When Words Aren’t Enough: Creative Way to Express Emotions
Hi everyone, I’m Taylor, the Social Emotional Therapist/Counselor at Way to Grow! Having uncomfortable emotions can be so tricky to understand and manage. And let’s face it- while words are very helpful, sometimes they just don’t work the best when we feel intense emotions. When children feel uncomfortable/intense emotions and words appear to be more difficult for them in this time- try these creative ways to help children express their emotions- and bonus, these creative activities can also aid in self-regulation!
Creative activities to express emotions:
Tear it up!… Depending on your kiddo's age, provide them with a journal to write in. One of my favorite activities to utilize with children who are experiencing intense feelings is to have them write the feeling down or the cause of the feeling. And then, here comes the fun part, we take that piece of paper and rip it up into tiny pieces. This is a more silly/fun way for a child to express their emotions appropriately! Tearing the paper allows the child to feel control over their uncomfortable emotions!
Use some colors!… If writing isn’t your child’s favorite activity, have no fear! Drawing and painting work as well. Drawing and painting are great self-regulation activities and can also help a child describe their emotions. Asking a child to draw/paint what they are feeling can spur an educational conversation about the colors they chose to represent specific feelings! Tip: If utilizing paint, let your child explore with their fingers encourage them to finger paint and this can provide insight into their sensory needs depending on how the sensation makes them feel!
Make some faces!… If your child enjoys finger painting as mentioned above, allow them to draw faces or write in shaving cream to express their emotions. This provides a fun way for children to express themselves.
Feel the music!… Music is a great tool to utilize as a self-regulation technique and it can also be a form of communication. Play a few songs for your child and ask them which song represents best how they are feeling!
Do some moves!… If you have a more active child, when they become dysregulated challenge them to move! Movement can provide a great distraction to our feelings as well as aid our brain in producing endorphins that help us feel less stressed overall!
Knowledge is power! Teaching your child about comfortable and uncomfortable emotions can provide them with a great sense of empowerment. A fun way to begin teaching a child about emotions is emotions charades! This game requires little to no prep and is sure to be a great hit with the family as well as providing some laughter to all participating!
At the end of the day, no one knows your child better than YOU! You are the expert regarding your child, and you can help your child become an expert regarding their own emotions! Practicing the above activities when your child is feeling regulated is a great start to having these activities implemented when they are dysregulated!
To learning how to express yourself -
Taylor Hoben, LCSW
The Way to Grow Pediatric Therapy Team 🌟
about our featured writer:
Meet Taylor - our (currently) one and only LCSW! Fun fact: Taylor lives in rural Central Illinois on a cattle farm, and even has a pet cow named Daisy! Growing up in a rural community, Taylor recognized the need early on for accessible social emotional services for young children, and went on to get her Master’s Degree in Social Work from St. Ambrose University. What Taylor loves about social work is building trusting relationships with children and providing them with a safe environment to be their authentic selves. Taylor enjoys utilizing safe and playful environment to aid in helping young children excel in a variety of areas including: emotion identification/regulation techniques, peer relationship skills, and executive functioning.
