Big feelings can be really big for kids in Special Education. A moment of frustration, disappointment, excitement, or overwhelm can quickly turn into tears, yelling, or difficulty calming down. The good news is that young children can learn simple strategies to recognize their emotions and begin managing them with support.
Helping Kids Understand Big Feelings
Before children can calm their bodies, they need to understand what they are feeling. Simple language such as, “You look frustrated,” or “Your body is telling you that you need a break,” can help children connect emotions with physical sensations and behaviors. Visual supports and social stories can be especially helpful because they make abstract ideas about emotions more concrete and easier for young learners to understand.
Simple Calming Strategies to Teach
Here are a few strategies you can practice with preschoolers when they are calm:
Name the feeling: Teach children simple emotion words such as angry, sad,
Take deep breaths: Encourage slow breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Take a quiet break: Create a cozy, predictable space where children can take a moment to reset.
Use movement: Stretching, walking, jumping, or other gentle movement can help release built-up energy. worried, frustrated, and excited.
Ask for help: Remind children that they do not have to manage big feelings alone.
The key is to practice these strategies before a big emotional moment happens. When children have used a calming strategy many times while regulated, they are more likely to remember it when they need it.
Make Calming Skills Interactive
Learning about emotions works best when it is hands-on, visual, and repetitive. Interactive social stories can provide children with a predictable way to explore what big feelings look like, how they might feel in their bodies, and what they can do to feel calmer.
My Calming Strategies Adapted Book | Big Feelings Interactive Social Skills Story was created to support young learners as they explore big emotions and practice appropriate calming strategies. The adapted-book format makes the story accessible and interactive, while giving children repeated opportunities to identify feelings and learn what they can do when emotions become overwhelming.
Whether you are a preschool teacher, special education professional, therapist, or parent, this resource can be a helpful addition to your social-emotional learning routine.
Also inculded in the Interactive Social Skills Story Bundle
