Introduction

Strong emotions like anger, frustration, or sadness can overwhelm young children, leading to poor decisions and unsafe behavior. It is essential for educators to teach kindergarteners how to control their emotions by changing the channel on their feelings. This involves noticing the signs of a big emotion, thinking about something new or positive, and giving themselves time to feel better before taking action. By learning to change the channel, children can make better decisions, stay safe, and develop healthy emotional habits.

No-Prep Activity: The Balloon Breathing Technique

The Balloon Breathing Technique is an easy, no-prep activity that can help students calm down and change the channel on their strong emotions. Here’s how to do it:

1. Ask your students to sit or stand comfortably with their feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Have them place their hands on their belly, just below the ribcage.
3. Instruct them to take a slow, deep breath in through their nose, feeling their belly expand like a balloon.
4. Next, have them exhale slowly through their mouth, imagining the air leaving the balloon.
5. Repeat this process 3-5 times, encouraging the students to focus on their breathing and visualize the balloon inflating and deflating.

This simple activity helps students refocus their thoughts and emotions, providing them with the time and space they need to change the channel and make better decisions.

Discussion Questions

1. Can you think of a time when you felt a strong emotion like anger or sadness? How did it affect your actions?
2. What are some strategies you can use to change the channel on your feelings?
3. How can giving yourself time to calm down help you make better decisions?
4. Why is it important to notice the signs that you’re feeling a big emotion?
5. What are some ways you can help a friend who is struggling with strong emotions?

Related Skills

In addition to changing the channel on strong emotions, there are several other skills that can help kindergarteners develop healthy emotional habits:

• Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding their emotions, thoughts, and values.
• Self-management: Effectively managing their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations.
• Social awareness: Understanding and empathizing with the emotions and perspectives of others.
• Relationship skills: Building and maintaining healthy relationships with others.
• Responsible decision-making: Making constructive choices about their behavior and social interactions.

Next Steps

Ready to help your students change the channel on their strong emotions and develop other essential social-emotional skills? Sign up for free sample materials from Everyday Speech, which offers a variety of resources designed to support educators in teaching social-emotional skills to young learners.

By incorporating these skills and activities into your classroom, you can empower your kindergarteners to take control of their emotions, make better decisions, and build a strong foundation for emotional well-being.