Feelings Thermometer

Help your child notice and name how big their feelings are.

Today, we’re sharing a tool that helps kids practice rating and communicating the intensity of their feelings, from small to big. The more kids learn to notice the size of their emotions, the easier it is to catch emotions as they rise and fall.

When negative feelings reach an 8, 9, or 10 on the feelings thermometer, we often recommend using co-regulation for toddlers or a coping skill (like belly breathing or muscle relaxation) to help older kids regulate before their feelings boil over. When positive feelings reach the top of the feelings thermometer, we often recommend practicing savoring to enhance the experience for kids and parents alike.

Remember, all feelings (both positive and negative feelings) are safe and a normal part of the human experience.

When helping kids learn about their emotions:

• Step #1 is to practice naming their feelings using specific emotion words (e.g., happy, sad, bored, etc.). Check out our feelings chart 🌸 for more help with this!

• Step #2 is noticing the si…