5 Emotion Regulation Activities for Preschoolers

By Melanie Palmer

5 Emotion Regulation Activities for Preschoolers

Big feelings aren’t the problem. They’re information.

If you’ve ever googled emotion regulation activities for preschoolers, you’re probably looking for practical tools you can use right away - at home, in a classroom, or in a therapy office. If you’re new here, start with Welcome to Raising Big-Hearted, Resilient Kids for all of our free tools and guides.

Preschoolers are born with the full range of emotions, but they’re still building the skills to recognize what they feel, stay connected, and choose what to do next. That skill is called emotion regulation, and it develops through repeated, supported practice.

Below are five simple, play-based activities that help kids regulate emotions without shame, lectures, or long explanations.

What is emotion regulation for preschoolers?

Emotion regulation is the ability to notice emotions (in the body and mind) and respond in a helpful way - rather than reacting impulsively.

For preschoolers, this looks like:

  • naming what they feel with support
  • calming their body after getting activated
  • returning to connection after a tough moment
  • trying a “next step” (instead of getting stuck)

Emotion regulation isn’t about shutting feelings down. It’s about building skills so big emotions don’t run the whole show - they act as information.

A simple framework that makes these activities work

When a child is dysregulated, start here:

Connect → Name → Next step

Connection helps a child feel safe. Safety helps their brain come back online. Then the skills can land. And a simple way to ‘name’ the hard thing in the moment is this: one question that helps kids through big feelings.

1) Two-Choice Feelings Check-In (30 seconds)

When kids are upset, too many options can overwhelm them. A short choice set is one of the simplest calming strategies for kids.

Try:
“Are you feeling mad or sad?”
(or “worried or disappointed?”)

If they don’t answer, model without insisting:
“I’m wondering if you feel mad - your body looks tight.”

Why this helps emotion regulation:
It builds emotional vocabulary and reduces cognitive load in the moment. Want a playful way to practice naming feelings regularly? Here’s how to get the most out of the Emotion Seekers game.

Make it playful:
“Is it a ‘little feeling’ or a ‘big feeling’ right now?”

2) Balloon Breaths (1 minute)

Breathing is a foundational coping skill for preschoolers, but it works best when it’s concrete and playful.

How:

  • Hands on belly
  • Inhale through the nose (2–3 seconds)
  • Exhale slowly (4–6 seconds)

Try:
“Smell the yummy soup... blow on the soup to cool it down.”

Why this helps emotion regulation:
Longer exhales cue the body toward calm and help kids reset.

Pro tip: Practice when your child is calm so this strategy is available and ready to go when they're feeling activated. 

3) Calm-Down Menu (choice builds regulation)

Choice reduces power struggles and builds collaboration - both are key for how to help a child regulate emotions.

Try:
“Do you want a hug or space?”
“Do you want to stomp your feet or squeeze a pillow?”

Pick 4–6 options for your calm-down menu:

  • hug / hand squeeze / sit close
  • stomp feet 10 times
  • wall pushes (“push the wall like a superhero”)
  • squeeze a pillow or playdough
  • sip of water
  • draw the feeling

Why this helps emotion regulation:
Choice restores a sense of control, which supports regulation.

4) Feelings-in-the-Body Map (30–60 seconds)

Kids often can’t explain feelings with words - but they can identify what’s happening inside their body.

Try:
“Where do you feel it - tummy, chest, hands, or face?”
“Does it feel hot, tight, wiggly, or heavy?”

If they’re stuck, model your own:
“When I feel frustrated, my chest feels tight.”

Why this helps emotion regulation:
Body awareness is a core building block of self-regulation.

5) The Reset Move: Wall Pushes or Animal Walks (2 minutes)

When emotions are big, movement often works better than talking. This is one of the most effective emotion regulation activities for kids.

Option A: Wall pushes
“Hands on the wall. Push as hard as you can - like you’re moving a mountain. Let’s do 10.”

Option B: Animal walks
Bear walk, crab walk, bunny hops - down the hall and back.

Why this helps emotion regulation:
“Heavy work” and movement help kids discharge stress and re-focus.

What to say while you do these activities

These phrases support connection without minimizing feelings:

  • “Your feelings make sense.”
  • “I’m right here with you.”
  • “Let’s find what helps your body.”
  • “We can have this feeling and still be safe.”

Stories are another powerful way to build this language - here’s how to use Emmers books to build emotional skills.

The takeaway

Emotion regulation is a skill - and skills take time to build.

These emotion regulation activities for preschoolers work best when they’re practiced in calm moments, consistently, with connection. Over time, kids learn: “I can have a big feeling, and I can come back to calm.”

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