10 Ways to let go of feelings for kids

10 Ways to let go of feelings for kids

1. WATER BALLOON TOSS

Materials: Water, Water balloons. Feelings Chart. Permanent Markers.

Instructions: Fill water balloons with cold or room temperature water. Once the balloon are dry, write on the filled balloon with a permanent marker of a memory, person or event and the feeling related to content. You may write the same content on as many balloons that you need to in order to be able to let go of the feelings related to event, person, and/or memory. Throw the balloon as hard and far as you can at target.

2. PLANT FLOWERS OR TREE

Materials: seeds, fertilizer, water, soil, plain plant pot (if doing indoors), permanent markers, paint, special location, positive affirmations/characteristics/feelings chart, wooden stake approximately 12” and a plain sign to decorate, mod podge

Instructions for flowers or indoor plants: Take your plain pot and decorate the container with positive words and affirmations about yourself as well as feelings that make you happy. Let dry. Take soil and insert into pot. Plant your seed(s) and add fertilizer and water. Set in sunlight. Watch your plant/flowers grow and remember that all good things come with patience no matter what happens in life.

Instructions for planting tree seeds or outdoor plants: Decorate your stake and sign with positive words and affirmations about yourself as well as feelings that make you happy. Coat stake and sign with mod poge and let dry. Pick a special place in your yard or special location and insert stake and sign you would like to plant your flowers / seeds. Dig a hole as suggested by instructions by the seeds/plants/flowers your chose. Add fertilizer and water. Watch your plant/flowers grow and remember that all good things come with patience no matter what happens in life.

3. SWIM

Instructions: Go to your nearest swimmable body of water and think of all the things that trigger emotions that you would prefer to avoid. Jump in water (please be sure water is deep enough to jump into and have proper life vest on if needed) and swim, kick and paddle your arms as hard as you can until you have let go of those feelings. Be sure to do this as many times/days that you need. Be mindful that memories come and go like waves and you may need to repeat this several times, even if for the same memory or feelings.

4. TAKE A WALK

Instructions: Look around you and say aloud all the things that you are grateful for on your walk. Sometimes we don’t notice all the beauty around us unless we look for it.

5. ICE CUBES

Materials: Ice cubes, plate, paper or notecard, pen/pencil

Instructions: Write down a feeling as well as the event that triggered this feeling on a notecard or paper. Set the ice cube on a small plate with the note in front of it. Use as many notes and cubes that you need. Be sure to use one cube per event. Allow yourself to feel these feelings. Cry if you need to and start to let go of these feelings. When the ice cube has fully melted, hug yourself or someone you love and trust and do something that will make you smile.

6. WATER BALLOON SQUEEZE

Materials: Water, Water balloons. Feelings Chart. Permanent Markers.

Instructions: Fill water balloons with cold or room temperature water. Once the balloon are dry, write on the filled balloon with a permanent marker a feeling that you have about a negative memory, event or person (you do not need to write the event). Squeeze the feeling balloon until it pops in your hand. Repeat until you start to laugh

7. RUBBER BAND TARGET PRACTICE

Materials: Rubber bands, Feelings Target: markers, paint, cardboard or poster board, feelings chart, pencil

Instructions: Create a feelings target that best describe your feelings (sadness, frustration, anger, hurt, jealousy, etc.). Set the target up in a safe place. Step away from the target at least four feet away. Use the pencil and place rubber band at the top. Pull rubber band back and aim for the feeling. Before you let go of the rubber band, say aloud “I feel (name feeling you are aiming for) because (describe why).”

8. FEELINGS HOPSCOTCH

Materials: Sidewalk chalk; stone, twig, or bean bag

Instructions: Draw a traditional hopscotch diagram like the one to the right below the photograph only instead of numbers, use your feelings chart and write a different feeling in each box. Throw a small stone, twig, beanbag, or other marker into the first square. (If it lands on a line, or outside the square, you lose your turn. Pass the marker to the following player and wait for your next turn.) Hop on one foot into the first empty square,
and then every subsequent empty square. Be sure to skip the one your marker is on. On each square that you land on, talk about a time that you felt that feeling. At the pairs (4-5 and 7-8), jump with both feet.

9. Blow Bubbles or Blow up Balloons to Release Anger or Frustration

Materials: Bubbles or Balloons

Instructions: Blow bubbles or blow up bubbles when angry. This encourages deep
Breathing

10. SPRINT FOR ANGER

Instructions: Sprint for 10 seconds as fast as you can. Walk for 20 seconds. Repeat five times.

*If you have more than one child, you can use this exercise for when they are arguing and just can’t get along. Have them race using the instructions above.