Helping children learn how to manage big feelings is an important part of early social-emotional skill-building and emotional regulation. When we see little ones act out with aggression or challenging behaviors, it is often a sign that they need help learning and practicing strategies to calm their bodies and minds so they can navigate big emotions. In this article, we share simple activities designed to create calmer classrooms by helping children learn to recognize and manage their feelings in healthy ways.
Promoting self-regulation skills in early learning classrooms leads to calmer, more peaceful learning environments, while also equipping children with tools that will help set them up for success in elementary school and beyond.
When young children become upset, angry, or overwhelmed, they often act out those emotions with challenging behaviors, such as hitting, biting, and yelling. This happens because little ones have not developed the skills to understand, express, and manage their feelings. When we help young children learn strategies to calm their bodies, we are giving them tools to regulate their emotions and reduce tantrums and outbursts.
A practice brief from the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), explains, “Self-regulation has a foundational role in promoting well-being across the lifespan…Supporting self-regulation development in early childhood is an investment in later success, because stronger self-regulation predicts better performance in school, better relationships with others, and fewer behavioral difficulties.”
As early care & learning providers, we can help young children develop a toolbox of social-emotional skills by ensuring that brief moments of mindfulness are built into their daily routines. Mindfulness tools are more likely to be effective when they are connected to playful learning activities, rather than being introduced for the first time to a child who is already upset. As little ones become more comfortable with mindfulness practices, they will have an easier time utilizing them in moments of anger, frustration, or overwhelm.
Belly breathing is a term that describes slow, deep breaths using the diaphragm. With belly breathing, we breathe in so deeply that we can observe our stomachs expand, and then exhale completely until our stomachs contract. Little ones might enjoy practicing mindful breathing with pinwheels or bubbles to encourage slow, steady breaths. You might also place fragrant items such as fresh flowers nearby, and invite the children in your care to breathe in slowly through their noses so they can enjoy the sweet scent.
Soothing mindful movement activities allow children to become aware of the body-mind connection. Mindful movements are slow, controlled motions, such as stretching while taking deep breaths or engaging in simple yoga moves, that help children calm their bodies and minds. Find simple strategies for incorporating yoga into your early learning classroom with this G2K article from the archives: Benefits of Yoga in Early Childhood.
When our bodies and minds are stressed, sensory activities can help to calm and soothe the nervous system. You can encourage children to engage in enjoyable and calming sensory activities like squeezing stuffed animals, playing with sand, or shaking sensory bottles. All of these create wonderful moments of relaxation that can be sprinkled throughout your classroom’s daily routine.
When children are experiencing a big feeling, you might guide them toward a mindfulness moment that they have become familiar with during your program’s daily activities and routines. In these challenging moments, educators can guide children by saying something like…
These responses validate children’s emotions, while also helping them to learn what kinds of things they can do to quiet their bodies when they become overwhelmed with big feelings. It can also be helpful to have a “calming corner” or a “cozy corner”, filled with calming activities and materials, that children can visit when they are experiencing big feelings and need to take a break.
If you are looking for more strategies to support early social-emotional skills and create calm classrooms, you might enjoy these G2K articles from the archives:
Responding to Challenging Behavior with Compassion, Love, & Positivity 
Challenging Behaviors: The Brain Science Connection
