5 Educational Toys to Help Children Improve Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is a vital skill for young children to develop. These five educational toys can help parents support their child’s emotional growth while also encouraging play and learning.
1. Sensory Fidget Toys
Age Group: 3-6 years
Benefits: Fidget toys help children manage anxiety, stress, and hyperactivity by providing a calming, tactile experience. They promote self-soothing behaviors and emotional regulation.
How to Play: Children manipulate the toy by squeezing, twisting, or stretching it, which helps them release excess energy.
Time: 5-10 minutes of play can help children manage their emotions.
Materials Needed: Soft, squishy toys such as stress balls or fidget spinners.
Communication Tools: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to guide their children through different calming exercises with fidget toys.
2. Emotion Flashcards
Age Group: 4-6 years
Benefits: Emotion flashcards help children recognize and label their feelings, an important step in emotional regulation.
How to Play: Show children cards with different facial expressions and ask them to identify the emotion. Then, discuss situations where they may have felt that way.
Time: 10-15 minutes of guided play can help children express their emotions more clearly.
Materials Needed: A set of flashcards with different emotional faces.
Parent Involvement: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to check in with children during play and encourage emotional discussions.
3. Playdough
Age Group: 3-6 years
Benefits: Playdough helps children relieve stress and express emotions through creative play. It promotes emotional regulation by providing an outlet for frustration.
How to Play: Children can mold and shape playdough into different forms, using their creativity to express feelings.
Time: 15-20 minutes of play is ideal for emotional expression and stress relief.
Materials Needed: Non-toxic playdough in various colors.
Guided Play: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to guide children through creative exercises, asking them to express certain feelings with the playdough.
4. Feelings Chart
Age Group: 4-7 years
Benefits: A feelings chart helps children identify their emotions and understand how to manage them. It encourages self-awareness and emotional regulation.
How to Play: Ask children to point to or color the emotion they are feeling on the chart, then discuss why they feel that way and how to handle it.
Time: 5-10 minutes per session.
Materials Needed: A printed or digital feelings chart with different emotions.
Parent-Child Interaction: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to guide their children through identifying and discussing emotions using the chart.
5. Calming Glitter Jars
Age Group: 3-6 years
Benefits: Calming glitter jars provide a visual aid to help children calm down during moments of emotional distress. Watching the glitter settle can reduce stress and anxiety.
How to Play: Shake the jar and ask children to watch the glitter settle as they take deep breaths, encouraging relaxation.
Time: 5-10 minutes during moments of high emotion or anxiety.
Materials Needed: A jar filled with water, glitter, and glue.
Guided Relaxation: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to talk their children through calming exercises while watching the glitter settle.
