“How are you feeling today?” This is a question every preschooler is asked as they enter
their classroom each day. They use the pictures on this chart to “check in”. The teacher
then asks, “Why are you feeling _____ today?” This gives the child the opportunity to
discuss their feelings and the causes of their feelings. It gives the adult the opportunity
to understand what the child is thinking about that may impact their behavior or day. We
help the child make a plan or choose a strategy to help them get back to baseline (OK) if
they are feeling angry, silly, frustrated or sad. We sit with them while they are using the
strategy to coach them through it and to check in to see if it worked.
Your children may be having big feelings about not being able to go to school. They may
not understand why they can’t go. They may be missing their friends and teachers. They may
not be able to put into words what they are feeling. Using these tools may help your child to
express their feelings about the school closure.
Things to remember:
- Most preschool aged children are not capable of working through their emotions alone. They
need a grown-up to co-regulate with them and model the desired behavior or strategy.
- Humans are not capable of processing their feelings while they are in a very dysregulated,
or upset, state. They need time to calm down using one of their preferred strategies before
they can talk about what happened.
Self Regulation Activities:
Belly Breathing
Strategy Chart
Other strategies include drawing a picture or writing a letter to the person being thought about or about what the child is thinking about.
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