Children, like adults, have the right to express a wide range of emotions. Uncontrolled behavior in children is always a cry for help. When a child starts to get upset, scream, break or destroy things, parents often try to isolate them from others, which doesn’t allow the child to cope with their emotional expressions in the situations that arise.
To release physical tension when a child gets angry, try to encourage them to breathe, or offer them to cut out something from paper or work with modeling clay. Once the child’s emotional state is balanced, it is important to show them that we can experience different emotions, not just anger.
To release physical tension when a child gets angry, try to encourage them to breathe, or offer them to cut out something from paper or work with modeling clay. Once the child’s emotional state is balanced, it is important to show them that we can experience different emotions, not just anger.
Here are some art therapy techniques that can be beneficial for both parents and nannies to help instill in children the value of understanding their feelings and emotions.
Technique 1
“Exploring Emotions through Memories”
“Exploring Emotions through Memories”
Instructions: Prepare images depicting different emotions (joy, anger, sadness, interest, etc.), as well as paints and clean sheets of paper or other materials of various colors (multicolored balls, for example). Then:
• Explain and show each emotion to the child.
• Ask the child to mark each emotion with the color of their choice (e.g., yellow for joy, blue for sadness, etc.).
• Ask the child to mark each emotion with the color of their choice (e.g., yellow for joy, blue for sadness, etc.).
By doing this, you help the child understand that emotions come in different forms. You can repeat this technique regularly, changing the stimulus material.
Technique 2:
“Exploring Emotions through Memories”
“Exploring Emotions through Memories”
Instructions: Ask the child to recall times when they felt joy, for example:
1. When they were in the sun.
2. When they were in the water.
3. When they saw a rainbow.
4. When they played with friends on the playground.
5. When they received a gift.
6. When they were drawing.
7. When they enjoyed something delicious.
2. When they were in the water.
3. When they saw a rainbow.
4. When they played with friends on the playground.
5. When they received a gift.
6. When they were drawing.
7. When they enjoyed something delicious.
How to work with the child: communicate with them during a walk, while going through family photos, or by creating a drawing of their most vivid memory.
By engaging in these techniques with the child, you will teach them to understand their emotions better and demonstrate the importance and value of experiencing each emotion and feeling they encounter on their journey of growth and exploration of the world.
Children can and should be taught to understand their emotions through creative self-expression, as it is their natural element.
Children can and should be taught to understand their emotions through creative self-expression, as it is their natural element.