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Back to Workshops Ages 8-12 • Emotional

Emotion Skills

Name your feelings and learn to calm down when upset

35-45 minutes
Emotional Intelligence
Certificate Included

What You'll Learn

Emotions are messages from your body and brain. They're not good or bad - they're information! But when emotions get too big, they can take over and cause problems.

This workshop teaches you to identify and name your emotions accurately, understand what triggers different feelings, and use practical strategies to calm down when emotions feel overwhelming.

Key Learning Points

1

Name It to Tame It

When you can name your emotion specifically, it loses some of its power. "I'm frustrated" is more manageable than just "I feel bad."

2

All Feelings Are Valid

There are no "bad" emotions. Anger, sadness, fear - they all serve a purpose. It's what you DO with emotions that matters.

3

Emotions Are Temporary

No feeling lasts forever. Like waves, emotions rise and fall. Knowing this helps you ride them out instead of being swept away.

4

You Can Learn to Self-Regulate

Calming strategies aren't magic - they're skills you practice. The more you use them, the better you get at managing big emotions.

Activity 1: Feelings Vocabulary

Expand your emotional vocabulary

Learn specific emotion words beyond just "happy," "sad," "mad." The more precisely you can name feelings, the better you can handle them!

😊 When I'm HAPPY, I might actually be...

  • ✨ Excited • Joyful • Content • Proud • Grateful • Peaceful • Amused • Delighted

😢 When I'm SAD, I might actually be...

  • ✨ Disappointed • Lonely • Hurt • Discouraged • Hopeless • Guilty • Left out

😠 When I'm ANGRY, I might actually be...

  • ✨ Frustrated • Annoyed • Betrayed • Disrespected • Jealous • Resentful • Furious

😰 When I'm SCARED, I might actually be...

  • ✨ Anxious • Worried • Nervous • Overwhelmed • Insecure • Panicked • Embarrassed

✍️ Practice Naming Feelings:

Situation: Your friend forgot your birthday

Situation: You studied hard and got an A

Situation: Someone took credit for your idea

Activity 2: Calm-Down Toolkit

Learn practical strategies to manage big emotions

Try different calming techniques and identify which ones work best for YOU. Everyone's toolkit is different!
Deep Breathing: 4-7-8 method (breathe in 4, hold 7, out 8)
Count to 10: Slowly, give your brain time to calm down
Take a Break: Walk away from the situation temporarily
Physical Movement: Jump, stretch, run - move the energy out
Cold Water: Splash face with cold water or hold ice
Talk to Someone: Express feelings to a trusted person
Write It Out: Journal your feelings to process them
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and release each muscle group
Visualization: Imagine a calm, safe place
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding: Name 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you touch, 2 you smell, 1 you taste

✍️ My Top 3 Calming Strategies:

Activity 3: Know Your Triggers

Identify what causes strong emotions

Understanding what triggers your emotions helps you prepare and respond better. Awareness is the first step!

🔥 My Emotion Triggers:

💡 Action Plan:

Now that you know your triggers, what can you do?

Activity 4: My Emotion Response Plan

Create a personalized plan for handling big feelings

Create if-then plans for common emotional situations. Having a plan makes it easier to respond well in the moment!

📋 If-Then Plans:

IF I start to feel really angry...

IF I'm feeling anxious or overwhelmed...

IF I'm really sad or down...

IF someone does something that upsets me...

🆘 My Emergency Contacts:

Who can I talk to when emotions feel too big to handle alone?

Final Reflection

"What surprised you most about learning emotion skills? Which calming strategy are you most excited to try? How will better managing your emotions help you in martial arts, school, and friendships?"

Congratulations!

You've completed the Emotion Skills workshop

  • Expanded your feelings vocabulary
  • Built your calm-down toolkit
  • Identified your emotion triggers
  • Created your emotion response plan
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