Inside: A whole library of resources for teaching feelings and emotions to kids, at home or school.
Managing our emotions is hard, whether you are four or six or forty six! Teaching our children to effectively manage their feelings and emotions is such an important, ongoing task for both teachers and parents – there is no one-size-fits-all lesson for helping children to understand feelings, it takes many, regular touches as a child moves through the following stages of emotional development;
- Recognising a range of emotions in themselves and others
- Recognising the physical and emotional responses we have to each of these emotions
- Learning to express their own feelings verbally
- Learning to calm oneself down in the face of overwhelming emotions, and
- Learning to treat others with kindness and empathy.
Useful in both the home and the classroom, this collection of resources and activity suggestions includes tools that can act as useful prompts for discussion with children about a wide range of emotions, and guide you as you help your children to develop effective strategies for managing overwhelming, stressful feelings and emotions.
The collection includes feelings and emotions based printable posters, games, booklists and activity ideas to use with children across a range of ages.
Learning to master big emotions and the associated skills of emotional regulation helps children to succeed not just in childhood but right through to adulthood. And you never know… in helping your child, you may just find a strategy or two to help yourself.
Check out our brand new Coping Skills for Kids Cards and Poster.
The Managing Big Emotions Calm Down Poster Series
5 Steps for Managing Big Emotions Poster: The first poster in our Big Emotions series uses a hand motive to gives kids five options for working through overwhelming emotions.
9 Calm Down Ideas for Kids Poster: Nine effective calm down strategies handpicked for kids! Our emotions aren’t one-size-fits-all feelings, and neither are the ways we each prefer to calm down.
Calm Down Yoga for Kids Poster: Combine movement with positive affirmations in this positive approach to teaching children to manage stress, anxiety and overwhelming emotions.
Take 5 Breathing Exercise Poster: Breathing has a huge impact on emotions and this simple technique helps kids learn the connection between controlled breathing and the positive impact it can have on feelings and emotions.
Useful Yoga & Mindfulness for Kids Resources
Calm Down Yoga for Kids Poster: Let yoga teach your child about patience and how to manage their bodies and emotions at the same time.
Walk Through the Garden Yoga Poster: Seasons change, and so do our children. Teach your child that their daily lives are much like the wind that blows through the treetops through this simple yoga routine.
Sun Salutation Yoga Poster: Increase flexibility and feelings of happiness with this fun and simple Sun Salutation Yoga sequence.
The Ultimate Library of Yoga for Kids Videos: Just when you think there can’t possibly be any other yoga options out there for your kids, you’ll want to check out our ultimate library of kids vids for more fresh ideas. A great resource for teachers with students of all ages.
8 Fun Breathing Exercises for Kids Printable: Controlled breathing can help children to feel more in control of their emotions and this collection of eight fun breathing exercises makes breathing for mindfulness more accessible for children of all ages.
5 Mindfulness Apps for Kids: These five fabulous apps for kids make screen time more mindful and meaningful.
5 Mindfulness Ideas for Families: Connect as a family with these five ideas for supporting your family to grow and bond.
Feelings & Emotions Games for Kids
The Game of Feelings Printable Card Game: A fun social emotional game, The Game of Feelings, gets children ages 8-12 years exploring 40 different emotions. Play at school, home or in counseling sessions.
Printable Emotions Cards & Game Ideas: Learn more about recognising a range of feelings and emotions with these printable emotions cards and eight game ideas.
Which Emotion Am I? Guessing Game: Exploring emotions in ourselves and others is what this fun emotion game is all about.
Exploring Feelings & Emotions Jenga Game: Cross traditional Jenga with feelings and emotions to creates conversation around a wide range of human emotions.
Scented Rainstick Bottle: This sensory bottle has an amazing scent to it! Talk about the relationship of sound and scent to mindfulness.
Slow Motion Calm Down Bottle: Breathe and watch the objects slowly fall with this calming and soothing sensory bottle. It’s a great way to calm down AND slow down.
Feelings & Emotions Activities
My Emotions Wheel Activity & Printable: A great printable worksheet for identifying and recognising a range of emotions.
9 Big Emotions Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers: 9 emotions activities that are perfect for young learners. Teaching children about the importance of emotions early is key!
How to Boost Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence: Practical suggestions for helping your child to develop emotional intelligence.
13 Social Skills Activities for Kids: Our ability to succeed socially has a big impact upon our emotional health. Help your children develop effective social skills with these thirteen activities.
Emotional Regulation: An Essential Ingredient to School Success: Learning to regulate emotions is hard, especially when big changes loom – like starting school! Help your child succeed with these useful tips.
10 Things We All Need to Be Doing to Help Kids Develop Empathy: An important social skill, we all have a role to play in teaching children to be empathetic towards others.
Simple Sew Feelings Softie: Develop fine motor skills as you talk about ways to express emotions with this simple craft.
9 Ways to Develop Emotional Awareness Through Play: Playing is so much more than imagination and creativity! Help your child learn about emotions in the safe space of play.
Our Family Appreciation Plate: Looking for a great way to have everyone in your family show appreciation? Create connection in your family with a Family Appreciation Plate.
5 Preschool Circle Time Lessons About Emotions – No Time for Flashcards
Preschool Emotions Song: How Are You Feeling Today? Let’s Play Music
Feelings & Emotions Books for Kids
25 Awesome Books About Feelings & Emotions: These books showcase just how important feelings and emotions truly are.
Books for Kids (of All Ages) Who Worry: Have a stressed or anxious child who worries? You’ll love these suggested titles.
25 Children’s Books About Anger: Great resources for inviting discussions with children about anger, tantrums and feeling frustrated, with many of them featuring helpful calm down strategies and coping skills as well.
The ‘What to Do When I’ Managing Emotions Book Series: A great book series for helping children learn to manage a range of emotions and social skills.
Books About Common Childhood Fears: All children face fears. Help your child overcome the things that scare them with this helpful list of books about a range of common childhood fears.
Books About Kindness: We can change the world with kindness. Start out with these important stories about kindness that they’ll carry with them forever.
Books About Friendship: Help your child learn to create strong friendships through books exploring communication and emotions in positive ways.
Books About Differences and Diversity: We are all similar and we are all different. Create conversations with your children about the importance of diversity and our acceptance of differences.
101 Books About Friendship, Communication and Social Skills: A great big list of books that will help your children explore a wide range of friendship, communication and social skills.
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Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.
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