Teaching Kids Emotions: OT Strategies to Build Confidence and Regulation

In today’s fast-paced world, emotional literacy is more than a soft skill—it’s a foundational life tool. When children understand and express their emotions, they build confidence, regulate their responses, and develop healthy social relationships. But how do we teach emotional literacy in a way that empowers children instead of overwhelming them?

As an occupational therapist, I believe the answer lies in strengths-based, practical approaches that combine emotional language, sensory tools, and connection. This blog explores why emotional literacy matters and offers OT-informed strategies to help parents, educators, and therapists nurture emotionally intelligent kids.

What is Emotional Literacy?

Emotional literacy is the ability to identify, understand, express, and manage emotions in oneself and others (CASEL, 2020). It’s the foundation for emotional regulation, resilience, and positive social interactions.

For children, this means learning how to name feelings like frustration, sadness, excitement, or worry—and knowing what to do when those feelings arise. Emotional literacy isn’t just for moments of crisis; it’s a daily skill that supports everything from transitions to friendships and classroom learning.

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Why Emotional Literacy Matters for Kids

Research shows that children who develop emotional literacy early are better at managing stress and anxiety, making friends and resolving conflicts, building self-esteem and independence, and performing well in school. They’re also less likely to experience long-term mental health challenges.

According to Denham et al. (2006), children with high emotional competence are more likely to engage in prosocial behaviour and show better classroom adjustment. When we help kids understand their feelings, we give them a language for their internal world—and that leads to better behaviour, stronger relationships, and calmer households.

The ‘What’s RIGHT With Me?’ Approach: A Strengths-Based OT Framework

At Sensory SMART OT, we’ve developed the ‘What’s RIGHT With Me?’ approach—a strengths-based framework that supports children aged 3–12 in developing self-belief, emotional literacy, and regulation skills. Instead of focusing on what a child struggles with, we highlight what they’re doing well and use that as a foundation to build emotional resilience.

This approach integrates sensory regulation techniques, visual supports and emotion cards, connection-focused activities for home, school, or therapy, and practical tools backed by occupational therapy principles.

Want to see it in action? Our Emotion Learning Cards are designed to make emotion education fun, visual, and interactive.

OT-Informed Strategies for Teaching Emotions

Here are some of the most effective ways to support children in developing emotional literacy at home or in therapy.

Use Visual Supports
Emotion wheels, check-in charts, and feeling faces help children see what they’re feeling. These tools support children with developing interoceptive awareness—the ability to notice what's going on inside their body (Mahler, 2017).
— Try our “Identify the Feelings” worksheet during bedtime or after school to open up the conversation.

Model Emotional Language
Children learn from what they see. Narrating your own emotions (“I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, so I’m going to take a few deep breaths”) gives them a script to follow. OT tip: Label the feeling and the body cue. For example: “You’re clenching your fists—maybe you’re feeling angry?”

Incorporate Sensory Regulation
Sensory needs and emotional regulation go hand-in-hand. Children with sensory sensitivities may react more intensely to emotional stimuli (Pfeiffer et al., 2011). Integrating tools like movement breaks, deep pressure, or calming visuals can make all the difference.
— Try a ‘calm corner’ with weighted cushions, fidget tools, and visual cards.

Use Games to Practise Emotional Awareness
From Emotion Charades to Playdough Face Making, games give children a playful, low-pressure way to explore feelings. Role-playing and storytelling also help children explore social situations and responses.
— Download this week’s freebie: [DIY Playdough Recipe for Emotion Faces].

Create Routines That Include Emotional Check-Ins
Embed emotion talk into daily transitions—before school, after playdates, or at bedtime. Try this: “How are you feeling this morning? — Can you find that feeling on our Emotion Chart?”

Real-Life Impact: What Emotional Literacy Unlocks

When children are equipped with emotional language and regulation tools, they begin to express needs instead of acting out, navigate change and transitions more easily, build stronger relationships with peers and adults, and develop greater self-confidence and resilience.

In OT sessions, we often see children go from shutdowns and meltdowns to using phrases like “I need space” or “I feel nervous, can we talk?”—and that transformation starts with giving them the tools to understand themselves.

Final Thoughts: Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids Starts Here

Emotional literacy is a skill that will shape a child’s future relationships, learning, and wellbeing. With a strengths-based approach, visual tools, and simple strategies, you can create a home or classroom where emotions are not feared but understood.

Our upcoming eBook, Teaching Kids Emotions, is your step-by-step guide to emotional education. It includes printable resources, sensory strategies, games, and real-world scripts for everyday situations.

Launching soon!

Let’s build a future where every child feels confident expressing how they feel—and knows exactly what to do with those feelings.

References

Brackett, M. A., & Rivers, S. E. (2014). Transforming students’ lives with social and emotional learning. Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2020). What is SEL? https://casel.org/what-is-sel/

Denham, S. A., et al. (2006). Social-emotional learning in early childhood: What we know and where to go from here. Early Education and Development, 17(1), 42–66. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15566935eed1701_3

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.

Izard, C. E., et al. (2008). The regulation of emotion in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 37(1), 1–5.

Mahler, K. (2017). Interoception: The eighth sensory system. AAPC Publishing.

Pfeiffer, B., Koenig, K., Kinnealey, M., Sheppard, M., & Henderson, L. (2011). Effectiveness of sensory integration interventions in children with autism spectrum disorders: A pilot study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65(1), 76–85.

Schaaf, R. C., et al. (2014). An intervention for sensory difficulties in children with autism: A randomised trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(7), 1493–1506.