Skyla, 11, invents her own monsters to deal with the stress of SATs exams in Milton Keynes

Panic about SATs exams has inspired an enterprising 11-year-old to invent a remedy - and start her own mini business as well.
Skyla LashamSkyla Lasham
Skyla Lasham

Skyla Lasham, along with her Year 6 classmates, was asked by her teacher to create artwork to reflect how the SATs made them feel.

Skyla made a little cat monster called Scraggle, which can be be given a tension-relieving squeeze when she's feeling panicky about the exams..

" From this, she wanted to create a series of monsters and turn them into keyrings to give children and adults something to 'squeeze' whenever they felt worried or stressed," said her mum Emma.

Skyla LashamSkyla Lasham
Skyla Lasham

There is now a whole series of SATs monsters, called the Monster-Pedia collection, and they are selling like hot cakes in Skyla's local Cranfield coffee shop, Oso.

"Skyla's keyrings and story is now on full display on their 'art wall' and she has already sold over half of her creations. It's a fantastic achievement at only 11," said Emma.

Skyla, who goes to Holywell Middle School in Cranfield, said: " "It had all started when we were making

‘feeling monsters’ for how we feel about SATs at school. I had to create a picture of how SATs made me feel.

The stress-busting monstersThe stress-busting monsters
The stress-busting monsters

"My mums loved my picture which is when I got the idea to create lots of little ones.

"I started the Monster-Pedia Collection foranyone who feels stressed or unhappy. They could then get their monster and squeeze them tight (but not too tight).

"I hope it makes every child or adult just that little bit happier!"