For the first time ever, McDonald’s iconic Happy Meal® boxes will be blank to encourage children to express their emotions and unleash their creativity. As part of its partnership with BBC Children in Need, McDonald’s has replaced the famous red Happy Meal® box with a limited-edition white design as part of a mental health awareness campaign to spark meaningful conversations between kids and their families.
Last year, McDonald’s removed the iconic smile from the Happy Meal® as a conversation starter for kids and their families to discuss their feelings. In 2025, this has gone a step further as the Happy Meal® box will become a tool for junior artists across the UK and ROI to make their own and explore their feelings in a fun and imaginative way.
The limited-edition ‘draw how you feel meal’ boxes have been released in response to new research commissioned by McDonald’s, which found that four in ten (42%) kids aged 5-10 struggle to talk to adults about how they feel, but nearly three quarters (73%) say they find it easier to talk about their feelings when drawing.
The initiative celebrates the power of creativity as an outlet for children to explore and express their feelings. Millions of boxes and crayons for kids to get colouring, will be available nationwide in all McDonald’s restaurants.
The research also reveals 21% of children say they like to colour to express themselves when they are feeling negative emotions, rising to 43% when feeling positive emotions – highlighting how creative activities can help little ones communicate how they feel.
Presenter, singer, and mum-of-three Kimberley Walsh is supporting the campaign, and shared how she turns everyday creative moments at home into opportunities to check in with her kids: “I am proud to be part of this McDonald’s and BBC Children in Need campaign, as art and creativity have always played a big role in my life and now they’re a huge part of my parenting style, too.
“I find my boys are often calmer and more open to chat when they’re drawing. Children experience so many emotions every day, which can often be difficult to describe, so finding new ways for them to express those feelings is really important.”
McDonald’s research supports this, with 88% of parents saying it is easier to talk to their kids about feelings when they are doing some sort of creative activity, and 47% saying creative activities help them bond and have more open conversations with their kids.
One in five (19%) parents feel that society is not doing enough to encourage children to openly express their emotions. To help parents kickstart these conversations, McDonald’s and BBC Children in Need have created a suite of free resources on the Family Hub, offering families practical ways to use art to connect, understand, and celebrate the full range of emotions children experience every day.
Simon Antrobus, Chief Executive Officer at BBC Children in Need, said: “Art and creativity can help to give children an outlet when words aren’t enough. At Children in Need we know that strong, supportive relationships between children and the important people in their lives is critical in easing their worries and supporting their emotional wellbeing. But we also know that it is not always straight forward to know where to start with these conversations. We are thrilled to support this campaign which turns a simple Happy Meal box into a fun, family-friendly tool for expression and connection, something every family can use to come together.”
Ben Fox, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s UK & Ireland, said: “Our partnership with BBC Children in Need has helped McDonald’s to play a vital role in supporting young people across the UK and Ireland.
“By launching nearly four million limited-edition Happy Meal® boxes we are able to reach families in-restaurant and at home through McDelivery®, as we provide them with the tools to get creative and encourage conversations that support children’s wellbeing.”
Customers can donate the cash equivalent of their MyMcDonald’s Rewards points to BBC Children in Need through the McDonald’s App, and donate in-restaurant at kiosks and tills, to support McDonald’s pledge to help children and young people reach their full potential.
