.
Working with a professional children’s editor was a key part of that journey, helping to refine each character’s voice and ensure the tone, structure, and language felt right for young children and their families.
Why Characters Matter
When I was growing up, characters like Noddy and the Mr Men were favourites of mine. The stories, poems and rhymes stayed with me because they were fun and easy to remember.
Those characters helped children understand simple ideas about kindness, friendship, difference, emotions and learning from mistakes — not through instructions, but through stories.
Children naturally connect with characters. They choose their favourites, look up to them, and enjoy copying what they do.
When a character suggests something — like taking a breath or stretching — it feels like an invitation rather than an instruction.
And that is the heart of LOLL Cards.
My journey so far…
I created LOLL Cards because I believe that when children learn these skills early, they become familiar — and over time, second nature.
LOLL Cards is shaped by what I’ve seen, learnt, and reflected on through years of working with children and families.
I began to notice a pattern — children struggling with big emotions, and parents doing everything they can, but not always knowing what to do next. Many families reach out for support, only to face long waiting times. When help does come, it often includes wellbeing strategies like breathing, movement, focus, gratitude, and building self-belief.
But by that stage, families are often overwhelmed. Emotions are already high, and introducing new habits can feel difficult.
There is a lot of information available about children’s wellbeing, but it is often adult-led. I wanted to create something different — something children could connect with.
That’s where the idea of character-led tools began.
Instead of being told what to do, children are gently guided by familiar, friendly characters. Over time, they begin to remember what the characters taught them, recognise what helps them feel good, and naturally return to those tools — making them part of everyday life.
LOLL Cards helps children understand their minds and bodies, explore their emotions, and build confidence and resilience as they grow. It also supports adults, encouraging more open and connected conversations within families.
I’m not positioning myself as a wellbeing expert or coach — I’m a social worker who has spent years listening, observing, and working alongside children and families. Like anyone, I navigate my own life’s challenges too, and I’ve seen first-hand how valuable these tools can be.
I believe these habits are most powerful when introduced early and practiced regularly. They won’t remove life’s challenges, but they can help children feel more equipped to manage them.
LOLL Cards is a toolkit that builds over time. Just like you wouldn’t build a house with one tool, children benefit from having a range of tools for different situations. These skills grow through repetition and familiarity — not perfection.
What works at age three may look different at age six — as children grow, change, and use different tools along the way.
The goal isn’t mastery, but small, consistent habits that become natural over time — like brushing your teeth.
Because learning to understand ourselves can start small… and grow with us.