Emotional Regulation For Children

Spikey and floppy game (recognition of changes of state/ bodily sensations)

Music is played and the leader shouts out Spikey or floppy. Floppy represents how our bodies might feel when in a relaxed state and spikey represents how they would feel in an angry/ cross/ anxious state. Children act as if in a tense state (tense muscles, jerky movements, straight limbs, straight line, spikey feelings) or floppy (relaxed muscles, freely moving, wobbly/ relaxed limbs, free to roam)

 

Jenga

Coordination, patience, and problem-solving skills

 

Freeze games (for listening and impulse control)

Using music – Play some music and when you pause, child needs to freeze in whatever position that are in. They need to remain frozen until the music resumes.

Statues – the aim of the game is to sneak up on the ‘it’ person whilst their back is turned. If the children get caught mid-run, then they go back to the start line. The first statue to tag the ‘it’ person is the new ‘it’ person and the game continues.

Using sport – as above but the children moving could be bouncing a ball or hopping.

 

Red light/ green light (for listening and impulse control)

Children have to cross the room/ playground but can only move when they hear or see the green light. When the red light instruction is seen/ heard, they need to stop immediately and cannot move until the green light instruction is
seen/ heard.

 

Milkshake blowing (for self regulation and impulse control)

Fill glasses 3⁄4 full with water and ask the children to blow bubbles without the liquid leaving the glass.

 

Duck-duck-goose (for self regulation and impulse control)

All of the players, except one child who will start the game as ‘it’, sits in a circle. ‘It’ walks around the circle, tapping each child on the head gently saying ‘duck’ each time, until the choose one player and tap them gently on the head to say ‘goose’. This player has to get up and chase ‘it’ around the circle trying to tag them before ‘it’ can sit down in his own seat. If they tag ‘it’ then they become ‘it’. If the goose does not tag ‘it’, then the original ‘it’ remains.

 

Balloon catch/ volley ball (for self regulation and impulse control)

Work in small groups or pairs to keep the balloon in the air for as long as possible. Children are required to control their impulses to whack the balloon and hit it with the right force to ensure that the other person can get the balloon before it falls to the floor!

 

Simon says…

Children perform the action that the leader calls out but only when it is proceeded by “Simon says”

 

Drum games (self-regulation)

With movement – Tap out a tempo on the drum (either slow, medium or quick) and the children have to march to that speed. Change up the speeds and they have to change pace. If the drummer says ‘stop’ then all must stop immediately.

For music – children follow the same rhythm/volume/pace of the lead drummer