9 Toys To Help Kids Work Through Emotions

Diane Alber’s “A Little Spot“ series “allows children to…increase their awareness of their emotions and feelings cognitively with words like ‘scared, nervous, frustrated, irritated, brave, proud, loved…etc.,’ [and] educates children about the somatic clues and signs of an emotion our body gives us before reaction,” said California-based associate marriage and family therapist Yara Mawad.

Developing your child’s understanding of the mind-body connection in this way is crucial. “Children are very concrete, and sometimes their first signal [when having an emotional reaction] is not in the brain but in their body – such as tense shoulders raised to their ears, tightness in their chest, clenching their fists [or] a faster-than-regular heart rate,” Mawad explained. “Giving kids a foundational understanding about what is happening to their bodies and their brain when feeling a big emotion and being able to name the emotion provides the child with a sense of control and an opportunity to tell themself that ‘it makes sense’ – leading into more self-compassion and self-validation.“

This “A Little Spot Of Emotion“box set includes eight books to help teach a child about common human emotions, including child-friendly explanations on happiness, sadness, anger, anxiety and more. You can also check out the “A Little Spot of Feelings” box set, which explores eight more emotions commonly experienced by kids, including empathy, frustration, belonging, worry and boredom.

An easy emotional regulation activity that you might find surprising? Blowing bubbles, said Los Angeles-based licensed marriage and family therapist David Ibrahim. It’s an activity that helps teach children how to take deep breaths.

“If a kid’s really upset and you want to support them, you can say, well, let’s do some of our bubble breathing,” Ibrahim recommended. “The parent can engage with the kids, which is really healthy, and blowing bubbles teaches them how to elongate their breath and get some oxygen.” This increase of oxygen to the brain can then help kids calm down.

These bubbles are designed for ages 18 months and up. They’re housed in a durable no-spill tumbler so you can get heavy use out of them without getting bubbles on your floor. They also boast a non-toxic formula so you don’t have to worry if your child accidentally swallows some or gets some in their eyes. It comes with a wand and 4 ounces of the bubble solution; colors of the tumbler may vary. (You can also get a pack of three from Amazon.)

The feelings wheel is also a great resource for helping kids identify emotions as they come up, which you can use in tandem with other exercises or just as difficult moments arise.

Mawad recommended incorporating the feelings wheel with Dr. Dan Siegel’s “Name It To Tame It” practice for older kids. This exercise involves having children talk or write about a situation that caused elevated emotions. Kids can identify “three emotions from the feelings wheel that resonate most with how they were feeling in those moments,” Mawad wrote. Then, they can reflect on “what they needed [looking back on] those moments…[like] self-compassion, some space, a snack, or someone to talk to, to name a few examples of needs.”

Regularly engaging with the feelings wheel can also help adults understand their own emotions, in turn helping parents better support their kids.

Inspired by Mawad’s recommendation, we found this cozy feelings wheel pillow from Etsy. It makes referring to the feelings wheel easy and accessible, while helping to normalize emotional regulation since the wheel will be incorporated into your regular home environment. (I own a feelings wheel pillow of my own and always appreciate having it around!) This version comes in four colors, in a variety of sizes and with or without an added pillow insert.

Sipan Nazaryan, an associate therapist at the Avedian Counseling Center in Greater Los Angeles, recommended Slumberkins. Developed by a therapist, Slumberkins are stuffed animals with matching storybooks with narratives that help teach youngsters about social emotional skills. Each Slumberkins story uses therapeutic techniques to help kids with their emotional development, covering anger and conflict resolution, change, grief and loss, emotional courage, self-acceptance and more.

“It’s quite comprehensive,” Nazaryan wrote. “They have free resources online and even a show on Apple TV+. The plushies that come along with the books are a nice touch.”

These plush stuffies also promise to be exceptionally soft, so your little one will love cuddling with them on their own. They’re also machine-washable!

Ibrahim and Mawad both recommended journaling. Mawad specifically suggested this “Big Life Journal” as an interactive option for kids. It includes colorful illustrations and guided prompts to help children build confidence and develop social-emotional skills.

This version is geared towards kids ages 7–10; a teen and pre-teen-specific journal is also available for ages 11 and up.

Many parents are exhausted at the end of a long workday and may want to use electronics to help entertain kids, Ibrahim noted. While electronics shouldn’t be the only option for connection you have with your kids, you can still connect with your child while using them, especially during activities like video games.

“The parent can connect at that level and get into the child’s interests, look at what they’re doing, ask questions or play the game with them,” said Ibrahim. Showing interest in your child’s hobby will mean more to them than you may realize; they will likely be excited to share their knowledge with you and show you around their world. Since kids’ connection to their parents is deeply intertwined with emotional regulation, nurturing your relationship in this way will help strengthen your connection and your child’s emotional health.

Another benefit of playing video games together? It opens up a space for kids to playfully tease and discipline their parents — crucial in building a trusting, healthy relationship. “There’s times that I have to discipline my kids. So there’s times they get to discipline me. It’s a good exchange,” Ibrahim explained. “[Through video games my child] could have some power over me and be like, ‘Come on, what are you doing now?’ It was actually an amazing experience to share together.”

The Nintendo Switch is the video game console of choice for gamers to play solo or in groups. This version has a superior portable display and the ability to project onto a shared screen so you can play games with your kid. (Not sure what video game to start with? You can’t go wrong with Mario Party.)

Associate clinical counselor Niari Markarian of the Avedian Counseling Center in Greater Los Angeles recommended Jo Witek’s “In My Heart: Book Of Feelings.” It’s “an interactive book [that] helpschildren explore different emotions by making emotions tangible and relatable,” Markarian wrote. This can help kids develop emotional intelligence and resilience from a young age.

It’s available in hardcover or through Kindle.

Markarian and Ibraham both noted that creating artwork can also help kids express their emotions; Ibraham specifically recommended painting, which kids may especially enjoy because of its tactile nature. You can even join your child as they paint in order to co-regulate and strengthen your connection.

We found this paint set on Amazon to get you started. The paint is all washable, so it promises not to stain your kid’s hands or clothes (or your walls). It includes six bold colors that your little one can mix and match to get their emotions out on paper. You can also grab some kid-friendly paint brushes and art paper.