Moving country is one of life’s biggest adventures, but if you’re doing it with small children in tow, it can also be one of the most emotionally complex. Between packing boxes, visa paperwork, and finding a new school, there’s one thing that often gets pushed down the to-do list: helping your little ones actually feel okay about it all.
That’s where Laura from Laz & Lucky comes in! Laz & Lucky is a children’s YouTube channel built on research-backed Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and rooted in Irish culture, folklore, and identity. And whether your family is currently living abroad, planning a big move, or navigating the bittersweet journey of returning home, Laura made Laz & Lucky for children like yours.
Read on to learn more from Laura herself…
Who Are Laz and Lucky?
Laz is a curious, warm-hearted child, and Lucky is his best friend, a magical leprechaun with a big heart and even bigger feelings. Together, they go on adventures that help young children aged 2-6 learn how to name their emotions, manage big feelings, build friendships, and grow in confidence.
Every episode is grounded in the CASEL framework, the gold standard for Social and Emotional Learning research, which means the content isn’t just fun, it’s genuinely developmentally meaningful. Children learn through play, song, movement, and storytelling, and Lucky’s distinctly Irish roots mean that Irish culture, language, and folklore are woven naturally into every adventure.
For Irish families living abroad, Laz & Lucky offers something quietly special: a window home. A bit of the Ireland your children may have never lived in, or may be leaving behind, delivered through a character they’ll fall in love with.
Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More During Big Moves
Research consistently shows that major life transitions, including emigrating or returning home, are significant emotional events for young children, even when those children appear to be adjusting well on the surface. Children aged 2-6 are still developing the language and cognitive tools to process change, which means they often express their feelings through behaviour rather than words.
A child who suddenly becomes clingy, regresses in toilet training, or has more meltdowns than usual after a move isn’t being “bold”, they’re communicating. They’re telling you, in the only way they know how, that something feels big and uncertain.
This is exactly what Emotional Intelligence (EQ) education addresses. When children are given consistent, age-appropriate tools to name and regulate their emotions, through stories, songs, and relatable characters, they develop genuine resilience. Not the “just get on with it” kind, but the kind rooted in self-awareness and felt safety. The kind that helps a child walk into a new playschool and feel okay.
The Irish Identity Piece, and Why It Matters Abroad
One of the things I hear most from Irish parents living overseas is this: “I want my children to feel Irish, but I don’t know how to pass it on.”
It’s a real and tender challenge. Irish identity is built on storytelling, music, humour, community, and a deep sense of place, and so much of that can feel difficult to transmit when you’re raising your children thousands of miles from home.
Lucky the leprechaun isn’t just a fun character, he’s a bridge. He carries Irish folklore, traditional phrases, and cultural warmth into children’s everyday lives, wherever in the world they’re watching from. For the Irish diaspora, Laz & Lucky is a way to say: your child can grow up knowing where they come from, and feeling proud of it.
Whether your family is in London, Sydney, Toronto, New York, or anywhere in between, Laz & Lucky brings a little piece of Ireland into your living room, one episode at a time.
What You’ll Find on the Channel
Laz & Lucky covers all five core CASEL competencies for young children:
- Self-awareness – helping children identify and name their emotions
- Self-management – tools for calming big feelings like anxiety, frustration, and sadness
- Social awareness – empathy, kindness, and understanding others
- Relationship skills – making friends, sharing, and working through conflict
- Responsible decision-making – simple, age-appropriate choices and consequences
Episodes include movement songs and brain breaks (perfect for getting the wiggles out!), puppet storytelling, Irish folklore-inspired adventures, and practical emotional coaching tools that parents can use beyond the screen. There’s also a growing library of content specifically for parents and caregivers, offering real-world EQ strategies for navigating big life events with young children, including moving country.
For Irish Families Navigating a Move
If your family is preparing to emigrate, currently living abroad, or thinking about coming home to Ireland, here are a few things that can help your little ones through the transition:
- Talk about the move early and honestly. Young children need time to process change. Use simple language and invite their questions, even if you don’t have all the answers yet.
- Name the feelings – all of them. It’s okay to be excited and sad at the same time. Validating the full emotional range helps children feel safe rather than confused by their own feelings.
- Keep something familiar. A consistent bedtime routine, a favourite toy, or yes, a favourite YouTube show, can provide a sense of continuity and comfort when everything else is changing.
- Stay connected to Irish culture. Whether it’s music, stories, food, or a bit of Lucky the leprechaun, keeping cultural threads alive helps children develop a strong sense of identity that travels with them.
A Note to Irish Community Organisations
If you work with Irish families abroad, through community programmes, parent and toddler groups, cultural events, or family support services, Laz & Lucky’s content is completely free to access and share. It was built to be a resource for families, not a product behind a paywall.
I would love to hear from you about how your community is supporting young children through transition, and whether content like Laz & Lucky might be useful in the programmes you run. You can reach me through the channel or via the links below.
Find Laz & Lucky
🎬 YouTube: Search @LazandLucky or visit youtube.com/@LazandLucky
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @LazandLucky
Take the Survey
We’d love to have your little ones join the adventure, and we’d love to know what your family needs. See the short survey below to help us understand what Irish families abroad are looking for when it comes to supporting children’s emotional wellbeing.
Tell Us About Your Family – This Short Survey will only take 2 minutes and really help us create for the Irish Communities Abroad:
