Your Happy “Coping Toolbox”

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Emotion Volcano

Ingredients:

  • White vinegar
  • Food coloring
  • Baking Soda
  • Plastic Water bottle

Emotion volcano: Creating a volcano using white vinegar/food coloring and baking soda is an easy way to express “exploding”. I encourage adding food coloring for a whimsical way to color the explosion.  

In this intervention, children write out feelings such as loneliness, anger, and sadness, or words they have big emotions like cancer, chemo, and losing hair. These words can either be taped facing out or, if they are words not ready to be shared, taped facing in. Some kids like to put the words in the volcano so they will explode out.  

I begin the explosion by asking them to set an intention. 

For example, I am feeling mad/sad about Mom’s cancer and feel ready to explode. 

Before you begin, be sure to record the reaction.  Kids love to see the replay and will want to add more words to this activity.  

Talk about this activity together. I have suggested prompts below, but the important part of this intervention is the process of creating it and spending time together to create the space for this type of expression.  

Prompts such as: 

How does this make you feel? 

Are there other words we should put in/on the volcano?  

When should we make this volcano again? 

Coping Play-Doh

Ingredients:

  • Warm water
  • Salt
  • Flour

https://youtu.be/3kj4_Jf34dE

Coping Play-Doh: Using warm water, salt, and flour to make the consistency for a firm/pliable Play-Doh is a great way to express strong emotions in a constructive way.  While doing this, I encourage discussion. Some prompts I use are:  

How does this feel in your hands (for example, silky, sticky, or smooth)? 

How could playing with play do help you when they are feeling: sad, happy, or angry? 

Ask where the Play-Doh can be kept so it is accessible for them to use it to cope with big emotions.