5 Educational Toys to Help Children Regulate Their Emotions
Helping children develop emotional regulation through play is essential for their overall well-being. These five toys can assist parents in teaching their kids to manage emotions in a fun and engaging way.
1. Weighted Blankets
Age Group: 3-6 years
Benefits: Weighted blankets help children feel secure and calm, providing a sense of comfort that aids in managing stress and anxiety.
How to Use: Children can wrap themselves in the blanket when feeling overwhelmed, using the weight to soothe their emotions.
Time: 10-15 minutes during moments of emotional distress.
Materials Needed: A soft, child-sized weighted blanket.
Guided Comfort: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to talk children through calming techniques while using the weighted blanket.
2. Emotion Cards
Age Group: 4-7 years
Benefits: Emotion cards help children learn to identify and label their feelings, supporting emotional awareness and regulation.
How to Play: Show children cards with different emotional expressions and discuss what each emotion represents. Ask them to share a time when they felt the same.
Time: 10-15 minutes of emotional discussion.
Materials Needed: A set of emotion flashcards.
Parent Involvement: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to engage children in conversations about their emotions using the cards.
3. Glitter Jars
Age Group: 3-6 years
Benefits: Glitter jars provide a visual tool to help children calm down and focus, offering a relaxing way to manage anxiety and stress.
How to Play: Children shake the jar and watch the glitter settle while taking deep breaths, promoting calmness.
Time: 5-10 minutes when emotions are high.
Materials Needed: A jar filled with water, glitter, and glue.
Guided Relaxation: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to guide children through breathing exercises while watching the glitter settle.
4. Playdough for Emotional Expression
Age Group: 3-6 years
Benefits: Playdough allows children to express their feelings creatively by molding different shapes and faces to represent their emotions.
How to Play: Children use playdough to create faces that show happy, sad, or angry expressions, helping them express their emotions through art.
Time: 15-20 minutes of creative play.
Materials Needed: Non-toxic playdough in various colors.
Parental Support: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to guide children through making different emotional expressions with the playdough.
5. Emotion Plush Toys
Age Group: 4-7 years
Benefits: Plush toys with different emotional expressions help children recognize and discuss their feelings by role-playing with the toys.
How to Play: Children use the plush toys to act out emotions and situations, learning how to communicate their feelings.
Time: 10-15 minutes of role-playing.
Materials Needed: Soft plush toys with various facial expressions.
Parent Involvement: Parents can use 3Miles kids Walkie Talkies to guide children through emotional discussions using the plush toys.
