How to improve emotional literacy for children
I saw Inside Out 2 today at the movie theater with my son. I have to admit, I had not seen the first one but, the movie caught the attention of my autistic 12-year old son. The bright colors and cartoon characters are what did it.
He’s getting more into going to the movies and I love it! It’s something I loved doing as a child.
Spoiler alert: The movie takes you inside the mind of a new teenager. Inside her head are emotions like anxiety, anger, embarrassment and others. They all work together to help the teen navigate life and be her best self.
I won’t reveal the movie but, this really made me think about emotional literacy in children and the game Mood Monsters came to mind.
What is emotional literacy and how can it be helped in kids?
Emotional literacy is about the ability to…
“…recognize, understand, express, and manage one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others. It involves several key components:
- Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding one’s own emotions.
- Self-regulation: Managing and controlling one’s emotions in a healthy way.
- Empathy: Understanding and being sensitive to the emotions of others.
- Social skills: Navigating social situations and maintaining healthy relationships.
- Motivation: Using emotions to motivate oneself towards goals and personal growth.
Emotional literacy is crucial for personal well-being, effective communication, and building strong relationships. It can be developed through practices like mindfulness, reflective exercises, and emotional education programs.” Chat GPT
This is something my son struggles with a lot as a pre-teen and kids growing up can have the same challenges.
That’s where Mood Monsters comes into play.
What is Mood Monsters and does it really work?
Gamifying emotional literacy for children is how I’d describe it.
Here’s what you should know about it…
- Developed by a child and adolescent psychiatrist
- It’s a card game that teaches emotions
- Children are prompted to explore and discuss scenarios that bring about certain emotions
- It’s based on narrative therapy, attachment theory, theory of mind and more
So, the cards look like this…
They are colorful, bright and will definitely capture the attention of your child.
Why is emotional literacy important?
It’s literally one of the building blocks of growth and development.
It’s personally a struggle I’ve dealt with caring for a special needs child. It’s an experience to try to navigate a full blown meltdown from a 5 foot 6 140lb preteen who’s kicking and screaming because he’s upset we can’t go to McDonalds.
It takes a lot of patience and games like Mood Monsters can help you navigate all this as a parent.
Emotionally literate children can do better in school and learn how to navigate academic challenges.
They can become socially competent and become resilient. This leads to improvement in behavior and a positive learning environment.
Mood Monsters is releasing soon. Click here to join the waiting list and get exclusive perks!
