Tips That Can Help Teach Toddlers How To Display Emotions In An Healthy Way
These ideas can be turned into games, please give space for your child to test out their emotions. This is key for understanding feelings, how to label feelings and how to use them appropriately.
1. Create Make-Believe Games
Find fun ways to let your child use and develop their imagination while exploring a variety of realistic props, books, and experiences. This can be done by arranging an area within the home to put dramatic play items; you can add a kitchen set, dolls, safe kitchen tools, everyday objects, books, a cash register, plastic dishes, telephones, clothing, paper, markers, hats, or anything else that can spark the imagination of your child.
When Playing Alongside Your Child:
Practice matching different emotions and reactions to various situations.
Test out different feelings and positive ways to express emotions and fears.
Build more trust in themself and their feelings and thoughts.
Learn positive ways to reduce stress through talking about their feelings.
Learn about self-control and expression.
Express and test out their fears, emotions, roles, and ideas.
To practice using their ‘‘No’’ power and making choices.
Play Imaginative Games
These forms of pretend games encourage your child to use mostly their imagination, build on their ideas, and learn how to react to unplanned situations. Study shows that when toddlers pretend to do new things, it helps them practice doing things on their own in a fun and safe way. It also builds self-esteem because there is no right or wrong way to do something when you are just pretending’’ (Ontai, p 3).
Activities That Provoke Imagination
Playing with dolls, babies, and dollhouses.
Using different kinds of puppets from various cultures and professions.
Using a variety of dress-up clothes, hats, and pretend toys.
Listening to storytelling, reading books, making books, painting, or drawing.
Playing with farm animals, farmers, and farmhouses.
Talking on the telephone.
Playing in the sandbox or any other sensory exploration.
Listening and dancing to songs about emotions.
Playing pretend games together.
2. Play Social Interactive Games
1Expose your child to more social environments where they can play with other children, learn how to resolve conflicts, and cope with different emotions. Although most young toddlers are in the solitary stage and prefer playing alone, they will eventually transition into the parallel stage, where they begin to play with others.
Model Age-Appropriate Conflict Resolutions
Model how to use positive strategies through role-playing.
Play more ‘‘I feel’’ games.
Expose your child to opportunities where they get to make choices.
Give room for your child to express and talk about how they are feeling.
Read books that have realistic images displaying different emotions and feelings.
Teach your child age-appropriate language to use.
Listen to your child as they share their feelings.
Provide visual examples of the joys of being kind and cooperating with others.
Be Open When Conveying Emotions
Let your child know some appropriate and inappropriate emotions for different situations.
Teach your child the correct language for names of feelings.
Talk about the consequences of hurting or being mean to other children.
Let your child know if their reactions were inappropriate, but be sure to model an appropriate way.
3. Read And Talk About Books
Read books daily with your child about emotions and feelings. Include books that provoke deeper thinking, encourage problem-solving, and offer positive calming techniques. Choose books on taking turns, temper tantrums, separation, saying ‘‘No’’, fears, making friends, and emotions. Also, choose books that have images with realistic emotions, colourful pictures, multicultural characters, and short descriptive sentences.
Questions To Ask While Reading
‘‘I wonder why?”.
‘‘How does he feel?”.
‘‘Why is she so sad?”.
‘‘What makes you feel happy?”.
‘‘What makes you feel sad?”.
‘‘Why did….?” .
‘‘How did….?’ .
‘‘What can you imagine might happen’’.
‘‘What do you see?”.
‘‘How does that make you feel?”.
‘‘This part reminds me of’’’.
‘‘Remember when you were’’.
‘‘Yesterday I was sad.’’.
‘‘This reminds me of when’’.
Do These When Reading Stories
Keep reading sessions to a minimum of 5 mins before switching a book.
If you see that your child is not interested in the story, close the book, sing a song, and try again.
Ask thinking questions.
Give time for your child to share.
Let your child show you their facial expressions for each emotion.
Pause while reading; give your child time to have input.
Talk about appropriate calming techniques.
Try to use the correct facial expressions and names of emotions.
Get some books about emotions and feelings from the library.
Incorporate using puppets or instruments along with the books.
4. Have Talks That Are Child-Led
Please encourage your child to lead conversations by asking them open-ended questions, discussing topics, and then pausing. This can help your child feel in control, express themselves more, feel safe, develop trust, share more, and feel more comfortable displaying their feelings.
Observe and listen to what your child is saying.
Give time to your child to complete their thoughts.
Offer praise and encouragement when your child solves a problem.
Pose comments into questions so that your child has to think.
Ask your child about things that interest them.
Gerson et al. (2016, 2, 17). https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12142