3 Daily Activities to Help Kids Handle Their Emotions
Emotions change frequently throughout the day. One moment, your child may be filled with pride and joy as they share a painting they've been working hard on. But the next can be filled with disappointment, anger and sadness when a cup of spilled water ruins the painting. Navigating our feelings is a lifelong journey. We can support young children in learning important skills like self-awareness, communication and empathizing with others by embedding simple opportunities to identify and express emotions in our daily interactions.
Normalize Sharing Feelings as a Family
Looking back to your own childhood, you may recognize that sharing feelings wasn't encouraged and it was even frowned upon. If this is the case, it may take some time before you feel comfortable enough to recognize, reflect and share your feelings with your loved ones. The good news is the more you practice, the more comfortable you'll become. Research shows that understanding and identifying our emotions helps us interact in meaningful ways with the social world around us. Throughout the day, practice vocalizing how your emotions influenced your actions and provide opportunities for your child to do the same. If your child is having big feelings like anger or sadness, wait until they regulate before having a conversation about what happened. Examples of ways to share emotions include:
- When I yelled, it was because I was feeling overwhelmed. I was trying to pay the bills online and you and your brother needed something at the same time. Next time, I will take a deep breath or drink a glass of water instead of yelling.
- I'm feeling very sad. Your uncle doesn't feel well. I think making him a sparkly card would make me feel better — do you want to help?
- I noticed you got really quiet after we spoke to grandma on the phone. If you're feeling sad because you miss grandma, there are things we can do! Would you like to make her a special care package?
- Rocking in this chair together helped us calm down. Earlier you threw your toys on the ground when mommy asked you to help sort the laundry. Next time you feel angry, what can you do instead? Support your child in coming up with strategies on what to do when they feel upset, such as putting on a weighted vest, punching a pillow, taking four deep breaths, or jumping five times.
Choose TV shows that Support Social and Emotional Learning
Children are sponges, and when it comes to learning, they learn best by seeing and doing. Kids television shows like "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood," "Esme & Roy" and "Sesame Street" support children's development of the core competencies of social and emotional learning including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships and responsible decision-making. They also empower kids to feel like they have a voice and their feelings matter.
These shows also offer a plethora of resources to extend the learning. Play a game of Guess the Feeling, sing Daniel's Feelings Songs and learn strategies to calm down when you're feeling mad. Next, head to Sesame Street in Communities and print out activities like Feelings Tic-Tac-Toe and Muppet Feelings.
Read Books Together and Identify How Characters Feel
Books provide young children with the opportunity to explore feelings from multiple perspectives and across many different situations. Set aside time each day to read to your child, and throughout the story, ask prompting questions such as:
- How does ____ feel in this picture? How do you know?
- I notice ____ is hiding in the corner. How do you think ____ is feeling?
- _____ is feeling sad. Can you think of a time when you felt sad? What helped you feel better?
- _____ is feeling frustrated. Can you think of a time when you felt frustrated? How did you solve your problem?
The following books are great places to start:
- "When Sadness is at Your Door" (Ages 3-7) by Eva Eland
- "Me and My Fear" (Ages 3-7) by Francesca Sanna
- "El Conejo Escuchó/"The Rabbit Listened" (Ages 3-5) by Cori Doerrfeld
- "Anh's Anger" (Ages 4-8) written by Gail Silver and illustrated by Christianne Kromer
Taking the time to support young children in understanding that all feelings are valid will support them when they face adversity or difficult times in the future. Modeling emotional regulation by identifying your triggers and building your family's calming toolkit are ways you can extend the learning and move from overwhelmed to empowered.
