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It can be a biiiiiiit overwhelming knowing how to start a intentional conversation of emotional awareness in a healthy, comprehensive, engaging way with our kids. Because emotions are a crucial part of our kids mental, physical, and social wellbeing, we want to do it well! Thankfully, emotional awareness is becoming the revolution topic of our generation, and there are some amazing emotional awareness resources for kids to help us as we navigate this huge, foundational topic with our little people.
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Emotional Awareness Resources for Kids
It helps to remember that this is an ongoing conversation we will have with our kids. This totally is not a one-time do or die thing, so slow exhalllleeee…..
The list below of emotional awareness resources for kids are some of the most beautiful tools I’ve found. We can use these resources to develop this conversation with our kids so they can grow and thrive emotionally.
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CLICK THE GREEN BOOK TITLES BELOW TO GO STRAIGHT
TO THE RESOURCE PAGE ON AMAZON!
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Listening to My Body
written by Gabi Garcia, illustrated by Ying Hui Tan
This book is amazing because it teaches kids what sensations are, how sensations and emotions are connected, and how to read their body’s cues to figure out what they need. It gives 7 quick and easy activities to help kids tune into their body sensations. There also is a list of what sensations to look for in each part of your body. It ends with a list of simple calming solutions to help settle our body when our sensations are overwhelming. So perfect.
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My Body Sends a Signal
written by Natalia Maguire, illustrated by Anastasia Zababashkina
This sweet book is a 3-in-1. The first third of the books shows kids how sensations, body language, and feelings are connected by telling a story of a little boy who experiences a full range of emotions throughout the day while his grandparents are visiting. The story is extremely descriptive with pictures to reflect the little boy’s emotions. The second third of the book has flashcards that you can cut out to help your child practice reading body cues and naming emotions. (I love this.) At the end of this section are several short stories that you can read with your child, and then ask them to name the emotion in the story. The last third of this book are coloring pages withe pictures showing emotions from the story.
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My Magical Feelings
written by Becky Cummings, illustrated by Nejla Shojaie
These lovely pages describe feelings as a spectrum of color that work together to make a beautiful rainbow. This book is unique from other emotion awareness books because it focuses solely on naming experiences that provoke certain emotions. The author also reminds the child that is it okay to feel their full rainbow of emotion as they experience life. It is written in poetry form, and the pictures are vivid and beautiful.
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The Big Feelings Book for Children
written by Sharon Selby, illustrated by Anna Hurley
This resource focuses on 4 “big” feelings that kids experience almost every day: Anger, Excitement, Anxiety (worry), and Sadness. It teaches kids what physical sensations they may experience with these emotions, what behaviors these feelings may provoke, and four actions steps they can take for each of these big feelings to manage their body’s sensations when they are feeling overwhelmed and bring themselves back to a place of calm.
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Jasmine’s Many Emotions
written by K.S. George
This adorable book for toddlers ages 2-4 tells the story of a little girl who is looking for her lost bunny, and it describes how she feels excited, scared, angry, sad and happy as she searches for and eventually finds her bunny. This is a perfect introduction to emotions for toddlers, because the story describes something toddlers experience almost every day – losing and find a toy they love! The pictures are calming, and the story is a perfect length.
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How I’m Feeling Sentence Completion Cards
by Impresa
This is an inviting little box of conversation starters about emotions for parents and kids to do together. You can chat your way through these cards with your kids while you’re coloring together, walking around the block, eating breakfast, laying in the grass… whenever and wherever, they’re super inviting and easy to incorporate into your day. My favorite way to use these cards is as journal prompts for parents and kids to do together. Grab these blank journals and some vibrant coloring pencils or snazzy markers — pick a conversation starter card, and fill up a page with your answers along with pictures and colors that come to mind while answering the questions. Journaling through these cards is such a sweet way to talk about emotions with your kids, create an atmosphere of mutual vulnerability and trust, and create a visuals that will help your kids process the conversation.
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Express Your Feelings Journal
by hand2mind
If you’re not feeling artsy or don’t want to start with a blank journal, then this journal is perfect for your kids to practicing expressing feelings. The front of the book has a feelings wheel for reference. The journal pages are colorful and vibrant and full of prompts, ideas, and activities to get your kids thinking about their feelings.
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Your Feelings and Emotions Coloring Book
The design of these coloring pages are simple enough for all ages to color, so it’s a great conversation starter for parents and kids. You can color the pictures together and talk about the emotion on your coloring page at the same time. These pictures help children learn the facial expressions and body language connected with each emotion, so it’s a great social awareness activity as well.
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Emotions Poster Set
What can I say except that I love love love this poster set. The feelings wheel is so thorough, and the emotional zones of regulation + feelings thermometer + things i can/can’t control posters are all a fantastic visual for kids. It worth getting this set just for the alphabet coping skills poster – it givings a coping skill for each letter of the alphabet (Ask for help, Belly breathing, Count to 10, Do something creative, Eat a health snack, etc.) and it is amazinggggg. The posters are 9×15 inches so they are easy to read. The colors are warm and rich but neutral enough to go on the wall without feeling like a personal attack (ya feel me, moms? lol) Love.
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What are your favorite emotional awareness resources for kids? Leave a comment below or contact me HERE to share your personal faves!
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