The Way I Feel is a book describing many of the emotions that children experience and illustrates what those feelings look like in their body.

Add this book to your weekly reading list to remind children about the variety of emotions we experience, allowing them to identify and express what they are feeling.

Visit The Book Nook to purchase this book and view several others.

These emotional pebbles are an incredibly useful tool when teaching children to learn to express their emotions. At times children have difficulty finding their words, but using these pebbles as a visual representation of what they are feeling allows them to express themselves simply by selecting the pebble depicting the emotion they are experiencing.

I have also used these pebbles as 'worry stones.' The idea is that having the child hold the stone connected to the emotion they are feeling and then rubbing the stone helps remove the unwanted feelings, when in fact it is the sensory experience of rubbing the stone that will aid regulation of the emotion.

To find out how you can add this tool to your collection click the photo.

Sensory bottles are a tool often used as an aid in helping children who are learning to self-regulate. They are easy to make, able to be customized, and often you have all the materials you need at home already!

Visit the DIY Corner to find out how to make sensory bottles with the children in your care!

Breathing techniques are often used to calm our bodies, which is a perfect tool for those learning to manage their own behaviours. Using a breathing technique allows a child to calm their body and their mind, before reacting to a situation, allowing them to feel more in control.

Print this as a poster to add to a calming corner, or print it in a card size format, laminate it and clip it to your child's backpack so they are reminded to use this technique wherever they are, including school or family visits.

Blowing bubbles is a sneaky way to disguise a breathing exercise as just plain fun! Blowing bubbles teaches techniques that can reduce stress and anxiety. Have bubbles on hand and encourage your child to use them when you see that they may be feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

For a recipe that makes GIANT bubbles and to learn how to make a giant bubble wand, visit the DIY Corner.

This is a guided meditation that also focuses on breathing techniques. I recommend using this tool as part of a child's morning routine. Focusing their energy and intentions first thing in the morning, allows them to begin their day with a calm and focused state of mind.

Yoga is deliberate physical movements designed to focus on our mental and spiritual well being. It can be a useful tool for children to help refocus their minds and regulate their emotions.

Print cards illustrating a variety of yoga poses. Laminate them and add them to a key ring. Create a basket with a yoga mat, yoga block, and a small towel, along with the cards to create a welcoming invitation for the children in your care to begin to practice the art of yoga.

This is something you and the children can do together. Consider adding it to your to your pre-bedtime routine.

Slime is a unique sensory experience. It is an engaging alternative to a stress ball and comes in a variety of forms and textures.

Visit the DIY Corner to find out to make your own slime with the children in your care!

Transitions are often a trigger for many children who are still learning to manage and regulate their behaviours and emotions. Creating and implementing a routine clock, allows a child to have a visual reminder of upcoming transitions. This is useful because the reality is we do not always have the ability to give a child a verbal warning prior to a transition. The phone rings, you are making dinner, another child needs you, the list is endless but using a clock like this encourages independence in children and also acts as a back-up plan if you are not able to give them a verbal reminder.

Find out how easy it is to create one in the DIY Corner.

Children in foster care can often feel overwhelmed by emotions or their surroundings, especially if they are new to the system. Designating a calm and safe zone in your home, that they can go to when they need to work through their feelings is important.

Fill the calming zone with the posters, books, activities, and other products found on this site.

For the perfect Calming Zone use a small textured rug, cushions and a tent like the one found in the DIY Corner!

This is a concise easy to use tool used to understand and manage feelings. Use it as a reference to help in identifying emotions and then knowing how to handle them.

To purchase this resource, click on the picture.