MAKE "COPECAKES" POCKET DICE SORTING AND MATCHING GAMES IDEAS FOR TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS: TAKE A BREAK WITH ANTI-STRESS TOYS MEDITATE WITH A BUBBLE TIMER CREATE WITH PIPE CLEANERS Meditation with a bubble timer can help children redirect their energy and calm down. Take a break if intense emotions arise and a child needs space. Give them pipe cleaners to create with or a stress-relief toy to use until they can calm down and return to playing with their peers. B ubble timer

Grounding is a technique used to help the brain come back to the present moment to help your brain stop spiraling in anxious or worrisome thoughts. It works using your senses to see, touch, hear, taste and smell things in your current environment. Rainbow Grounding uses the same idea but you look around the room for things of each color.

Creating connection is important for child development and healthy attachments. Use these prompts to create conversation, connection and learn healthy coping skills at the same time. You print and cut out and place in a bag or bucket and take turns picking them out. “Being grateful” and “Saying 3 Positive Things” are great healthy coping skills, as well as "5 senses Grounding" and "Rainbow Grounding." Teaching kids healthy coping skills by playing games and making a connectio

With Thanksgiving this week, enjoy interacting with your kids and finding things they are thankful for that start with all the letters in the alphabet, play the Bucket Game and make thank you cards. Make sure to tell them that being thankful is a great healthy way to cope with big emotions, especially jealousy and disappointment and loneliness.

Kids love to roll and throw dice. Engage them in learning healthy coping skills and labeling emotions while they play. Purchase one or more soft/plush pocket dice (These can be purchased off a variety of consumer websites. Search “pocket dice.” The inserts are small enough for 3in x3in sided dice or larger.) There are emotion cards and healthy coping skills cards that are colored blue and orange. All of them can be used for children ages 3+. The orange circles are specificall