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An array of suggestions and some wonderful articles on using books to support emotional literacy. The page also gives age recommendations for the suggestions.

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If you are looking for books relevant to any aspect of mental health, wellbeing, illness or emotional literacy, this site offers a wealth of reviews - and…

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support your child to move through their emotions to find a calm place with the colour monster

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Colour Monster -How are you feeling today ?

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Colour Monster -How are you feeling today ?

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Six sides of Breathing- Emotional regulator 

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Six sides of Breathing- Emotional regulator 

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Not a read but a ready to use resource to support regulation and anxiety at home!

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The 5-4-3-2-1 Method: A Grounding Exercise to Manage Anxiety

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PAT parents and carers: Helping your child cope with anxiety

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Parent Carer workshop recording - Anxiety and Worries

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Separation Anxiety - Managing separations when your child feels worried about school.

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A one page top tips for parents to support transitions

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Find Your Feet: Transitioning to secondary school

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Find Your Feet: Transitioning to secondary school

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A film that reassures children that they’re not alone when it comes to their worries about secondary school

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Welcome to the Grand Hotel of Feelings, where all kinds of feelings come and stay. Every guest has unique needs. Anger, for example, is very loud and needs plenty of space to scream and shout. Sadness speaks in a small voice and occasionally floods the bathroom. Gratitude likes wandering about in nature; you never know when she might come and sit by your side.

'An accessible entry into discussions on the complexity of feelings, this picture book will be returned to time and time again.' –Foreword Starred Review

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Brukner has 3 books on the focus of regulation

While 'Awesome and in control' is aimed for children 7- 14

her two other books; How to Be a Superhero Called Self-Control!: Super Powers to Help Younger Children to Regulate their Emotions and Senses and Self-Control to the Rescue!: Super Powers to Help Kids Through the Tough Stuff in Everyday Life are targeted towards 4-7 year olds. These books were recommended by Bath and North East Somerset Specailist Autism Support Service however regulation tools are great for all children!

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There is also a Starving the Anger Gremlin by this Author

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PAT webinar for parents and carers: Resilience for Learning and Wellbeing

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Life can be tough for children with modern day pressures. It can result in anger, worry, anxiety and emotional overwhelm. If your child is experiencing stress at school or home, such as friendship issues, exams or sibling rivalry Chatterminds can help.

Chatterminds helps to...

Equip children and adults with the skills and benefits of mindfulness

Enable young people to name and recognise different emotions and how they feel in the body

Empower young people to regulate their emotions and foster an ethos of kindness and gratitude

Support young people with their friendships, giving them the confidence to stand up for themselves whilst still being kind

Build resilience and self-esteem

Equip young people with skills to nurture their mental health, with an emphasis on positive self-care

Why not join the Chatterminds Facebook group?

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Life can be tough for children with modern day pressures. It can result in anger, worry, anxiety and emotional overwhelm. If your child is experiencing stress at school or home, such as friendship issues, exams or sibling rivalry Chatterminds can help.

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Using growth mindset language insead of fixed mindset can make all the difference in a child's mentality to tasks. For this to be effective, we have to follow this too!

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This fun rhyming tale acknowledges the big emotions that little ones experience and enables 2 to 4 year-olds to find a vocabulary for the way they…

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Wonderful resource by UNICEF with a few tips on stress relief. Aimed at teens for self help but great for parents to read to support primary ages children

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Fantastic website that offers support on a whole host of friendship related issues. Activities for children and offers support/advice to parents in guiding children through:

Making friends

Conflicts

What makes a good friend

Bullying

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Bullying Advice For Parents & Carers | Help Stop Bullying

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Expert advice on bullying concerns. Call our Parent Advice Line for impartial support and guidance. Visit our website to learn more about Kidscape.

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This pack has activities and tips to support your child's mental health

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To celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week 2026, Place2Be is happy to share an activity to explore this year’s theme: This is My Place.

Belonging is the feeling of being a valued part of the groups and places that are important to us. It means feeling cared for and comfortable to be ourselves.

This resource encourages children to explore their sense of belonging by creating a personal map, which can include places, groups, or activities or something not physical, where they feel they belong.

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Five tips on how to support children through restraint collapse

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Picture the scene: your child comes out of school and the teacher says they've behaved like the perfect child all day, but the moment you get home they have a complete meltdown. Your child screams, shouts, lashes out, sulks or generally acts in an unruly manner.
If that scene is familiar to you, you're not alone. This type of behaviour is what some psychologists refer to as 'after-school restraint collapse' and it's not unusual. It happens because your child has been busy managing their emotions all day as they navigate the complexities of school life.

When they get home, that's their safe space to let it all out!

So, now you know what it is, what can you actually do about it? Parents' Toolkit has been speaking to educational and child psychologist Dr Anisa-Ree Moses, for some tips on how to handle these outburst of emotions after-school.

1. Understand how hard school can be for some children

Dr Anisa-Ree Moses says that children can feel emotional, physical and mental exhaustion at the end of the school day. They have been trying to manage a mix of things like learning, social expectations, their own growing social awareness and all the feedback they're getting from teachers and peers.

"When they come out of that environment a pressure valve is released. If kids feel safe to express themselves, they will do so!"

The transition from school to home can also be challenging for some children: "Some kids may have difficulty separating from their parents. It's a relief when they see them, because their parent or carer represents a level of safety, but they're frustrated at the same time - the child wants them but is finding connection difficult at that moment. It's a positive reunion but it's also really emotional and can be hard for some children to channel."

Dr Moses adds that it can be particularly difficult for neurodiverse children who are coping with sensory sensitivities and the effort of containing a lot of emotions. When they come out of school they often can't hold it all in any longer.

For older children, she also says the transition home can be tricky too. They need space and time after school - they might not want to talk to you about it or will go to their room for a bit first.

Dr Moses suggests having a think about what your child needs when they come out of school.
"Do they need to go and run around the school playground a few times and let go for a bit before they walk home? Do they need movement or do they need a healthy snack? Or quiet time alone with no music or no chatting on the way home in the car or bus?"
It will be different for different kids, but Dr Moses suggests trying to be quiet on the walk or ride home.
"Connect with your child. Not by asking 'how was your day?' but through genuine emotional connection. You could say 'I'm so happy to see you, I'm glad we get to go home together, it made me happy coming out of school this way'. Being calm and using supportive words is important for your children."

She adds: "Include some downtime rather than moving straight on to homework or out to a club, so that your child can decompress. They might enjoy their clubs but still feel anxious, so build in downtime first and make their routine clear, visual and written down if they need that. You can also ask them what will help, for example drawing, reading a book or even just relaxing for a bit. Do it with them and help them to see they can do things to support themselves."

"Be understanding of their emotions - help them feel listened to if they want to talk about what's gone on, or be angry."
"You could say 'I can see you're shouting. I can see you want to be really loud, maybe let's go to the park on the way home'. Validate how they feel rather than try and control it. If they are impolite in the moment, come back to that later - talking at that moment won't help."

"Help them feel listened to and respected and make a genuine connection."
Dr Moses says the after-school 'meltdown' is an expression of emotion that often comes out physically. As parents you can recognise and label it so your child can see if for what it is.
"For example, 'I can see you are kicking the bin, I can see you're clenched and red, I can hear you're shouting and that's making me think you're angry, so I want to help you. However, here's not the safest place to do that, let's go to the park, etc.'"

"Build their emotional vocabulary and link it to the emotion - then they can tell you what they're feeling. You can say things like 'I want to help you. I can't do that when you're screaming. Let's take a deep breath, both of us.' Acknowledging it helps children to not feel alone."
With older children, Dr Moses says it's often more about them not wanting to talk or engage in any discussion about school.
"Especially for those who see school and home as two completely separate things. Just encourage them to build their emotional vocabulary, and be interested in what's happening in general in their life."

She adds: "Questions like 'how was your day?' will get a grunt or 'it's fine'. Think about what you are trying to find out. Can you remember an assignment they had or what they were going to be talking about with their friends? And connect by saying 'I'm happy to see you and hope you've had a good day' until they feel ready to come and have a conversation. Then offer yourself as being there, offer yourself as someone who wants to help and is interested in what's going on.

"Help them feel listened to and respected and make a genuine connection."

Dr Moses says your child might also be upset when they come out of school if there were any difficulties that day that weren't addressed, or there's something unresolved that's happened.

If your child's behaviour after school changes or is different to what's usual for them, try and find out if there are things happening during the school day that are affecting them.

"Think about whether you need a home-school communication book, so that you know whether what's been happening in school could trigger what happens at home. Information from school can help parents know how to approach a situation and whether there's something that needs resolving."

Connection is a great way for your child to know they're loved and that you're there for them, no matter what.
It could be snuggling up in bed, reading a book together, playing a quick game, or just having a chat.

Dr Moses suggests thinking about what your morning routine is like: "Is there anything you can build in there that can help them feel connected to you? I know this can be hard, I know how frustrating and annoying school runs can be! Let them know you're looking forward to seeing them later, just for who they are, not for what they've achieved."

She adds: "If your child is finding separation difficult, can you give them a note or something of yours to have in school? For some children, knowing that Mum or Dad is a phone call away and it won't be withheld from them helps them more.

"Also think about whether you have conversations about emotion at home. It's about helping your children with emotional literacy, building resilience and problem-solving skills, as well as building in transitioning - learning how to make things more predictable so that transitions are not as big and scary. Children are better able to manage their emotions if they know what's going to happen."

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Five tips on how to handle the after-school 'meltdown' or 'restraint collapse'

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'After-school restraint collapse' isn't unusual. Your child has been busy managing their emotions all day and when they get home, it's time to let it all out! Here are some expert tips on how to cope as a parent.

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After-school restraint collapse is a common, normal, and biological, rather than behavioural, phenomenon in which children release bottled-up emotions, stress, and fatigue in a safe space. This can look different from child to child, from heavy snacking and lying down to watch tv to tears, and 'hair-trigger' anger. Children need time and space to regulate and carry on with their day. Here are a few things that can help.

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Printable guidance on afterschool meltdowns

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Printable guidance on afterschool meltdowns