Anger is a normal and natural emotion for children to experience, but learning how to manage it is one of the most important life skills they can develop. In the book Big Feelings, Little Me: Anger, Kai discovers that while feeling angry is perfectly okay, hurting others or ourselves is not.

What Kids Learn from Kai

Through Kai’s journey, children learn essential emotional intelligence skills, including:

• How to recognize the physical signs of anger.
• Healthy ways to calm their bodies down.
• How to use their words to talk about their feelings.

Questions Parents Can Ask

Reading together is a great way to start a conversation. Try asking your child these questions:

• What made Kai feel angry in the story?
• What did Kai do to help himself calm down?
• What helps you feel better when you are feeling upset?

Activity: Deep Breathing in Your Calm Down Corner

A “calm down corner” is a safe space filled with soothing items like coloring pages or a favorite stuffed animal. One of the most effective tools to include in this space is deep breathing practice.

Deep breathing helps reset the nervous system. You can teach your child the “Belly Breath”: Have them place a hand on their stomach, breathe in slowly through their nose like they are smelling a flower, and breathe out through their mouth like they are blowing out a candle. Practicing this together when they are calm makes it much easier for them to use when those big “Anger” feelings arrive!