Erika Lynne Jones – illustratör

A playful card deck that teaches kids ages 5–9 to name and feel emotions in their bodies, with 30 activities to regulate emotions and teach body awareness.Lots of kids might say they feel “good” or “bad” but miss all the other emotions in between. For children to best recognize feelings in themselves and others, they first need to have words for those feelings. Featuring a range of 30 different emotions, from angry and sad to grateful and proud, as well as a meditation or mindful activity for each, kids can use these interactive cards to develop their emotional intelligence and gain self-acceptance. They'll find ways to better understand feelings, build self-compassion, and share their emotional experiences—all in a fun, interactive way. The cards are illustrated with evocative ways that emotions can show up in the body to help kids start to recognize how they embody feelings—for example: “When I am worried, my mind feels tangled up like spaghetti noodles”; “When I feel scared, my belly feels cold like a popsicle”; “When I am excited, my chest feels fizzy like the bubbles in a soda.” The deck includes both meditation cards, guiding kids in simple mindfulness practices focused on the card’s emotion; and activity cards, featuring hands-on activities to regulate emotions like making a calming glitter jar, planting a seed of hope, blowing bubbles of frustration and watching them float away, and creating a “Gratitude Gumball” machine. The cards and a helpful introductory booklet are housed together in a colorful box.