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All kids benefit from practicing mindfulness. Who wouldn't love the kids and young adults we work with to become more focused, calm, in control, and self-aware? Mindfulness is a technique that can help teach and strengthen those abilities over time. By practicing mindfulness, people can learn to become more aware of their own thoughts, feeling, sensations, and the environment around us. It helps us to refocus and recenter on the present, rather than the past or the future.

If you've heard of mindfulness but aren't sure exactly how to implement it with your learners, I've put together a few simple strategies you can try. Whether you are a regular education teacher, special education teacher, counselor, or parent, know that you have the power to teach mindfulness practices. You don't need to be an expert. In fact, no one ever really "masters" mindfulness. Instead, we are all improving our practice the more we do it. Give the techniques a try and see what works for you! If you want to get started right away, consider these Mindfulness Activities or Mindfulness Activities for Little Learners.

Here are some simple strategies for practicing mindfulness with kids and young adults:

1. Mindful Coloring. You can use any coloring pages for this activity. I love to gather assorted coloring books with different themes and levels. Let kids choose their own coloring page, whether it is a page with dragons, cats, or just patterns. Give access to the coloring materials that best suit your needs. Colored pencils, flair pens, and gel pens are some of my favorites. Encourage kids to quietly color on their own. Tell them that if they've made a mistake, just to breathe and move on. Mindfulness is about just letting the experiences pass us by without making judgements about them.

2. Connect with Nature. Take a ten minute nature walk to help kids breathe in fresh air and experience the outdoors for a change. While you are out there, encourage kids to look around and take in the environment with their senses.

3. Dragon Breathing. A huge component of mindfulness is learning how to control our own breathing. A way to get younger kids to buy in to this is making it fun. With dragon breathing, kids will sit up straight, breathe in, stick their tongue out, and breathe out like a dragon. It might feel super silly at first, but it helps to bring the idea of deep breathing down to their level! This is a great activity to do before tests or after recess.

4. Smell the Flowers Breathing Activity. This activity combines mindful coloring and deep breathing. Have students draw or color pictures of flowers. As they color, they should breathe in through their noses to imagine smelling the flowers.

5. Practice Yoga. Spend ten minutes practicing some simple yoga postures, like tree, warrior, and half moon pose. If you're not sure about how to teach the postures, you can always search for a video and play it while you practice together. I always love to end yoga practice with a relaxing pose of laying on our backs. It's a great way to incorporate meditation, too!

6. Mindfulness 5-4-3-2-1. Use this technique to ground kids and young adults. This is an especially great activity to help kids manage anxiety or anger. Have students look around their current surroundings and find five things they can see, four things they can tough, three things they can hear, two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste. By the time they get through listing all of those, they will be more present and calm.

7. Recite Positive Affirmations. I'm a huge advocate for teaching kids and young adults positive self-talk. Not only is it uplifting, but it provides a sense of calm when students read their positive affirmations to themselves. You can use this free list of positive affirmations to have students read from.

8. Practice Guided Meditations. Have kids find a spot on a rug or yoga mat and lie down. Have them close they eyes and just breathe in and out. Read a guided meditation to help kids visualize a soothing beach or a calm walk through the forest. You can find one online or make up your own! Within a few minutes, kids will find themselves more calm and relaxed.

9. Use Breathing Visuals. Some kids and young adults need a more concrete and visual method for practicing breathing. A "breathe board" is just a set of shapes or lines that kids can follow with their fingers as they breathe in and out. Different shapes will work differently for different kids, so it's helpful to try a few!

10. Listen to music. Play your choice of nature sounds, classical, or any acoustic music. You can play the music while kids are doing something independently or allow kids to just sit down and relax while mindfully listening to the music.

11. Use crafts. I know this is more than 10, but I had to add this one in! Crafts can be a very mindful and calming activity for kids and young adults. Weaving and beading are two of my favorites. They are simple and repetitive, so it's easy for all learners to give them a try. You can also pick up materials at the local dollar store to get started. As a bonus, kids are often left with a tangible reminder of their mindful practice after finishing the craft.

I hope you are as excited about practicing mindfulness with kids and young adults as I am! It's a quick and simple activity you can add to your routine to help kids improve focus, develop self-control, become more self-aware, and just feel better about themselves. I have developed these activities and several more to practice mindfulness with kids and young adults. If you are interested, consider checking out my Mindfulness and Coping Strategies Mega Bundle filled with mindfulness and coping strategies resources for all ages. Feel free to share what other ways you practice mindfulness with your learners!

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10 Mindfulness Activities You Can Try Today

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All kids benefit from practicing mindfulness. Who wouldn't love the kids and young adults we work with to become more focused, calm, in control, and self-aware? Mindfulness is a technique that can help teach and strengthen those abilities over time. By practicing mindfulness, people can learn to bec

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You might be a parent, you might be a teacher, or you might be both. Whichever title is yours, you have an extremely important job: help children learn self-regulation skills.

Self-regulation is a small part of social-emotional learning that children need to acquire. Self-regulation is essentially "regulating myself". Question: what do you do when you're overwhelmed?

Me? I like to be alone. I go in my room, lay on my bed, close my eyes, and take deep breaths. This is the best way for me to deal with my emotions in a healthy way. Only in the past few years (with the help of therapy) did I learn to identify what option I had that helps me calm down.

The good news? Children don't have to be in their late 20s before recognizing their own self-management tools. We can help them learn these emotional regulation techniques when they're really young.

As adults, I feel we have a tendency to tell a child what they need in order to promote self-regulation. We may tell a child to go take some space, play with a stuffed animal, takes some breaths, etc. While these ARE helpful ideas, it's more important that a child chooses their own self-regulation activity. Why? Because in allowing a child to choose an activity to help with emotional regulation, we help cultivate self-awareness.

A child is capable of choosing a calm down technique, finding if it works for them, and using it in the future. They're smart and they remember. We have to trust that they'll find the self-regulation skills that work for them.

How Do I Promote Self-Awareness?

The easy answer: have it available 24/7.

My toddler entered the 3s and I'm not kidding, overnight she was a different child. Larger emotions were reached in record time, and by the time she was dysregulated, I couldn't teach self-regulation to her. So, I decided to make a self-regulation activity that I could show and use with her when she was calm in the hopes that she would use it as an emotional regulation tool when she had big feelings.

I created this calm down board to help teach my child self-regulation skills. This board helps her identify the big feeling she's having and choose an activity to help her regulate those big feelings and calm down.

This self-regulation board is empowering because she's in charge of telling herself how she feels and what self-regulation technique is appealing to her. Toddlers are all about independence, so this is the perfect activity to foster that desire for independence.

How Is the Self-Regulation Board Used?

I couldn't just give her the board and expect her to know how to use it for self-management. I had to spend some time teaching it to her.

So, after I put it together, I introduced it to her as her calm down board. We opened it and talked about different feelings we saw. We pointed and named the feelings while talking about different times we might have felt that way.

I told her that big feelings are always okay and this calm down board is here to help her feel better when she gets those big feelings.

After we talked about big feelings, we looked at different activities that can help us calm down. We talked about all of them, but you can introduce them in smaller bits.

Once we talked about a calm down activity, we tried it. This was a fun way to show her how to use each activity and how it can help her calm down.

Then we role-played. I pretended like I had a big feeling, so I used the calm down board to show how I was feeling and choose a calm down activity. I moved my feeling into the box and said, "I feel sad."

I picked an activity that I thought would help me calm down and moved it into the box. Then, I did the activity. I modeled what it looked like to have the activity not work ("I still feel sad. I'm going to try something else.") and moved the picture back and replaced it with a new one. Then, I tried that activity. I said that I felt calm and moved the pictures back to show that I was finished with the calm down board.

Then, I let her pretend with it. She chose angry, moved it into the box, and tried pushing on a wall. She pretended that didn't work, so she took some breaths. She pretended that worked and then moved the pictures back and put the calm down board away.

After pretending, I told her that this will always be here when she feels a big feeling.

Did I expect her to use it right away? No.

So, I modeled using it when I really was upset. If I expect her to use it, then maybe she should see me use it in the appropriate setting.

But what happened when she was really was dysregulated?

How to Use the Self-Regulation Board When A Child is Dysregulated.

I'll be honest, this self-regulation board did not work right away. And I expected that. But I always kept it as an option because I knew at some point, she'd use it to self-regulate.

When my child became upset (we're talking tantrum here), I put the self-regulation board in front of her. No words. We already used it, she already knew how. I needed her to use it when she was ready.

One, two, three tantrums later, nothing. Then, during a tantrum, I slid the calm down board to her, and she picked it up.

She moved the angry face and picked breathing. She walked away, went into her room, and closed the door.

I gave her a minute and then knocked on her door. When I went in, she was laying down on her bed.

I asked her if she laid down to try and calm down and she said yes. I asked if she was feeling better or if she was still angry. She said angry. I asked if she wanted to take some breaths and she said yes. We took three deep breaths and I asked if she was feeling better. She said yes.

I was so proud of her. It was then that I realized taking space and laying down was a good option for her. But at the same time, she realized that on her own. This is the point of self-regulation.

The next time she had some big feelings, I slid the calm down board to her. She chose angry and then bouncing to calm down. I told her I noticed she chose bouncing and I reminded her that she had a bouncing toy she could get on. She went into her room, grabbed her bouncing toy, and bounced down the hallway.

I asked if that helped her and she said yes.

This did not happen overnight. Please don't expect it to. It takes time. Being aware of emotions is a big skill, I struggle with this sometimes even as an adult.

My biggest tip? Teach how to use this self-regulation tool when the child is calm, model using it yourself, and always offer it when a child is upset.

How Can I Get This Self-Regulation Board?

I want children to have access to quality social emotional activities, so I'm offering this self-regulation board free. This is by far one of my favorite tools to use and I hope you can find it useful with the child(ren) you care for.

Simply fill out this form below and you'll be emailed the self-regulation board with directions for how to prep it.

*Note, the picture cards on this board are offered in male and female characters. You can mix and match pictures or choose one set. There's something for everyone. 🙂

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out! I'm consistently checking my IG messages, so you can send me a message, but you can also email me at maranda@mrsbsprimary.com.

*Can't see the form? You may have to click "Exit mobile version" on the bottom of this page.

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Free Self-Regulation Activity for Kids - Mrs. Bullington's Primary Emporium

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You might be a parent, you might be a teacher, or you might be both. Whichever title is yours, you have an extremely important job: help children learn self-regulation skills. Self-regulation is a small part of social-emotional learning that children need to acquire. Self-regulation is essentially "regulating myself".

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Creating some cloud dough.

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Looking for an easy way to make a no-cook, gluten free and super soft playdough? This Cloud Dough recipe is a fun twist on our traditional playdough recipe. We love that it's only 2 main ingredients and can be scented with lotion. If you like making your own homemade playdough, then you definitely want to try this recipe!

Cloud Dough

This is a great recipe to make if you've never made playdough before. It's really easy to make since it's only 2 main ingredients and no cooking required! Kids also love the texture of this dough. It's the softest dough you will ever try!
For our traditional playdough recipe, see it here.

You can make a few batches with different colors or choose your favorite. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then put in an airtight container to keep it fresh and long lasting.

How To Make Cloud Dough

This is a no cook playdough recipe. It's perfect if you want to make some playdough and you don't have access to a stove top or kettle. The mixture comes together easily in 5 minutes (it's fast!).

This is also gluten free!

The consistency of this dough is different than regular playdough. It is a lot softer but also dryer to the touch and it is common for it to crumble a little when playing with it.
Here are the ingredients you will need:

How Do I Store Cloud Dough?

To help your dough to last as long as possible, it's important to keep it as airtight as possible so that it doesn't dry out. Wrap each color of cloud dough in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container to help it stay soft. If you find that your dough has become a little dry, you can add a little bit of extra lotion and knead it in.

How Do I Keep the Dough Soft?

First wrap your dough in saran wrap then store in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag. You'll notice that dough will go hard if left out - so the less air that can get to the playdough when storing, the longer it will last!

How Do You Make the Dough Soft Again?

If your dough dries out or turns out to be a little dry after making it, try adding in a little more lotion. If the dough is too sticky after making it, add a little bit more cornstarch.

What Do I Do if It's Crumbly or Sticky?

If your cloud dough is still crumbly. You need to add more lotion. If you find it gets too sticky when you add more lotion then you are adding too much lotion. Add a little bit at a time and knead it. You will need to knead it for quite some time in order to get it to the right consistency. If it's still too crumbly, then add a tiny bit more lotion. If it's still too sticky, then add a tiny bit more cornstarch.

How Long Does It Last?

This dough will not last as long as our traditional playdough recipe. The lotion will start to dry out from it within a week. However, you can easily revive it by just adding a few extra squirts of lotion to it and kneading it in. This will make it almost like brand new again.

Cloud Dough Recipe

Once your cloud dough is finished, use cookie cutters and rolling pins to play with it!

To store: simply put the playdough in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container to help it last longer. If the dough dries out, add a few extra squirts of lotion to it and knead back in.

More Playdough Recipes

See our Kool-Aid Playdough recipe.

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Make this super soft, no cook, cloud dough recipe! Only 2 ingredients - cornstarch and lotion. This homemade dough is really easy to make!

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Cute song about emotions based on "A Little Scribble Spot."

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Kids Feelings and Emotions SONG Animation with A Little SPOT

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Many book options based on emotions.

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We have put together the ultimate list of 40+ books about feelings for preschoolers! This list of incredible preschool books covers all aspects of social-emotional development, from understanding and recognizing emotions to how to cope with those BIG feelings.

After you check these out, don't miss the rest of our compilation of the best preschool books!

40+ Books about Feelings for Preschoolers

I can remember my first days in the classroom. I began my teaching career as a Kindergarten teacher and I was certain that I knew all the things. You know...how to teach them how to write their name, learn to read simple text, and perform basic addition. But by the end of that first day, it was clear... aside from setting rules and a classroom schedule, I hadn't considered one element of social-emotional opportunities!

Kids argued amongst each other and called out during storytime. They tossed their pencils and yelled, "I can't write my name!" They grabbed items from each other's hands or pushed and shoved in line. Or they were nervous and anxious, and a few never uttered much of anything all day.

I came home and scrapped all my previously planned lessons. I sat down and searched through every picture book I owned for titles that supported social skills and dug through our school library. I knew I needed to start over the next day with a whole NEW plan.

Some social/emotional concepts can be really hard to teach. Children need lots of practice, modeling, and one of the most effective approaches is through the use of storytelling.

Social-Emotional Development in the Preschool Years

"Children's social and emotional health affects their overall development and learning. Research indicates that children who are mentally healthy tend to be happier, show greater motivation to learn, have a more positive attitude toward school, more eagerly participate in class activities, and demonstrate higher academic performance than less mentally healthy peers ( Hyson 2004; Kostelnik et al. 2015).

We have put together a fantastic checklist of social-emotional progress that gives you great insight into all the areas to foster and grow with your preschoolers.

Social-Emotional Milestones in Preschool

Some social-emotional milestones you can expect in preschool are:

Relationships with Others - Children learn how to navigate communication, sharing, and challenging situations while building lasting friendships.

Emotional Regulation - This concept takes plenty of time, adult support, and the permission to experience their emotions and work through them with a variety of coping techniques and strategies.

Independence & Confidence - Have you ever met a little one who had a shortage of confidence? They can't wait to tell you about all they know and can do! We strive to give kids the chance to be independent and provide as many opportunities for little ones to fill that pride bucket they all carry inside.

Empathy - This is arguably one of the most critical foundational social-emotional steps that preschoolers will continue to grow and develop. When young children can set aside their own ego to ask the question, "how will this make the other person feel," we have reached a valuable emotional milestone for their future.

One of our favorite ways to teach preschoolers to control those big emotions is by teaching mindfulness using yoga! There are lots of awesome yoga books, yoga videos, and other yoga resources out there for kids. For printable yoga cards and posters you can always have on hand, check out our store!

Books About Feelings and Emotions for Preschoolers

Books about Emotions

Learning to recognize how we feel, giving those emotions a name, and owning our body language and facial expressions is so important. It helps children understand that we are all on an emotional rollercoaster each day. Using picture books to help navigate the emotional highs and lows gives confidence and independence to even the youngest learners.

Don't miss one of the classic books about feelings for preschoolers! I love the way the author describes this book, "Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are". It's a colorful and inviting book full of all the feelings we might feel in a day, a week, or a month. This book goes beyond the basic emotions of happy, sad, mad, and surprised and includes many other important emotions like jealous, proud, thankful, and bored.

This wonderful book dives deep into thirteen different ways to act throughout our days. Whether you are feeling curious or responsible, cooperative or persistent, it's important to learn how our behaviors can contribute to our overall day and our level of happiness. Perfect for preschoolers who are developing their confidence and learning the value of their contributions to their family and friends.

​​The Color Monster's emotions are all over the place until a new friend helps him identify his feelings. This adorable monster learns how to name his feelings and sort through the emotional "colors" we all experience each and every day.

This super colorful book about feelings for preschoolers with simple text and even simpler illustrations is captivating for young children. With bright and bold kid-like drawings, this book is one that little hands like to pull off the shelf and re-read time and time again. It's so important for little ones to connect with their emotions and recognize that our feelings are ever-changing!

When this young boy feels big emotions, he often feels overwhelmed and confused as to why he has to feel all the feelings so deeply. He soon meets a friend who helps him learn that feelings come and go and that embracing your feelings helps you feel less alone and brings you more joy!

Did you know that crayons have feelings too? Yup, we get to hang out with crayons as they share how colors are often related to how we feel. Most importantly, sometimes we feel a whole rainbow of colors because we can feel more than one feeling at the same time! Simplistic and adorable, this book is a fun read with helpful insight into our emotions.

Did you know that your heart is like a house, with all the feelings living inside? In this gorgeous book with a corresponding die-cut heart on every page, we journey through our emotions and experience the ups and downs. With nine amazing books about feelings for preschoolers in the series, there are plenty of books to choose from that will make sure your preschooler appreciates and understands those powerful emotions.

This is a much-needed story in any preschool classroom! This book walks readers through examples of specific situations that can create each emotion, reminds children that those emotions are normal, and teaches children how to process that BIG feeling. From frustration to nervousness to love, this little big book is a great book to refer back to when those powerful feelings strike.

Some Days by Karen Kaufman Orloff

With rhyming text and colorful illustrations, this book is a great example of our everyday life. Some days are full of joy and splashing in the mud, and some days we race after the bus and don't have the day we planned. Orloff encourages readers to find delight in each day.

Books For Dealing with Anger

Anger is a challenging emotion in preschool because it takes SO much practice and repetition to channel that rage into a calm and collected reaction. These books have absolutely amazing ideas to help kids accept the anger, feel the fire, and then cool off in some amazing ways.

Mouse learns there is no right or wrong way to feel your feelings. Are you feeling mad? Do you stomp, hop, scream, or roll around on the ground? Or perhaps you stand perfectly still and take deep breaths to help calm down? If so, then you and Mouse have something in common. Mouse soon teaches all his animal friends to breathe alongside him as he works to release his anger.

Kids relate to the emotional drama of this book as Sophie's BIG emotions loom in the air, heavy and seething. The illustrator draws a large fire-breathing roar as Sophie gets angry that she has to share her toy. Sophie goes on a mental journey to cool herself down and finds, in the end, that painting helps her to reconnect with her happier self. A perfect read for preschoolers who are learning to cope with life skills like sharing, taking turns, and waiting.

A classic tale, Where the Wild Things Are pays homage to using our imagination to cope with anger and frustration. Max, the little boy in the story, has a tantrum and is sent off to his room. While in his room, he paints us a wild imaginary picture of traipsing through an island where the Wild Things live. This story has so many teaching opportunities for young children and is a great way to model that we have the ability to calm ourselves by using our impressive imagination.

Ravi is having a hard time. Most days he doesn't mind being the smallest one in his family but today... he can't control his temper any more! This raging little boy turns into a wild tiger and everyone leaves him alone. But Ravi soon finds out that it's lonely being a tiger because no one wants to play with him when he's acting so aggressive. This book is a great example of how it really feels to be mad when you are in preschool with a focus on how to manage it.

Books For Developing Kindness

If there is one thing I want for my own children and my students, it's the ability to be kind. Using the power of books about feelings for preschoolers, we can model examples of real-life kindness. This gives preschoolers a concrete model of what kindness looks and feels like. Enjoy these favorites, and don't miss the many more we have in our full list of books on kindness for kids.

An ideal book for using with preschoolers on the importance of treating others with kindness and compassion. We follow Brian through his days at school where he feels invisible. One day a new student joins his class and makes him feel welcome, and they both end up finding a way to shine in their own unique ways. A truly inspiring story for preschoolers and older kids alike!

The novel, and subsequent movie Wonder, inspired a national movement to Choose Kind. The author took the same story and designed a picture book for younger readers that tells the story of a young boy who doesn't look like everybody else. He struggles with other people being unkind or pointing at him and being rude. He wishes for a day that all the people can see and look with kindness. He knows best of all... that we are ALL wonders.

With its simple plot and clever metaphor, McCloud teaches young children the power of positivity - in both behavior and actions. Written to help young students understand how words and actions make others feel, it models that positive words and actions "fill" our bucket while hurtful things "dip" into our bucket and steal our joy. It is so helpful for children who are still learning to use kind words, share, and be respectful. It's one of the best books for preschoolers!

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller

What does it mean to be kind? In this story, we follow along with a young girl who is trying to figure out how to be kind to another classmate who spills grape juice all over her dress. Being kind takes practice and focus and no matter big or small, any act of kindness brings joy and contentment to all around.

What a world it would be if we simply passed it on! If we pass on our smiles and giggles, delight, and wonder to the next person we see, we would find that sharing these moments of happiness gives us so much delight in return. A heartwarming and lively story that is a perfect circle time read and a favorite book to revisit.

One thing is certain, real-life situations help kids make connections to their own lives. This clever author uses a young classmate to walk us through all the ways she is kind throughout the day. She uses kind words, helps her peers, uses manners, and shows the best way to be a friend! Each page ends with the same phrase, "This is what I would want someone to do for me"! A great read to help children see the value in how they would want to be treated and how that translates into treating others.

Ninjas are fun for all ages, right? This life-hack series of Ninjas include books that focus on anger, anxiety, laziness, dishonesty, and many more. In this book about kindness, we learn that being kind is a choice and one that the Kind Ninja hasn't always made. The author uses wit and bold pictures to convey this powerful and important message.

Books For Coping with Nerves or Anxiety

Nerves and anxiety are difficult emotions to regulate, especially in preschool! Preschoolers often worry about small moments and their anxiety can become so overwhelming that they may miss out on important experiences. These books make sure to focus on the power of sharing your worry so that an adult or friend can help you work through that struggle.

Have you ever had a worry that grew bigger and bigger until it was all you could think about? Ruby finds her first worry and it becomes so large and nerve-wracking that it starts to steal away her happiness. Until she meets another boy who has anxiety and worries too. She starts to realize that everyone has worries too...and the only way to get rid of those worries for good is to talk about them.

Everyone worries and feels anxiety from time to time, but what happens when you can't think of anything else? Wilma Jean feels ALL the worries and her mind just can't stop. What should she do? Her mom and teacher come up with a plan and Wilma Jean's "worry flu" starts to subside. Using the tools from this book, you can help your preschooler feel in control of their anxiety and remember that talking about their worries is the only way to cope.

Wemberley is a worry-wart. All-day long she worries. She worries about spilling her juice, snakes, you name it... she worries about it. So of course, she worried about her first day of school! Will Wemberley ever let go of her anxiety and enjoy school? When she meets another classmate with worries like hers, she realizes maybe it's time to let some of it go!

What do you do with the worries you feel? Murray Bear learns that it feels better to write down his worries and put them in the worry box. While the worry doesn't disappear, it helps Murray Bear know that his worry is tucked away safely for another time while he focuses on the fun of right now. Coping with our worries is all about easing some of that anxiety and learning how to manage our nerves.

Journey on this rhythmic and inspiring picture book of the magic of Yet. Put simply, Yet refers to the things that children can't do 'yet'. A truly heart-warming tale that gives children peace of mind that although some tasks might seem too difficult right now, Yet is waiting around the corner! Developing a growth mindset at an early age is so important so that young children see that they really can do anything their heart desires, but it might just take a bit of resilience and patience.

Books When You're Feeling Grumpy or Sad

Feeling grumpy? It happens. Some days are like that. The problem with grumpy days is that they don't typically just stay with the grumpy person...they pass onto others and have a way of making others feel down and sad too. Sometimes we need grumpy days or days spent on our own and that's ok too.

A super silly take on helping our friends when they are feeling down. Piggie is on a mission to make his friend Elephant feel better. Kids LOVE Mo Willems stories because they are relatable, silly, fast-paced, and always make us smile!

The perfect book to help little ones recognize their feelings and accept that all emotions are welcome, even grumpy ones. As all of Jim's friends try to help him feel less "grumpy", Jim realizes that sometimes you just need a day to be grumpy and that's ok too. This book hones in on an important lesson - we can't always have great days, but tomorrow always starts a brand new day.

Poor Penguin is in one of those moods...you know the kind where you are grumpy from your head to your toes? He learns that doing one of his favorite things (playing in the bath) helps him feel better! Maybe washing away those grumpy feelings is just the trick for a brand new happy day. Such a sweet and simple story that resonates with preschoolers who can't shake the blues!

Bird woke up on the wrong side of the nest. In fact, he woke up SO grumpy that he was too grumpy to eat, play, or even fly! Grumpily, he decided to walk. As he began walking, animals from all around decided they would walk with him too. After five animals join Bird on his walk, he stops, stands on one leg, and jumps. All the animals mimicked him! This made Bird happy and suddenly the grumpy mood was forgotten. Sometimes a little distraction is the best cure for the grumpy time blues.

Laughter really is the best medicine. Maya wakes up grump, grump, grumpy. She grumps and growls at everyone in the house. Not to worry, her Gramma knows just the trick... a little humor goes a long way when we are feeling cross. Maya's grouchiness fades away and is replaced by fun times with her Gramma and outside play.

Books that Promote Self-Control

These books are some of the books that we read on repeat every week throughout the school year. They remind children that self-control is a personal decision. These incredible stories give gentle reminders and offer tips and tricks to being in charge of your body, all the time.

This is the perfect book for helping young children understand the power of their choices throughout a typical day. Each page arrives with the tagline, "What if everybody did that?" and is followed up by fantastic illustrations and dialogue that help children imagine what it would actually be like if everyone broke the rules. This book highlights the need for rules in order for us to enjoy school, our outside world, and help keep things from becoming too chaotic. It answers the 'why' for lots of kids too!

Louis can't seem to control himself and interrupts because he has so much to say! He erupts like a volcano and all his thoughts and words come pouring out and he just can't control himself. Told from the child's perspective, we get an insight into how hard it is to wait for our turn but also how much Louis dislikes being interrupted himself. Louis soon learns a few different strategies for how to be respectful and wait for his turn to speak.

Isabella loves to share! She just can't control her loud voice and it's starting to bother her classmates and teacher. Her teacher introduces the strategy of voice volume and what voice level to use during different daily situations. This gives Isabella more confidence and she begins to communicate more appropriately. Ideal for almost every preschooler who at some point or another, needs to learn volume control for various settings.

Sitting still is a HARD task for most preschoolers. While completely normal and appropriate for their age, there are still times in the day when sitting still and being calm are necessary. In this book, we follow Louis through his day and sympathize with how hard it is to not wiggle! Little kids are made to move, so with a few smart strategies, every kid can become the boss of the ants in their pants!

Books That Inspire Friendship

It's so important for preschoolers to make lasting friendships. But at this stage in development, it can be downright hard for little kids to manage conflict and communicate with each other. Friendship stories are so valuable as a teaching tool and a great way to build a classroom community. Don't miss our full list of friendship books for kids.

On Pet Club day, all the local children are invited to bring their pets to show and tell. But when the young boy shows up, they won't allow his pet elephant to join in! The Pet Club doesn't understand that friends come in all shapes and sizes, so he sets out to make a new club... a club where EVERYONE is welcome! The author frequently uses the tagline, "Because that's what friends do," which really opens the door to thoughtful conversation about what friends really do for each other and how kindness starts with one action.

This clever title showcases the importance of getting to know others before we decide whether or not to like them. In this story, a young boy is feeling disgruntled by a certain new neighborhood boy and shares with his father that he has an enemy. His wise old dad shares his recipe for Enemy Pie (which is really quite yummy) in an effort to sneakily trick him into learning more about this new neighbor and perhaps, they don't have to be enemies after all. This friendship book is so cleverly written and so engaging that it's a great fit for just about any age!

This timeless story shares the message of sharing, giving, and being thoughtful of others and their feelings. A great read for young students about how sharing what you have fills your heart with happiness and joy and brings you great friendships.

Books That Calm and Promote Mindfulness

Deep breath in, deep breath out. Imagine if we raised an entire generation of kids who knew how to regulate their bodies when they needed it? That starts with stories, practice, and making mindfulness fun and appealing.

Poor Little Monkey...he's having a very bad day. After a big tantrum, he heads to his room to try and calm down. He makes great calming decisions like singing to himself, taking deep breaths, and having a comforting cry. With very simple text and pictures, it's the perfect and quick book to read during a moment of anger or frustration to help teach coping techniques, and learn that it's okay to start over.

These calming down techniques from A to Z are sure to be a lifesaver for preschoolers! With only one sentence to a page and full-page detailed illustrations, this book is ideal for grabbing when your preschooler needs a gentle reminder to breathe, count, or even grab a healthy snack to reset and refocus our energy.

A gorgeous collection of calming techniques, games, and exercises for preschoolers! Young children will learn different techniques for focus, relaxation, imagination, and even channeling their energy. A great parent and teacher resource to use with kids of all ages!

Belly breathe, jelly breathe, no matter what you call it, taking a deep breath is always a good idea when you're feeling wild. Preschoolers love the animal characters all taking deep breaths and will want to join along! Simple, concise, and adorable, this book is a must-have for making good choices and promoting mindfulness.

A perfect addition to these mindfulness books are our FREE animal yoga cards! They're great for introducing yoga in the home or classroom in a fun, approachable way. Fill out your information below and we'll send them right over!

Books About Being Unique and Special

We are all made so wonderfully different, and celebrating that with our preschoolers sets our children on a path to be remarkable humans. These books celebrate the wonder of the human race and the beauty of differences. For more books just like this, check out our list of books that celebrate differences!

Todd Parr does an incredible job appealing to young readers with bold colors and beginner text. The simplistic drawings engage students while still stressing the importance of having differences. Some differences include having a missing tooth, having a different nose, needing extra help, or enjoying macaroni and cheese in the bathtub. This book puts the silly in being different while sending a crystal-clear message of acceptance.

With 10 easy-to-understand life concepts, this informative book appeals to kids of all ages and models the importance of believing in yourself, building confidence, sharing the good with others, and many more. A reader's guide at the end helps the adult reinforce these valuable skills and celebrate the incredible child in your life.

The breathtaking illustrations are the first thing you'll see when you open this book, followed by the lovely message of diversity and acceptance. The children in this tale embark on creating their very own hot air balloons. Some work alone and others together, some are chatty and some are quiet. One thing is true, we can all be one thing - kind and compassionate for one another. This book celebrates each uniqueness inside all of us and reminds us to use that superpower as a strength.

Build self-esteem and learn about our marvelous characteristics with this adorable story. Alex is learning about how his laugh and the way he thinks are different from his friends. But maybe different isn't a bad thing...maybe it's marvelous!

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40+ Books about Feelings for Preschoolers

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We have put together the ultimate list of 40+ books about feelings for preschoolers! This list of incredible preschool books covers all aspects of social-emotional development, from understanding and recognizing emotions to how to cope with those BIG feelings. After you check these out, don't miss the rest of our compilation of the best preschool books!

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Way to create sensory bins based on emotions.

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This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure for more information.

Starting a new school year creates all sorts of big feelings. Some students are excited, others nervous, and some are sad because they've never been away from their caregivers. Some might even be angry! Most often, however, students feel the whole range of emotions all mixed together in a short period of time. Having a preschool emotions sensory bin in the classroom is perfect for the beginning of the school year.

While playing at the sensory table, students will have a chance to relax, get to know each other a little better, and talk about their feelings if they want to. It's a perfect "All About Me" sensory table opportunity!

Check out this Resource from my Shop!

Assembling the Emotions Sensory Bin

Putting together an emotions sensory bin is easy! Just gather the supplies and place them in the table. Here's what you'll need:

Pour the pom poms into the sensory bin and use the clear contact paper to adhere the monster labels to the plastic carafes. Create emotion labels, or download, print, and cut out the linked ones in the list above. The students sort the pom poms by color. There are many opportunities for talking at this center. Teachers can lead discussions about the different feelings the monsters are showing. Additionally, opportunities for color sorting practice occur as the pom poms are matched to the containers.

Benefits of a Sensory Table in the Classroom

Classrooms benefit from a center that provides sensory input and calming activities as well as opportunities to explore. A sensory table offers these advantages as well as opportunities for:

language development

problem-solving

building nerve connections

developing motor skills

Read All About It

A great way to introduce the little monster sorting bottles at the emotions sensory bin is to read The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions by Anna Llenas. This insightful book assigns a color to each emotion. Yellow for happiness, red for anger, blue for sadness, and so on. This book also comes in a pop-up version that will surely be a big hit with young readers. Just be sure to keep the tape close by as this book will be well loved!

Expression Through Art

The art center is a favorite of many preschoolers, making it another great space to talk more about emotions. Some children don't know how to verbalize their feelings yet, so art can be a creative outlet for expression. With an activity like scribble art, students can scribble out their feelings on paper and then apply expression stickers to show what they're feeling.

Talking about our emotions is not just a beginning-of-the-year activity. Students, like adults, constantly feel a spectrum of emotions throughout their day and school year. Reading about their feelings helps young learners understand their emotions and manage them better. Check out The Ultimate List of Emotion Books for the Preschool Classroom for some great classroom reads to consider throughout the entire school year.

It is also important to remember that children look to their teachers to gauge the emotional setting, so it is vital to remain calm and model gentle, problem-solving behavior. So regardless of the emotional learning opportunities provided in the classroom, remember to "Keep calm, and carry on!"

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This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure for more information. Starting a new school year creates all sorts of big feelings. Some students are excited, others nervous, and some are sad because they've never been away from their caregivers. Some might even be angry!

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I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings

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I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings

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Pre-K to 2nd grade. This friendly picture book helps young children make sense of mixed-up emotions.

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Lory Britain Ph.D. (Author), Matthew Rivera (Illustrator)

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I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings

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I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings [Britain Ph.D., Lory, Rivera, Matthew] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings

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Student anxiety is at an all time high. With grade level standards becoming more rigorous, and state tests looming, teachers are feeling more pressure than ever to prepare students. That pressure is also felt by students and parents. Teaching healthy coping skills is critical for today's hectic classroom. By addressing mental and physical well-being, optimal learning can take place. Check out these easy steps to relieve stress in your students and have them self-regulating in no time.

Download Calming Apps

The Calm App and Headspace are popular apps that have been used in child therapy for years. You can also use them for yourself as a form of self-care. Show students how to use them at home. If you are lucky enough to have devices at school, download these calming apps for students to use in calming corners. Check out more apps for teachers and students here.

Teach Breathing Techniques

Show students how to take a moment to focus on their breathing. A quick youtube search will direct you to some amazing breathing techniques like belly breathing, the 4-7-8 technique, and take 5 breathing.

Get Silly

Kids will stop and pay attention when you do something silly or unexpected. My secret? Llamas! Using llama themed activities is a more engaging way to take a serious subject and make it light and easy to talk about and empower students.

The ther-llama-ter is a tool for labeling levels of stress and identifying coping skills that are appropriate for each level. After coloring in their level of stress, students can be guided through coping skills that may help at each level. From breathing skills to journaling, students find their favorite way to self-soothe. Read about more calming activities here.

Anxiety is a serious topic, but it doesn't have to be difficult to talk about. There are so many engaging resources available these days. I'd love to hear about your favorite ways to relieve stress in your students.

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Relieve Stress in Your Students with the Calming Llama

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Student anxiety is at an all time high. With grade level standards becoming more rigorous, and state tests looming, teachers are feeling more pressure than ever to prepare students. That pressure is also felt by students and parents. Teaching healthy coping skills is critical for today's hectic classroom.

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Easy Self-Regulation Strategies for Kids! | Kids coping skills, Coping skills activities, Social emotional activities

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Dec 12, 2021 - This Pin was created by Kindergarten Cafe on Pinterest. Easy Self-Regulation Strategies for Kids!

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Interesting way to look at friendships.

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Learning to be a friend is an important skill and sometimes it is hard for students to understand how their behavior can impact their friendships. This lesson makes learning how to be a friend fun, exciting, and memorable! I like to dress up in a white lab coat, rubber gloves, and safety goggles on my head to get the kids excited about the lesson. Imagine the students' faces when they find out we can do science experiments to explain friendship behavior!

I wanted to create a hands-on lesson that students would remember so I started with the concept of attractive & repelling friendship behaviors. I told a story about a new student with repelling behaviors. To model the reactions of students, the Repelling Pepper Experiment is demonstrated. See an example of this science experiment here. Next, I retold the story with a better outcome. To model the students' reactions, the Attracting Pepper Experiment is demonstrated, See an example of this science experiment here.

Next we practiced labeling attractive and repelling behaviors through playing an interactive sort on the SMARTboard. If the behavior was attractive, it would stick to the magnet. If the behaviors were repelling, they would be repelled back!

Then students got physically involved and became Human Magnets. I placed a hula hoop on the ground and had a student stand in the center. 4 other students stood on the outside of the hula hoop. The student in the center read a scenario from a Magnet Manners Card. The students on the outside of the hula hoop stepped closer if the behavior was friendly, or they moved further away if the behavior was negative. Here are some of the Magnet Manners Cards:

Our final science experiment demonstrated how words are like toothpaste...once they're out, you can't put them back! We made Elephant's Toothpaste. See an example of this science experiment here.

I am sure students are going to remember this lesson for years to come!

After completion of the lesson, students were able to:
* Understand the importance of using friendly behaviors.
* Identify behaviors that repel friends.
* Identify behaviors that attract friends.

I also sell this lesson on TPT. You can find it here.

What is included in this packet?
1. Science Behind Friendship Lesson Plan (4 pages)
2. Science Behind Friendship interactive SMARTBOARD NOTEBooK (9 slides)
3. Science Experiments Step by Step Directions (2 pages)
4. 24 Magnet Movement Cards (4 pages)

Not sure if you can do these science experiments? Sure you can! Watch these videos to see how easy it is!

Repelling Pepper Experiment, copy & paste into your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho0o7H6dXSU

Attracting Pepper Experiment, copy & paste into your browser: https://www.youtube.com:watch%3Fv=Y2JDZ9s86CM

Elephant Toothpaste Experiment, copy & paste into your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edEfc_fIGXs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edEfc_fIGXs

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Learning to be a friend is an important skill and sometimes it is hard for students to understand how their behavior can impact their friendships. This lesson makes learning how to be a friend fun, exciting, and memorable!

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Make a courage jar to help encourage kids to conquer their everyday fears.

"I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."

Everyone needs a little courage sometimes. My twins are heading to kindergarten this week and I'm not sure who needs to be braver: them for heading to a new school or me for letting them go.

Actually I know they will do great, and after a few tears I'll be OK too. But there will be many times when we all need encouragement to face new things that are a bit scary. This month our Family Dinner Book Club is focusing on courage, and I've created a fun DIY activity that will help inspire your entire family to triumph over their everyday fears.

This post contains affiliate links. See my Disclosure Policy for details.

Exploring Bravery & Courage with Family Dinner Book Club

Every month, our Family Dinner Book Club brings parents and kids together to explore a character trait with books, a themed meal, and an activity. This month we are exploring bravery & courage with a picture book by a truly courageous and inspiring woman.

How to Make a Courage Jar

For our bravery inspired activity, I decided to make a courage jar. This is a really great way to help encourage everyone in the family, as well as to start some conversations around times that we see or show courage in our daily life. Making a courage jar is super easy and requires just a few supplies.

Complete Your Family Dinner Book Club Night

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Make a courage jar to help encourage kids to conquer their everyday fears. "I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." Everyone needs a little courage sometimes. My twins are heading to kindergarten this week and I'm not sure who needs to be braver: them for heading to a new school or me for letting them go.

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Teaching resilience with activities and steps

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Teaching resilience with activities and steps

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As a parent, you wish you could protect your children from every disappointment, defeat, or scary challenge.

Although this isn't possible, you can teach your children to be resilient.

Resilient children have grit . When they encounter a difficult problem, they try to solve it instead of giving up. When bad things happen, they quickly bounce back, ready to face the next challenge. When they make mistakes, they grow and learn from them. Resilient children are hopeful, optimistic, and strong.

So while you can't shield your children from life's difficulties, you can provide the tools they'll need to navigate them successfully. Here are five tips to help you raise a resilient child.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our FREE When I Feel Worried Poster. Use this popular printable to make a plan with your child for when their worry shows up. Your child will have a list of their own coping strategies to calm their worry and anxiety.

1. Be a Supportive Role Model

According to the Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University, the "single most common factor" for children who develop resilience is at least one stable, committed relationship with a supportive adult role model.

Foster and encourage relationships with strong and positive adults, and continue being the supportive role model your child needs.

Humor in the face of mistakes or difficulties is another positive tool you can model for your child, according to developmental psychologist Dr. Ashley Soderlund.

Think about how you want your child to handle challenges in life, and lead by example. Surround them with stable and positive adults, and they'll l earn to be strong and positive , too.

2. Let Children Make Mistakes

When your child does a hurried, poor job on a school project, you may feel a strong urge to help them improve or fix it. If you're busy at work and your child calls to say they left their homework on the table, you may want to rush to the rescue.

Stephanie O'Leary, a clinical psychologist specializing in neuropsychology, agrees, explaining that experiencing failure helps children learn coping skills. Failure teaches perseverance and problem-solving . It causes children to think about their actions and how to avoid repeating these mistakes in the future. Yes, says O'Leary, the short-term results of preventing our children from making mistakes will be "more smiles and fewer tears." But the long-term results may be weak coping skills and a lack of resilience.

In the real world, we won't always be there to run interference for our children. As difficult as it is, we must learn to sometimes stomach our child's temporary discomfort with the knowledge that this is the only way to build much-needed coping skills. Plus, it's better to let our children make mistakes and learn from them now while the consequences are small - rather than later, when consequences become more serious.
(see our detailed guide on how to praise your children)
3. Praise Children the Right Way

When a child with a growth mindset makes a mistake, the child focuses on how to improve next time. When a child with a fixed mindset makes a mistake, they're more likely to believe that failure is the result of personal characteristics, such as, "I can't spell," or "I'm just not good at math." Encouraging your child to embrace a growth mindset will help them become resilient, persistent, and eager to tackle challenges head-on.

The Big Life Journal-2nd Edition is a great tool to guide your child (and you) on the growth mindset path. The real-life stories, writing prompts and questions help develop social and emotional skills (SEL) and growth mindset skills.

4. Teach Children to Manage Emotions

Managing emotions is key to developing resilience. In fact, researcher John Gottman says emotional coaching is the key to raising resilient and happy children. In his book "Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child" - based on 30 years of research - Gottman outlines three steps to emotional coaching.

The first step is to teach our children that ALL emotions, even the worst ones, are okay. Negative emotions can be opportunities to learn about ourselves, grow, and learn how to cope with these feelings effectively. This step also involves helping your child label and validate his emotions. For example, you might say, "I understand you're feeling angry because Joey wouldn't let you play with his toys."

The second step is to deal with bad behavior, if there is any, in order to set limits. For instance, if your child threw a tantrum, they would face the consequences at this point. Explain that your child is not in trouble for feeling angry; they're in trouble for the way they handled their anger.

Ask your child if there's anything they want to talk about, and patiently listen to their feelings. If there has been a conflict between you and your child, try to set aside your feelings and listen to their side of the story, then talk through it and work together to resolve the disagreement. As children learn to manage emotions in a healthy way, they will also learn to be more resilient. They will be able to deal with life's challenges and disappointments with emotional maturity instead of tantrums, breakdowns, and giving up.

Don't forget to download our FREE When I Feel Worried Poster so your child has a list of their own coping strategies to calm anxiety and worry.

5. Teach Children to Problem Solve

Lyons states that we should give our children frequent opportunities to learn what works and what doesn't. This means that we shouldn't immediately rush to solve problems for our children or tell them the best solution. Trial and error is one of the best ways for our children to learn. This, too, is uncomfortable but necessary.

Children who know how to tackle challenges head-on will grow to be resilient. These children can take failures and disappointment in stride, knowing that these are only problems to be solved.

Sometimes, life can be confusing, challenging, and disappointing. As we send our children out into the world, we want to be sure we've given them the tools they need to solve problems, bounce back from challenges, and remain positive.

Start by being an example of resilience for your child and surround them with other adults you feel are positive role models.

Praise effort and improvement so your child will learn to embrace, rather than avoid, challenges.

Foster independence in your child when it comes to making mistakes and solving problems. Letting go - even just a little - isn't easy, but we need our children to learn to stand strong on their own.

Teach your child that it's ok to feel even the worst emotions, as long as they manage them appropriately instead of acting out or shutting down.

We can't - and shouldn't - keep our children in a bubble or hold their hands through life, but we can give teach them the extremely valuable tool of resilience.

Looking for additional resources to build your child's resilience? Be sure to check out our Best Sellers Bundle PDF (ages 5-11). It includes our three most popular printable kits packed with science-based growth mindset activities, guides, and crafts for children. With over 50 pages, this kit will help your children or students understand they have the capacity to learn anything.

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How To Raise Resilient Children Who Never Give Up

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As a parent, you wish you could protect your children from every disappointment, defeat, or scary challenge. Although this isn't possible, you can teach your children to be resilient. Resilient children have grit . When they encounter a difficult problem, they try to solve it instead of giving up.

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Examines overcoming anxiety and worries by confronting different situations. Ages 4-9.

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Twitchly Fidget won't shampoo, eat his cereal, or put on his sneakers. He won't even go to a parade (what if he got sucked up into a trombone?) or a marshmallow roast (might he get stuck?) or a Fourth of February party (would he be buried in confetti?). In Twitchly's imagination...

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Looks at how we feel, what we feel, and how everyone else feels too. Ages 4-7.

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Everyone on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Everyone

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Introduces the topic of empathy. For ages 4-9.

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Stand in My Shoes: Kids Learning About Empathy

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Stand in My Shoes: Kids Learning About Empathy [Sornson Ph.D., Bob] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Stand in My Shoes: Kids Learning About Empathy

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Great resource for ways to approach kindness conversations and activities both at home and at school.

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RAKTIVISTS®

There are currently 45,508 RAKtivists. Click here to become our newest RAKtivist!

ACTS OF KINDNESS

If all 45,508 RAKtivists did just one act of kindness a day... that would equal 16,610,420 a year!

There are Random Acts of Kindness (RAKtivists) in 89 countries & on every continent except Antarctica.

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Free 24 week kindness at home lessons & activities to fill your home with kindness.

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Little Parachutes: Picture books to help children

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Little Parachutes helps you to find children’s picture books about your child’s worries, experiences and milestones. Our children’s book reviews library contains hundreds of picture books about sharing, moving house, starting school, potty training and the arrival of a new baby. There are also children’s books about more challenging situations: bereavement, adoption, divorce and serious illness.

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Here is a link to different TED Talks that can be shown to kids that focus on Growth Mindset. Great resources to watch!

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Looking for a fabulous resource for igniting discussion about having a growth mindset with your kids? Look no further! These 10 TEDTalks are guaranteed to inspire children at school or home to reach their goals despite any difficulties or obstacles they may encounter.

I admit it, TEDTalks might just be my all-time favourite, free learning resource! But what is not to love??! Here we have ten fantastic growth mindset videos exploring important mindset themes such as stamina, perseverance, overcoming obstacles, reaching for the impossible, overcoming procrastination, striving to achieve your goals, and more, available at just the touch of a button! Love!

10 Growth Mindset Videos for Kids

Students who struggle in science courses often have the mentality that scientific process and discoveries are adult ventures. It's hard to imagine that experiments and the scientific method can apply to their current reality. Neuroscientist Beau Lotto teams with 12-year-old student (and scientist, yes, she's a published researcher with her classmates) Amy O'Toole. Science is for all ages, and scientific discoveries are not limited to the old, college-educated folk. O'Toole's talk will inspire budding scientists to reach their goals and help resistant science students to see that science is for everyone.

Angela Duckworth and grit are household names in education circles (and in many households as well). Her "grit" theory goes hand-in-hand with growth mindset. Her talk focuses on how grit or that stamina, hard work, and sticktoitiveness is more of a predictor of success than IQ and academic talents. Use this talk to start a discussion with your children about what it means to have grit and what obstacles they've had to overcome. You may be surprised at the stories you'll hear from your students or even your own children.

A mentee of Angela Duckworth (yes, the GRIT guru from the last TEDTalk) discusses how sometimes grit just isn't enough for some students. Anindya Kundu teaches college students about inequality and race in education. His TEDTalk focuses on young people who have overcome obstacles due to racial inequality, health, and poverty, sometimes with the help of others. Watch this with your children and be prepared to be inspired.

Talk about empowering. Adora Svitak was just 12 years old at the time of this talk. Her messages is to adult and kids alike. Embrace childlike wonderment and reach for the impossible. Watch this with your kids. You'll both learn a lot from this young, articulate, and fascinating speaker.

It's hard to imagine an 9-year-old giving a TEDTalk let alone starting his own business. Noah Diguangco refused to be "put into a box" by adults and accept the limits put on children in the world. He talks about how he can do anything and how he upcycled items to start his own business when he was seven. This talk is perfect for inspiring entrepreneurs or kids who have heard, "you can't do that."

It often seems like the opportunities at school are often given to the most outgoing children with inherent leadership skills, but introverts have so much to bring to education and the world, Susan Cain explains in her TEDTalk. These contemplative, amazing individuals may be in your classroom or home. Share this talk with them.

Tim Urban's TEDTalk may have you giggling because his message is so relatable to anyone who's even put something off. Waiting until the last minute to get things done can be a challenging habit to overcome, and Urban walks your children through his recovery (or lack thereof).

Hannah Nodskov was bullied mercilessly in middle school. Her TEDTalk focuses on the benefits of being bullied. Although it was incredibly painful, her bullies gave her the courage to be unique and forge her own path. Hannah is now a fashion designer whose gorgeous full-figured fashions have graced New York runways. Her story shows how adversity can turn into a passion and a way to show her bullies how amazing she really was and still is today. Hannah's talk will give your children a chance to reflect on their own experiences with bullying, whether they were the bully, the victim, or the bystander. Use this as a discussion to empower them and fight against bullying.

Another TEDTalk about bullying from two fifth graders, Jayden and Preston Garmo, reminds students to focus on positivity and the good in the world to combat the hate that comes with being bullied. It's always nice to see a message of healing and growth from elementary students. Share this with your children, old and young, to give them hope.

Liz Power's TEDTalk is about opportunity. Her presentation at TEDxYouth talks about "joblifting", where jobs are created for those struggling based on their talents. It began as a movement with her own non-profit, "Artlifting" where homeless and other struggling artists created their own works for sale to give them opportunities for growth and to fulfill their potential. For Powers, it's not about handouts; it's about opportunities. Ask your children and students how their own talents can be translated into opportunities for growth.

These 10 growth mindset TEDTalks to show your students and children range from the inspirational to the hilarious. No matter which ones you choose, they are bound to start important conversations with your children about resilience and their own personal talents. Which TEDTalks would you add to this list?

Looking for even more growth mindset learning resources? Check out our big list of Growth Mindset Picture Books and our list of Growth Mindset Books for 10-14 Year Olds, or this list of 15 Anti- Bullying Videos for Kids.

Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

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Growth Mindset Videos: 10 Inspiring TEDTalks to Share With Your Kids

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Guaranteed to inspire kids of all ages, these 10 TEDTalks make the perfect jumping off point for opening discussion about growth mindset at home or school.

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Some tips and tricks for teaching problem-solving across different age groups.

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Suggestions for healthy ways of managing conflict.

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Step-by-step worksheet to either write or discuss what the situation was, associated thoughts/feelings/behaviors, and the outcome.

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A tool to help expand kids' emotional vocabulary.

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Ways to reframe some negative words or terms that kids' sometimes use to describe themselves or others.

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Great tool to teach kids about how to ground themselves in the moment. This can be done silently, written down, or share with someone else which makes it helpful in many different situations! Additionally, it is easy to use without drawing attention to themselves.

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This is a great sheet to help practice using "I" statements as well as using active listening to respond.

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Easy way to describe active listening to younger kids and calling it whole body listening.

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Tools to help kids understand the difference between passive, assertive, and aggressive communication.

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Ways to reframe some thoughts to be oriented towards a growth mindset.

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Here are some sentence starters kids can use when apologizing.

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Great way to look at kids emotions and needs. Describes what can fill or empty someone's cup. This can be helpful so that if someone is feeling "empty" they have suggestions for what they can do to "fill" it.

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More sentence starters and examples of what apologizes may or may not look like.

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Good way to help kids look at what their problem is and what steps they may need to take.

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Checklist with suggestions for how to cope with anger in the moment.

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Here are 10 games that can be played to help teach different social skills.

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What's inside this article: 10 games that teach social skills to children. Includes how playing games builds social skills, and what skills are learned while playing individual games.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

In childhood, play is the basis of almost all learning. Research shows that play-based learning is more effective than other teaching methods, such as direct instruction.

How Does Play Teach Social Skills?

Through play, children can explore, discover, find meaning, problem solve, and take risks. These are all important aspects of learning and strengthening social skills.

Playing with others helps children learn social cues, listening, perspective taking, turn-taking, sportsmanship, and how to share ideas with others and negotiate if necessary.

With guidance, playing also helps kids learn self-regulation. As kids play, they experience emotions like frustration and anticipation. With the support of an adult, this is an excellent opportunity to practice expressing and coping with these feelings safely and appropriately.

Structured games can also target specific social skills, helping kids hone in on specific skills that need development while also building other social-emotional skills.

Games That Teach Social Skills

One of the easiest ways to turn a social skills lesson into a play-based learning activity is by playing games - board games and card games work well.

There are numerous games available that are designed to teach social skills, but a lot of the traditional board games also have elements that help kids further their social development.

1. Candy Land

Recommended for ages 3+.

Candy Land is a great game for preschoolers because there is no reading required to play the game.

This game introduces younger children to the basic of playing games and a few important social skills:

Following instructions

Turn taking

Sportsmanship

2. Guess Who

Recommended for ages 6+

Do you remember playing Guess Who as a kid? This was a favorite of mine. Kids take turns asking yes or no questions about the features of the characters on the cards, narrowing down the possibilities until they can guess which character card the other player has.

This game helps children practice social skills like:

3. Hedbanz

Recommended for ages 8+, or Hedbanz Junior for ages 5+

Hedbanz is similar to Guess Who, except you're wearing a card on your head that everyone can see except you. You ask the other players questions to determine which card you have.

The game comes with a timer, and during your turn you ask as many yes or no questions as you can before the timer runs out. This aspect helps kids practice working under pressure, which many people find stressful.

Social skills practiced while playing hedbanz:

4. Jenga

Recommended for ages 6+

This is a well known classic. To play Jenga, you must remove wooden blocks from the tower and place them on top, without the tower toppling over.

I like this one for kids because it helps them learn social skills, such as:

Patience

Self-control

turn-taking

Handling disappointment or frustration

5. Charades - Recognizing social cues and body language, working as a team

Recommended for ages 4+

Charades is a fun to play game for all ages and helps kids build social skills such as:

team work

recognizing social cues

reading body language.

This children's version of charades doesn't require any reading, so even younger children can play. However, you don't need to buy anything to play charades. You can write different charades on plain paper and draw them out of a basket.

If you're making your own charades, you can also create cards for different emotions, or different social interactions.

6. Connect Four

Recommended for ages 6+

Connect Four is a personal favorite in our home. If you aren't familiar with the game, the objective is to create a row of four checkers, while blocking your opponent from doing the same. Players have to readjust their strategy based on the other plays moves, which helps develop flexible thinking.

Playing connect four practices social skills such as:

7. Battleship - conversation skills, listening and attention, strategic thinking

Recommended for ages 7+

Battleship is a strategy game for ages 7+ (according to Hasbro), but I personally find 7 is a little young to play the game unless your child has a strong number sense because following the coordinates can be a bit tricky.

You play by placing your ships on your grid, then taking turns, calling out plot points, you attempt to locate and sink the other player's battleship. You can also play this game with a pen and paper - instructions here.

While playing battleship, kids practice:

8. Perfection

Recommended for ages 3+

Do you remember playing perfection as a kid?

I've heard people describe it as stressful to race to place the pieces into the correct molds before the timer runs out and all the pieces pop out. And that's due to a combination of anticipation and working under pressure.

That's also what makes this game helpful for teaching social skills. Kids practice:

staying calm under pressure

dealing with anticipation

perseverance

stress tolerance

9. Apples to Apples Junior

Recommended for ages 8+

Another favorite among my own kids, Apples to Apples junior is a comparison game. Players select a red Apple Card from their hand that they think is most like the green Apple Card played by the judge. The judge selects the winner of the round. Everyone takes turns being the judge.

This game helps children practice important social skills like:

Perspective taking

Flexible thinking

Since there are no right or wrong answers, the game does a really good job of showing children that different people see things from different perspectives and think about things differently.

10. Dungeons & Dragons

Recommended for ages 12+

Dungeons & Dragons, along with any other collaborative role-playing games, target many more complex social skills. These games are recommended for older kids, but are a play-based way to help your teen or preteen learn social skills and meet friends.

Kids must interact with others, problem-solve, work collaboratively to attain a common goal, and communicate to achieve conflict resolution.

We haven't tried this one personally (yet), but it's recommended for social development by experts at Harvard.

These skills can help older kids develop skills that will help them with the more difficult social situations that come up as they approach adulthood.

If you're not sure which RPG board game to try, according to Above House, these are the 12 best RPG Board games.

One of the best ways for children to learn new skills is through play-based activities. Board games and collaborative games are both great ways to add a play - based element to teaching important social skills.

Playing games helps teach children about sportsmanship, turn taking, problem-solving, following the rules and flexible thinking. Some games also help kids practice listening skills, and conversation skills, too.

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10 Games That Teach Social Skills * Raising An Extraordinary Person

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What's inside this article: 10 games that teach social skills to children. Includes how playing games builds social skills, and what skills are learned while playing individual games. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. In childhood, play is the basis of almost all learning.

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At-Home Activities for Social-Emotional Learning

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At-Home Activities for Social-Emotional Learning

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You've likely heard of the many benefits that come from adults keeping gratitude journals. This daily dedication to giving thanks is not just beneficial for adults! Keeping a gratitude journal helps children increase their self-awareness and self-management; this daily time to express gratitude allows children to reflect on their lives and focus on positive aspects.

Create a gratitude journal - somewhere that your child can write something for which they are feeling grateful that day. Your child can decorate the front or even create the book themselves for added ownership and fun. Rather than write broad gratitudes like "family" or "food," try to encourage more specific aspects of their lives. Use questions to help encourage deeper thinking and more precise gratitudes:

2. Create a glitter jar

Certain visual stimulation can awaken our senses and calm feelings of anxiety or anger. Watching glitter swirling and floating in a jar of water can encourage children's self-management, as they learn to pick up their glitter jar and calm their strong emotions with greater independence. While your child grows more practiced in using their glitter jar to manage strong emotions, you can help support them with prompts like these:

To create your own glitter jar you will need a jar, airtight lid, water, and a bit of glitter. This fun hands-on art activity will last a long time if handled with care, and offer great opportunity for social emotional learning. If you want to avoid the possible mess of a physical glitter jar, you can alternatively find similar effects online. For example, try the Augmented Reality (AR) glitter jar feature on the app, Wisdom - Kingdom of Anger.

3. Write a letter or draw a picture for a loved one

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5 Easy Social Emotional Learning Activities For Kids To Do At Home - Better Kids

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New to social emotional learning and asking "how do I support my kid's emotional health"? Or looking for more fun activities to do with kids near you (e.g. at home)? There are lots of simple ways to do both!

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Here is a link to multiple articles that relate to anger management, strategies, techniques, tools, etc.

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Anger Management and Emotional Release Techniques

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List of 50 strategies to help kids cope and calm down.

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Navigating childhood challenges can be stressful, and sometimes deep breathing isn't the solution that works for your child. When your child is in need of tension relief, try one of these techniques:

1. Try an inversion. For centuries, Yogis have understood the calming power of bringing the head below the level of the heart, otherwise known as inversion. Whether it's relaxing in child's pose, bending over to touch your toes, or practicing a headstand, inverting the body has a restorative effect on the autonomic nervous system, which controls the body's response to stress.

2. Visualize a quiet place. Research has shown that visualization is beneficial for a range of populations to reduce stress levels. Ask your child to close their eyes and picture a calm, peaceful place. Then, gently guide them to slowly start to build up a picture of how it looks, smells, and feels to be there.

3. Drink water. Dehydration has been linked to a reduction in mental performance. Pour your child a tall class of cold water and have them sip it slowly. You can try this with them, and observe the calming effect this has on your own nervous system.

4. Sing out loud. Everyone knows the sweet relief associated with rocking out to your favorite tune. But the physical act of singing out loud, even if it is off key, has been shown to release endorphins, the "feel good" chemical in the brain.

5. Do the "Downward Facing Dog" pose. Just like inversions help reset the autonomic nervous system, the yoga pose known as Downward Facing Dog in particular has the added benefit of activating several muscles in the arms, legs, and core. This stretch helps muscles begin to burn additional blood glucose that is made available by the body's fight or flight response.

6. Paint it out. Not only does painting give the brain something to focus on other than the stressor, but participating in visual arts has been linked to resilience to stress in general. If the thought of dragging out the tempera gives you stress, have your child try "painting" with shaving cream on a plastic shower curtain in the yard. Not only is clean up a breeze, but your child will smell great when they are finished.

7. Jump rope. Set a timer for 2 minutes, put on some music, and challenge your child jump to the beat of the song. If your child isn't able to jump rope, playing hop scotch is a great alternative.

8. Jump high. Challenge your child to a jumping contest to see who can jump highest, longest, fastest, or slowest. This is another great way to get in some exercise to help your child blow off some steam.

9. Blow bubbles. Just like blowing on a pinwheel, blowing bubbles can help your child gain control of their breathing and thus, their mental state. Bonus: Running around popping bubbles is just as fun as blowing them.

10. Take a hot bath. After a long day at work, there is nothing more relaxing than laying in a bathtub of hot water with the lights turned down and no interruptions. The same holds true for kids. Use bath time as a chance to help your little one unwind from the activities of the day. Introduce a few simple bath toys and allow your child to relax as long as they need to.

11. Take a cold shower. While the complete opposite of a hot bath, cold showers actually have a restorative effect on the body. Not only do cold or even cool showers reduce inflammation in the muscles, it improves heart flow back to the heart, and leads to a boost in mood. One study on winter swimmers found that tension, fatigue, depression, and negative moods all decreased with regular plunges into cold water.

12. Have a cozy drink. There is a reason why many people herald September as the beginning of Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) season. Drinking a warm drink on a cool day makes your body feel warm, almost like a hug from the inside. Giving your child a warm hot chocolate or warmed milk with a splash of vanilla will elicit the same response you have over that first sip of your PSL.

13. Blow out a candle. Light a candle for your child to blow out. Then re-light it and move it further and further away from them, so they have to take deeper and deeper breaths to blow it out. This is a great way to practice deep breathing, while making a game out of it.

14. Watch fish. Have you ever wondered why there is always a fish tank in hospitals and medical centers? The University of Exeter in the UK did, and found that watching fish swim in an aquarium reduces blood pressure and heart rate. Better yet, the larger the fish tank, the greater the effect. The next time your child needs to calm down, take them to the local lake, hatchery, or aquarium for a little fish-watching therapy.

15. Count backwards from 100. Not only does counting give your child a chance to focus on something other than what is bothering them, counting backwards offers an added concentration challenge without overwhelming their brain.

16. Repeat a mantra. Create a mantra that you and your child can use to help them calm down. "I am calm" or "I am relaxed" work well, but feel free to get creative and make it something personal to you and your child.

17. Breathe into your belly. Most of us breathe incorrectly, especially when we are in a stressful situation. Have your child think about their belly like it is a balloon. Tell them to breathe in deep to fill the balloon, and breathe out to deflate it. Repeat this simple process 5 times and notice the effects.

18. Shake a glitter jar. "Calm Down Jars" have been making their way around Pinterest for a while now, but the concept behind them is sound. Giving your child a focal point for 3-5 minutes that is not the stressor will allow their brain and body to reset itself. These jars can be made simply from sealed canning jars filled with colored water and glitter or with baby food jars filled with warm water and glitter glue.

19. Go for a run. Running has been shown to reduce stress, and can sometimes be more effective than a trip to the therapist's office. Going for a 10 minute jog can not only affect your child's mood immediately, its effects on their ability to cope with stress can last for several hours afterward.

20. Count to 5. Just when it seems as though they "can't take it anymore", have your child close their eyes and count to five. This form of 5-second meditation offers the brain a chance to reset itself and be able to look at a situation from a different perspective. It also gives your child a chance to think before they act in a volatile situation.

21. Talk it out. For children who are able to verbalize their feelings, talking about what is bothering them gives them a chance to let you know what is going on while processing it for themselves. The trick is to resist the urge to "fix" the problem. Your child needs you to listen and ask appropriate questions, not offer unsolicited advice.

22. Write a letter in the voice of your BFF. We would never talk to our best friend in the same critical way we talk to ourselves. The same is true for our children. Tell them to be kind to themselves, and ask them what they would tell a best friend to do in their situation.

23. Decorate a wall. We're not talking about paint and decor, but poster tack and pictures from magazines or printed from the internet can give your child a chance to create large-scale temporary art in any space. The creative process is what is important, not the end result.

24. Create a vision board. Have your child cut out words and pictures from magazines that speak to their interests, desires, and dreams. Then have them glue these pictures and words onto a poster board to display in their room. Not only does the process of creation allow them to think about what they want from life, displaying things they love gives them an opportunity to focus on what is really important when they are upset.

25. Give or get a bear hug. Hugging allows your body to produce oxytocin, a naturally occurring hormone in your body necessary for immune system function. Not only does a 20 second hug reduce blood pressure, increase feelings of well-being, and reduce the harmful physical effects of stress, both you and your child will reap the benefits!

26. Walk in nature. According to Stanford scientists, walking in nature has been proven to improve cognition and reduce stress. Even if you do not have time to spend the 50 minutes researchers did, taking a 15 minute walk in nature works can be just what your child needs.

27. Envision your best self. This is a great way to motivate your child to work toward a goal. Have them write down where they would like to see themselves in a week, a month, or a year, with this specific goal in mind.

28. Blow on a pinwheel. Similar to the candle exercise, blowing on a pinwheel focuses more on controlled exhalation rather than deep inhalation. Tell your child to make the pinwheel go slow, then fast, then slow to show them how they can vary the rate at which they blow out the air in their lungs.

29. Squish some putty. When a child plays with putty, the brain's electrical impulses begin firing away from the areas associated with stress. Try a store bought putty or make your own.

30. Take up pottery. Much in the way playing with putty fires electrical impulses in your child's brain, sculpting with clay or throwing pots can have a similar effect. It also has the added benefit of being considered "active learning", a powerful condition that allows your child to learn through exploration.

31. Write it out. For older children, journaling, or writing their feelings down can have a profound effect on their mood, especially if they can do so without the fear of having it read. Give your child a notebook to keep in a safe place, and allow them to write about how they feel, assuring them you will not read it unless they ask you to.

32. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude. A cousin to "write it out", gratitude journaling has been linked to better performance in the classroom as well as a reduction of stress outside of learning environments. Having a separate notebook only for things your child is grateful for will give them the freedom to keep their journaling activities separate.

33. Name your emotion. Often when children become overwhelmed, it is because they have difficulty identifying the negative thoughts they are having. Whether your child is quick to anger, panic, or obsess to ensure things are perfect, ask them to give this feeling a name, and help them talk back to it. For instance, by asking your child, "is Mr. Perfect bothering you again?" you can work together to help them challenge their perfectionism, rather than fight them over it.

34. Rock in a rocking chair. Not only does rocking in a rocking chair provide non-weight bearing strengthening to the knees and core, its repetitive nature offers stress-relief as well. Rock in a rocking chair with your child or allow them to rock by themselves as a way to self-soothe their frenzied emotions.

35. Push against a wall. This trick is perfect for allowing the body to get rid of stress hormones without having to go outside or even leave the room. Have your child try to push the wall over for 10 seconds, 3 times. This process allows the muscles to contract in a futile attempt to bring the wall down, then relax, releasing feel-good hormones into the body.

36. Crinkle tissue paper. Babies are inherently aware of this trick as one of their favorite things to do is crinkle paper. Not only does crinkling tissue paper provide a satisfying noise, the textural changes in your child's hand sends sensory feedback to the brain in a pathway away from those associated with stress.

37. Pop bubble wrap. Anyone who has received a package in the mail knows the joy of popping row after row of bubble wrap. The same material can be found at most retailers and dollar stores and be cut into manageable pieces for stress-relief anywhere, anytime.

38. Roll a tennis ball on your back. An old physical therapy trick, rolling a tennis ball on your child's back will give them a gentle massage when they are most in need of a calming touch. Focus on the shoulders, neck, and lower back as these are typical places where the body holds tension.

39. Roll a golf ball under your feet. Rolling a golf ball under your child's feet can not only improve circulation, but there are pressure points on the bottom of the feet that relieve stress and relax the muscles of the feet and legs. Roll over the entire sole of your child's foot using various pressures for maximum benefit.

40. Go to your calm down space. Having a designated "Calm Down Space" in your home gives children an opportunity to retreat when they feel out of control and rejoin the group when they need to. It is important to make this space comfortable so your child wants to visit it when they are in need of a self-imposed "time out".

41. Play music. Music has a profound effect on mood, sleep, stress, and anxiety. Use a variety of musical styles to set the tone in your home, car, or your child's room.

42. Have a dance party. Adding a physical component to your musical enjoyment gets your kids moving and is a fun way to be active. Crank up the tunes and have a dance party in your living room when your child is in a bad mood and watch their mood transform.

43. Do a primal yell. Sometimes all of your child's emotions are simply too much to contain in their body. Have them stand with their feet shoulder width apart and imagine their feelings boiling up from their toes through their legs and body, and out of their mouths. They don't have to yell words, or even maintain a certain pitch, just whatever comes out that feels good to them.

44. Change the scenery. How many times have we thought to ourselves, "Just walk away," when confronted by a big emotion? Your child may simply need a change of scenery in order to calm down. If you are inside, head out. If you are outside, find a quiet space indoors. Either way, change the scenery and you will likely change the mood.

45. Go for a walk. There's a real reason people go for walks to clear their heads. Not only is the fresh air and exercise restorative, but the natural rhythm walking creates has a self-soothing quality. Take your child on a walk, and they may even open up to your about what is on their mind.

46. Plan a fun activity. When you are in an anxious moment, it can seem as though the walls are closing in and the world will come to an end. Some children need to focus on what is ahead of them in order to reset their internal dialog. Plan something fun to do as a family, and let your child have a say in it. Any topic that will get them focused on a future something to look forward to can be helpful.

47. Knead the bread. Grandmothers around the world will tell you that the process of bread making is a tremendous stress relief. Simple recipes are abundant online that allow your child to get their hands dirty turning and pushing dough. The best part is that at the end, you have homemade bread to show for it!

48. Make a bracelet. Crafting in general can facilitate a state of "flow" or a state characterized by complete absorption in an activity. The same concept can be extended to knitting, crochet, folding laundry, or any activity where your child forgets their external surroundings.

49. Get on a bike. Bicycling for children has largely become a thing of the past. With the introduction of bicycle lanes and paved trails in urban areas, bicycling is safer than ever and can be a powerful form of self-soothing. Not only is it easy on the joints, it promotes balance, exercise, and can be done with the whole family.

50. Take a coloring break. It's not without good reason that restaurants give children coloring; it gives them something to focus on, and can be a great mindfulness activity that reduces anxiety. Make a trip with your child to pick up some crayons and markers, and get them excited about filling in the pages of a coloring book.

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50 Calm-Down Ideas to Try with Kids of All Ages | GoZen!

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50 amazing calm-down ideas for kids when they feel anxious, angry, or fearful. These are great for adults too.

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Forbidden Island is a great game to work on cooperation and communication skills. It is a family favorite in my house and a great way to play together, while working towards a common goal.

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The island is sinking! Will the brave adventurers save the treasures in time?

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Blank Slate is a fun family game where you have to try to connect with other players (but not too many) in order to win points. It is a fun way to connect with family or friends. Highly recommend for game nights!

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BLANK SLATE™ - The Game Where Great Minds Think Alike | Fun Family Friendly Word Association Party Game

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Pick one of over 250 Word Cue cards (with 500 total cues), write the word you think best completes the phrase - and try to match it exactly to another player's word without giving a single hint.

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A great family movie that focuses on growth mindset. The catch phrase is "Keep Moving Forward" and seeing failures as an opportunity to learn and grow. If you are looking for a family movie, this is a great one to watch!

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Lewis is a brilliant young inventor who sets off on a time-traveling quest to save the future and find the family he never knew. With the help of the wonderfully wacky Robinson family, Lewis learns to keep moving forward and never stop believing in himself.

Directed By

Written By

Robert L. Baird, Joseph Mateo, Nathan Greno, Michelle Bochner, Don Hall, William Joyce, Jon Bernstein, Daniel Gerson, Aurian Redson, Shirley Pierce

Cast

Dara Mc Garry, Matthew Josten, Stephen J. Anderson, Ethan Sandler, Don Hall, Dara McGarry, Tom Kenny, Jordan Fry, Ethan Sandler, Stephen J. Anderson, Harland Williams, Ethan Sandler, Stephen J. Anderson, Ethan Sandler, Angela Bassett, Daniel Hansen, Nicole Sullivan, Wesley Singerman, Ethan Sandler, Ethan Sandler, Don Hall, Tom Selleck, Dara McGarry, Ethan Sandler, Adam West, John H. H. Ford, Laurie Metcalf, Jessie Flower, Tracey Miller-Zarneke

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Join Lewis, a brilliant young inventor who sets off on a time-traveling adventure to find the amazing family he never knew.

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Great movie with the focus on emotions.

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Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it's no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions - Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley's mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley's main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

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Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it's no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions - Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).

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Puzzle can be a great way to reinforce the importance of cooperation and teamwork. It can provide an opportunity to work together and communicate with others to complete a task.

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A children's picture book read aloud that discusses the difference between "fair" versus "equal."

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Fun Children's Book Reading with Pictures about Fairness

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A video showing "five finger breathing" and allows you to practice during the video.

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Five Finger Breathing | a simple guided breathing exercise for kids

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Focusing on a growth mindset.

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Here are some explanations and examples of different active listening techniques.

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Website with tips and suggestions for how to help kids learn listening skills through some practice and activities.

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When I was getting my master's degree in Counseling we had to do a lot of listening skills activities. We spent hours learning and practicing to be good at listening. You would think that all of that practice would easily translate into my role as a parent.

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A good example of what someone's crisis plan could be. This could be used when needing to ensure safety or to help kids recognize their triggers, supports, coping skills, etc.