How is your heart today?
Pick the face that feels like you. Then we will figure out what to do next together.
Tap the one that feels like you.
There are no wrong answers. Lola, Nolan, and Ava have all had every one of these.
Happy
Happy feels light and bouncy. Your face wants to smile and your body wants to move. It is a great feeling to share.
- Tell someone one thing that made you happy today.
- Happy is a good time to try something a little new.
Calm
Calm feels slow and soft, like Mr Pickles in a sunny window. Your breath is easy and your shoulders are down.
- Notice what calm feels like in your body so you can find it again later.
- Calm is a good time to read a story together.
Worried
Worried feels like butterflies in your tummy and a lot of what-ifs in your head. Lola knows this one. It usually shows up before something new.
- Touch your pocket hug. Love came with you.
- Say the worry out loud to a grown-up. Worries get smaller when they are said.
Sad
Sad feels heavy and slow. Sometimes your eyes fill up. Sad means something mattered to you, and that is okay.
- It is okay to cry. Tears are how sad moves through.
- Ask for a hug from someone, or send yourself a pocket hug.
Mad
Mad feels hot and tight. Your hands might squeeze and your voice might get big. Mad is a feeling, not a bad thing, but it needs somewhere safe to go.
- Stomp your feet five times, then breathe.
- Say what you needed. Mad is usually about wanting something to be different.
Tired
Tired makes everything feel harder than it is. Big feelings sneak in when you are tired. It is not you, it is the tired.
- A snack, some water, and a quiet minute fix more than you would think.
- Tell a grown-up you are tired. That is brave, not babyish.
Breathe with the heart.
Put your hand on your pocket. Follow the heart. In through your nose as it grows, out through your mouth as it shrinks.
How is your heart now?
Feelings move. See if yours did.
Pick something fun.
Grown-ups: this is the screen version of the feelings check-in printable. The breathing is four rounds of in for four, hold for two, out for six, with a hand on the pocket. It is a comfort tool, not a treatment. If big feelings are intense and lasting for weeks, talk with your pediatrician or school counselor.
Bring the whole world home.
Three gentle stories for first days, big feelings, and brave beginnings. Storybook and coloring editions, shipped by Amazon.
Bring a story time to your library or classroom.
Courtney reads, colors, and crafts with young readers across Southern Maine. Dates fill a few weeks ahead.