Coping Strategies for Preschool: Handling Big Feelings
This session teaches coping strategies for kids, helping young students notice big feelings early and use calming strategies to Change the Channel. After a short video, students talk about the body clues that show a feeling is getting bigger and name one strategy they could try. In a quick movement game, they march, freeze, and act out what they could do when something upsetting happens, like a block tower falling. The takeaway is that big feelings can shift with a little help.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Emotional Recognition
- Goal
- Changing the Channel on Feelings
- Grade level
- Pre-K & K
Get everything you need to teach the skill
These materials are part of a no-prep session designed by our clinical team, with all the structure, scaffolding, and support you need to teach included.
Engaging materials
Video modeling lessonStop and Notice Big Feelings
In this video, students learn how to Change the Channel on their emotions by recognizing feelings, using calming strategies, and practicing positive thinking.
- Extension activity
Interactive Worksheet: My Big Feelings Toolbox
In this activity, students create their own toolbox by exploring strategies like belly breathing, using "I feel" words, and taking a break.
Plus everything you need to teach them
Warm-up
- Video: Lion and Cat Breathing3:12
- Video: Our Senses Calming Break2:27
- Video: Yoga Pose Library
Session Opener
Guiding Question: What is one way to notice a big feeling?
Practice
- Discussion Question
- Role-Play Activity
- Mini Game
How to use it with your students
- 1Watch Play the video modeling lesson so students see the skill in action.
- 2Practice Try the skill together with a discussion prompt, role-play, or mini game.
- 3Extend Use the extension activity to help students carry the skill further.
What's Covered
In this lesson, students learned how to notice when a big feeling is building, like a fast-beating heart, and how to "Change the Channel" from upset to calm. They practiced ways to settle a big feeling, such as taking deep belly breaths or asking for a break, so the feeling doesn't take over.
Key Terms
- Change the Channel
- Change the Channel means noticing when your body is having a big feeling and helping yourself feel more calm. You can name your feeling and choose something that helps your body, like taking deep breaths or using a coping strategy.
- Body Clues
- Body clues are signals inside your body that tell you how you are feeling, like a fast heartbeat or a tight tummy. When you notice them, you can name your feeling and choose a helpful strategy.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
-
Changing the Channel on Feelings
When experiencing strong emotions such as jealousy, disappointment, frustration, or embarrassment, learner will use a self-selected coping strategy (e.g., taking a break, positive self-talk, deep breaths) to manage the feeling and return to the task or interaction in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
Try this at home or at school: when a big feeling shows up, pause and name it together before deciding what to do next.
Ready to teach Handling Big Feelings?
Get the video, activity and discussion materials with zero prep.
Get These Materials Free
More Emotional Recognition Activities
Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on Handling Big Feelings is free. You can access this intervention free for 14 days through the Everyday Speech Session Library. Every user gets three free sessions, but you can get more or extend your access by sharing the Session Library with friends and colleagues.
What ages is this for?
These materials are designed for PreK and kindergarten students.
What's included?
You'll get access to your choice of warm-up videos, a session opener, a core material on Stop and Notice Big Feelings, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Interactive Worksheet: My Big Feelings Toolbox.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on emotional recognition - more specifically, changing the channel on feelings.
Get access to the full curriculum
A no-prep social skills curriculum with a full scope and sequence that builds student skills over time. MTSS-aligned across every tier, with 400+ whole class lessons and 800+ ready-to-teach sessions.
Start a 30-Day Free Trial
