McKennlie Provost, COTA/L

Emotions can significantly impact your child’s daily life, play, and learning. Understanding emotions is an essential skill that influences your child’s ability to regulate their behavior, interact socially, and adapt to new experiences. While therapists often address emotional regulation during sessions, parents play a critical role in supporting their child’s emotional growth at home.

Here are some practical strategies to help your child better understand and manage their emotions:

1. Name the Emotion

Young children often struggle to identify their emotions because they lack the vocabulary to express how they’re feeling. You can help by naming emotions for them in the moment. For example:

“I see you’re stomping your feet. Are you feeling frustrated?”
“You’re smiling and laughing—you look so happy!”

By labeling their feelings, you help your child build emotional literacy, a foundational skill for emotional regulation.

2. Validate Their Feelings

Children need to know their emotions are normal and acceptable. Validating their feelings reassures them that it’s okay to feel angry, sad, or excited. For example:

“It’s okay to feel upset when things don’t go as planned.”
“You’re sad because you had to stop playing. I understand why you feel that way.”

Validation doesn’t mean you’re condoning all behaviors—it simply acknowledges the emotion behind the behavior.

3. Model Emotional Expression

Children learn a lot by observing their parents. Show your child how you manage your own emotions by naming them and modeling appropriate responses. For example:

“I’m feeling frustrated because I spilled my coffee. I’m going to take a deep breath and clean it up.”
“I feel really excited about our trip this weekend!”

Modeling emotional expression helps your child see that emotions are a normal part of life and that they can be managed constructively.

4. Use Visual Supports

Some children benefit from visual aids to help them recognize and express their emotions. Tools like emotion charts, "feelings wheels," or cards with facial expressions can be helpful. You can encourage your child to point to or describe their emotions using these visuals, especially if they’re nonverbal or struggle with language.

5. Teach Coping Strategies

Once your child can identify their emotions, help them learn ways to manage them. Occupational therapy often incorporates sensory-based strategies that can be used at home. For example:

Deep breathing exercises to calm down when feeling overwhelmed.
Squeezing a stress ball for frustration or anger.
Using a weighted blanket or swinging for sensory input to regulate emotions.

6. Create Predictable Routines

Unpredictability can be a significant source of emotional dysregulation for children. Establishing consistent daily routines helps them feel secure and reduces anxiety. Visual schedules, timers, and clear expectations can make transitions smoother, which is often when emotions run high.

7. Practice Emotional Awareness Through Play

Play is a natural way for children to explore emotions. Role-play with toys or pretend scenarios to practice identifying and managing feelings. For example, use dolls or action figures to act out situations like sharing toys, feeling sad about a lost item, or celebrating a happy event. This playful approach makes learning about emotions engaging and relatable.

8. Praise Emotional Awareness

Celebrate when your child recognizes and communicates their emotions. Positive reinforcement encourages them to keep practicing these skills. For example:

“Great job telling me you were feeling upset. That was very brave of you.”
“I’m proud of you for taking deep breaths when you felt frustrated.”

9. Stay Patient and Consistent

Learning to understand and regulate emotions takes time, especially for children who may face additional challenges due to sensory processing difficulties, communication delays, or developmental differences. Be patient and consistent in your approach. Small steps over time lead to big changes.

In conclusion…

By actively teaching and supporting your child’s emotional development, you’re equipping them with skills that will serve them throughout their life. With your guidance and a little practice, your child can learn to navigate their emotions with confidence and resilience.

Helping Your Child Understand Their Emotions: A Guide for Parents