Emotions

At Hope 4 Hurting Kids, one of our principle missions is to help young people understand, cope with and overcome the difficult emotions that they face. Whether it is dealing with family problems, parental divorce, bullying or a multitude of other issues young people face today, dealing with the underlying emotions is a vital first step in moving from hurt to hope and healing. To that end we have developed a comprehensive emotions management plan we call Jump In! Stand Strong! Rise Up! Many of the articles and resources listed on this page represent ideas on how to help kids understand (Jump In!), cope with (Stand Strong!) and overcome (Rise Up!) difficult emotions. We have also included information and resources related to grief on this page. While we realize that grief is way more than emotions, difficult emotions are a significant part of grief. If you would like to limit your search to one area, please click on one of the options below.

Fidget Cube (Fidgets 101)

Name: Fidget Cube Category: Manipulable Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing Introduction to the Fidget Cube The fidget cube is likely the second best known type of fidget toy - second only to the fidget spinner. Widely available and immensely popular, the fidget cube is beloved by young and old alike. What is it? The fidget cube offers a variety of different types of fidgets attached to one cube. There are some varieties of the "fidget cube" which actually have more than six sides and offer even more fidgets. Different fidgets cubes generally include some combination of the following gadgets to keep ...
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The Fidget Spinner (Fidgets 101)

Name: Fidget Spinner Category: Manipulable Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing, Social Introduction to The Fidget Spinner We couldn't start a series on fidgets without first tackling what has become the most popular fidget to date - the fidget spinner. From the spring and summer of 2017 through today, fidget spinners have become a cultural icon. Kids love them. Parents are sick of hearing about them. And, they have become the bane of some teachers' existence. So, what is the fidget spinner, and why are they equally so loved and so despised? What is a Fidget Spinner? Fidget Spinners are part of ...
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Reframing Unhelpful Thoughts Regarding Covid-19

The graphic above from Willow Counseling in the UK provides helpful advice on reframing unhelpful thoughts you are your children might be having in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. Reframing is a useful Thinking Coping Skill included in the The Super Simple Feelings Management Technique [SSFMT] which is part of the Stand Strong component of our Hope 4 Hurting Kids Jump In! Stand Strong! Rise Up! Comprehensive Emotions Management Plan ...
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The Squishy (Fidgets 101)

Name: Squishy Category: Manipulable Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing Introduction to Squishies As fidget spinners burst on to the seen in the summer of 2017 (despite having been around for years), the squishy burst onto the popular culture scene in the Spring and Summer of 2018. What is it? The evolution of the stress ball, squishies are generally made of a slow rising foam that slowly retakes it original shape after being squished by its user. They come in all types of shapes and sizes including sports equipment, animals, food and much much more. They range in size from less than ...
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Infinity Cube (Fidgets 101)

Name: Infinity Cube Category: Manipulable Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing Introduction to the Infinity Cube The Infinity Cube holds the distinction of being my favorite fidget toy to date. At first glance, it looks a little bit like the lesser known cousin of the Rubik's Cube, and I didn't think much of it when I first saw it. The real measure of a fidget toy though is how much you find yourself using it. From the first moment I picked up, the Infinity Cube has been my favorite, and I've yet to find another fidget that comes even close. What is ...
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Fidgets 101 – An Introduction

Welcome to Fidgets 101. In this series, we will review a variety of fidget toys over the coming months. Before we do that though, an introduction to Fidgets 101 is in order. Unless you've lived under a rock for the last couple of years, chances are that you've played with, seen or heard about Fidget Spinner. They burst onto the scene in the Summer of 2017, seemingly out of nowhere, and became the focus (pun intended) of young people everywhere. Fidgets, though, have been around forever. From the Chinese baoding balls (sometimes called Chinese Stress Balls) created in the 14th ...
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The Brain and the Power of Being Intentional

Take a moment to think of someone you care about or someone that has impacted your life in a positive way. There are a lot of people that have impacted my life - especially in ministry. When I think of one lady in particular, and how she has blessed me down through the years, I get the “warm fuzzies.” You know that feeling where you just feel better inside, under your skin and in your heart. You feel all warm inside and right with the world. My friend has been with me through thick and thin; through divorce and death; ...
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Emotions Chart

The Emotions Chart is designed to help young people to recognize and name their emotions which is an important step in the healing process. These charts can play a key role in helping kids with the See It! Say It! and Feel It! components of the The Super Simple Feelings Management Technique. You can download the chart by clicking here or on the image above. What Are These Emotion Charts? These charts are based on the characters and emotions included in our Hope 4 Hurting Kids Emotion Cards and the forthcoming book 150 Emotions Every Child Should Know, By Age. Each page includes ...
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Inside Out Mood Board

The movie Inside Out has been great for those of us working to help kids better understand and deal with their emotions. In addition to being a great movie, it has sparked a litany of crafts and games to go along with it. These crafts and activities can help kids to better understand the emotions they are feeling. The Inside Out Mood Board is one of those activities and is a fun way for kids who like the movie to track their emotions. Supplies Needed for an Inside Out Mood Board We originally found this idea on the Eighteen 25 ...
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Feelings Ball Pit

Who doesn't love a ball pit? With the Feelings Ball Pit you can bring all the fun of a ball pit to older kids and teach them about their feelings at the same time. Depending on how you play, you can help kids to explore all five components of the The Super Simple Feelings Management Technique. Supplies for Making a Feelings Ball Pit You will need standard ball pit balls. You can get them on Amazon, but they can be pricey. We got ours on the Wish app for significantly less (they took longer to get here, but it's worth it ...
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Hopes and Fears Tree

The Hopes and Fears Tree is colorful craft to help kids understand that no matter what they're worried about, they can still achieve their hopes and dreams. Supplies Needed Poster board or large sheet of paper Markers, pens or pencils Construction Paper (Green, brown and a variety of other colors) Scissors Glue Making a Hopes and Fears Tree Cut a rough oval to serve as the dirt for your tree. Make a tree with branches out of the green construction paper. Pick a color, or colors, of construction paper to represent works. Cut out oval "worm shaped" pieces of construction ...
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Over and Under Obstacle Course

Active coping skills are an important part of Please Don't Sweat The Small Stuff Coping Tool Box. The Over and Under Obstacle Course is a fun way to help kids deal with difficult emotions and can be a powerful visual reminder that life events can be like an obstacle course. There will be ups and downs, but the most important thing is to keep going. Setting Up Your Obstacle Course Use you imagination. Your obstacle course can be inside or outside. If you're building inside, use furniture, cushions, blankets, doors and anything else you can think of to use. These obstacle ...
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