26/02/2026
🌈 Helping Big Feelings: Supporting Emotional Regulation & Self-Soothing in Young Children
Big feelings are a normal part of growing up — but sometimes they can feel overwhelming for little bodies and busy brains.
At Best Start Occupational Therapy, we support children to understand their emotions, build regulation skills and develop confidence in managing “big feelings” 💛
Here are some simple, practical strategies you can try at home:
✨ Name the Feeling
Help your child build emotional language:
“I can see you’re feeling frustrated.”
“You look disappointed.”
Naming feelings helps children make sense of what’s happening inside.
✨ Co-Regulate First
Before expecting your child to calm themselves, help them feel safe and supported. Sit close, use a calm voice, offer a hug or gentle pressure if they like it. Regulation starts with connection.
✨ Create a Calm-Down Toolkit
Include items such as:
• A favourite soft toy
• A toy to practice deep breathing e.g. windmill toy, bubbles
• Noise-reducing headphones
• A sensory fidget
• A simple feelings visual chart
✨ Teach Simple Breathing Strategies
Try “smell the flower/biscuits, blow out the candle” breathing 🌸🕯️
Keep it playful and practice when your child is already calm. You may like to use some games such as bubbles or blowing onto a windmill toy or feather.
✨ Use Movement to Reset
Jumping, wall push-ups, animal walks or a quick run outside can help regulate the nervous system and release big energy.
✨ Build a Calm Corner
A quiet, cosy space with pillows, books and sensory tools can become a safe place to reset — not a timeout, but a “time in.”
Remember — emotional regulation is a skill that develops over time. With support, practice and patience, children learn how to manage their feelings more independently.
If your child finds big feelings hard to manage, OT can help 💬
At Best Start OT we offer OT clinic appointments at The Gap, Brisbane and mobile appointments for children 0–9 years across Brisbane.
📩 Get in touch to learn more or book an appointment.
[email protected]
www.beststartoccupationaltherapy.com.au