Helping Kids Handle Big Feelings With Stories and Music

Singing songs together can be a special way to spend quality time with your child, and a fun and creative way to express feelings! Kids can sing a song they love or make up their own song. Some families might like to sing songs from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood together as they explore big feelings, new experiences, and spending time together. You can find albums from the show wherever you listen to music, and you can join in this sing-along with Daniel Tiger and his friends.

Simple sing-alongs can support young children in learning key strategies for managing big feelings. Singing short, repeatable “strategy songs” can help them remember calming steps -- like breathing, counting, or taking things slowly, when they feel overwhelmed. Start with one easy phrase. You can sing together during daily routines or before challenging transitions throughout the day. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood has catchy, developmentally-appropriate strategy songs for lots of big feelings. You can explore them here.

Listening to or making music is another way children can name and practice big feelings. Those big feelings might happen before or after a challenging moment, such as school drop-off, their first dentist visit, or a new routine, or can happen during daily activities anytime children feel overwhelmed.

During times when your child needs a gentle, calm-down activity, simple crafts can be an excellent way to spend time together. A homemade rubber band harp is a quick craft you can make in minutes using simple materials like a recycled box, rubber bands, and additional materials like markers for decoration. Another kid-friendly craft is a ribbon streamer. Children can use it for dancing, big movements, and releasing energy.

In addition to music, movement, and crafts, stories and pretend play are wonderful ways to practice naming and working through big feelings. These types of storytelling provide your child with new words, can help model empathy, and let children try out different responses in a safe way.

Here are a few ideas for skill-building and playful storytelling with your child: 

• Tell stories with puppets: Use these Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood-themed printable puppets to make up your own story or help retell one of your child’s favorite stories. 
• Read interactive storybooks: Support early literacy skills and manage big feelings with stories like Katerina Gets Mad and Daniel Shares His Tigertastic Car, or explore some picture books together. 
• Practice empathy during storytime: This activity provides a simple overview of ways you can help model and build empathy skills while reading your child’s favorite book. 
• Play pretend: This activity gives simple ideas to bring pretend play to life, offering connection, conversation and maybe some giggles.

Playful routines, whether a brief music break, a quick ribbon dance, or a puppet role-play, can help children name feelings, practice calming strategies, and build confidence which will help make transitions smoother. Repeat these small actions often so they become comforting habits. Encourage your child to bring their favorite song, mini-instrument, or puppet along in their day to remind them of the strategies you’ve practiced together.