Mindfulness and feelings Printables!

Here are some more free interventions to accompany the book Ursula Unwinds Her Anger! I wrote this book to teach children mindfulness skills such as noticing feelings as they come and go, slowing down to notice what is around them, accepting themselves just as they are, and forgiveness. Ursula is a dragon who doesn’t feel like she quite fits in with the dolphins she lives with but so discovers she has a skill to teach others. She changes colors when her feelings change and this is something she learns she can use to teach others about feelings too! The book is available through Amazon Click here!

Feelings colors activity page 

After reading the book, see if the child remembers the colors Ursula would turn with her different feelings in the story. Then have the child draw herself in the spaces above Ursula and identify which color she would turn if she turned colors with her feelings too! Click here for link to printable page!

Feelings cube!

Color, cut, and tape to make your own feelings cube! Then take turns rolling the cube and either acting out the feeling (having the other person guess) or telling a time you felt that way! Another way to play is to tell okay things to do with the feeling that was rolled. For example, “it’s okay to be angry. When I’m angry, I like to take a quiet break.” Click here for link to feelings cube!

A color meditation

Here is a simple children’s color meditation, great to accompany a book about feelings colors 😉

Sit or lie down on the floor in a way that is comfortable for you then close your eyes. (Pause and allow the child to get settled. Many children I work with prefer to sit alone in the safe place tent while listening to a meditation and feel more comfortable with this). Now take a deep breath in your nose like you are smelling a flower. Breathe slowly out your mouth. Breathe in again and notice your body getting bigger as you fill up with air. Now slowly breathe out. (Pause)

With your eyes still closed imagine a color that helps you feel peaceful and calm. (Pause) Maybe it’s a light color, maybe it’s a dark color. (Pause) Maybe it’s more than one color. Imagine you can breathe this color into your body. Notice what it feels like to be filled up with the calm color. (Pause) Notice if it feels cool or warm. Pretend it’s turning you into the calm color too. Feel the color in you and around you helping you feel safe. Anywhere you go the calm color follows you, gently wrapping around you. Take another deep breath in your nose and breathe slowly out your mouth. Do this one more time. (Pause). When you are ready, wiggle your fingers and toes. Take a big stretch if you need to and open your eyes.

Take some time afterwards to allow the children to tell you what the experience was like for them then allow them to color or draw about it.

If the child has difficulty focusing, don’t worry! Simply cut it down a bit and offer to set a one or two minute sand timer telling the child you will watch the timer and let him know when he can open his eyes. This helps children not feel like they will have to focus and sit still for a long time and will not immediately feel overwhelmed or disinterested.