Pediatric Mental Health Blog
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Art Therapy: Emotion Storms
Looking at a storm through a window allows us to see what’s happening while staying safe inside. In a similar way, this therapeutic art activity gives kids an opportunity to conceptualize, visualize, and explore different emotions from a safe distance. Read on to learn how to do it!
10 Hands-On Therapeutic Activities for Kids
From a therapeutic perspective, interventions that utilize hand-on learning techniques can lead to increased interest, motivation, engagement, and progress! Here we have collected 10 of our favorite hands-on therapeutic activities to help kids develop emotional literacy, build self-esteem, practice coping skills, manage behavior, and recognize values.
Alphabet Feelings
"Alphabet Feelings" provide a framework for adults to help kids to systematically explore different emotions, scenarios, and coping skills. Print this FREE resource and check out our other recommended ways to exercise social and emotional learning.
3 Empathy-Building Activities for Kids
By regularly practicing empathy, children learn to recognize unique perspectives and exercise compassion for themselves and others. Empathy allows kids to navigate difficult situations, support others (and themselves) in need, and recover from setbacks. Empathy is a key component of resilience and a growth mindset—learn how to nurture it through 3 simple activities!
Oobleck and Transformative Nature
Oobleck is a fun and easy demonstration of a non-Newtonian fluid. Non-Newtonian fluids are kind of like us—their behavior is variable depending on stress! This hands-on sensorial experiment can help kids understand that stress (anxiety, frustration, disappointment, failure, anger) can change our behavior.
Read on to learn how to make Oobleck and how to talk to kids about transformative nature.
The Value of Emotional Literacy
Emotional literacy is an important piece of the holistic development of children. By deliberately modeling and exploring emotional literacy, we prepare kids to flourish through resiliency, empathy, and connection.