Emotions and Sensory
Navigating emotions and sensory challenges can feel overwhelming, especially for children and teenagers with an Autism diagnosisor other neurodivergent diagnosis. That’s why we offer free tips and printable supports to guide parents and caregivers, plus easy-to-use tools like our Emotion Identifier Kit to make the process more intuitive and playful.
Supporting Sensory Needs
Some children may find focusing on their breath uncomfortable or overstimulating. If that happens, you can pair breathing with a calming sensory activity, such as holding a favorite object, squeezing a stress ball, or sitting in a quiet, dimly lit space. The goal is not perfect breathing technique, but helping your child feel safe, grounded, and supported.
Free Breathing Visual
Some children find it helpful to have a visual guide when practicing deep breathing. I created a simple breathing visual that can be downloaded for free from our store.
Teaching children breathing and counting techniques can help them manage their emotions when they feel upset, overwhelmed, or anxious. One of the first strategies we taught our son was to take a deep breath and count to ten. We practiced this when he was calm and away from anything highly stimulating. Once a child is already triggered, trying to teach breathing and counting techniques can lead to further frustration, so practicing ahead of time can be very helpful.
It is also a good opportunity for parents to take a breath and count to ten with their child before reacting to behavior. This can help both the parent and child stay calmer and communicate more effectively.
Ideas for Practicing Deep Breathing
Some children respond well to visual or sensory supports when learning to breathe deeply. You might try:
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Belly breathing: Have your child place a hand on their belly and feel it rise and fall with each breath.
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Blowing exercises: Pretend to blow out candles, bubbles, or a pinwheel to make breathing feel playful.
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Counting breaths: Inhale slowly while counting to three or four, then exhale while counting again.
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Using visuals: Draw a simple shape (like a square or a wave) and trace it together while breathing in and out.
Deep Breathing
Understanding and
Naming Emotions
Teaching children and teens with Autism to recognize and name emotions in themselves and others is an important step in building emotional awareness and social understanding. One way to practice this is through everyday activities that involve identifying feelings. For example, you might say in a neutral tone, “Your sister is smiling—what do you think she might be feeling?” This helps children start connecting facial expressions with emotions in real life.
Another way to explore emotions is by looking at pictures or videos of people expressing different feelings. You could use family photos, images online, or even short video clips to ask questions like, “How do you think this person is feeling?” Engaging with visuals in a shared activity, such as looking at a tablet together, can make learning about emotions more interactive and relatable.
Providing consistent opportunities to discuss and reflect on emotions helps children develop self-awareness, empathy, and self-regulation skills. Over time, these practices can make it easier for children to recognize their own feelings and respond thoughtfully to others.
Recognizing and Expressing Emotions
Encouraging children to identify and express their own emotions is a key part of social and emotional development. One way to support this is by helping them notice the physical sensations that often accompany different feelings. For example, you might ask, “How does your body feel when you’re happy?” or “What happens to your breathing when you’re angry?” These questions help children connect their emotions to their bodies, building self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Additional activities could include simple reflection, like having children pause for a moment and think about how they’re feeling. Asking them to describe their emotions out loud, gesture what they’re experiencing, or simply notice changes in their body can all help make emotions more tangible. Over time, these practices can help children recognize patterns in their feelings, develop coping strategies, and respond thoughtfully to challenging situations.
Emotional Freedom Technique
- EFT or “Tapping”-
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), often called tapping, is a simple, calming tool that some families use to help manage stress or anxiety. It involves gently tapping on specific points of the body, such as the side of the hand, forehead, or collarbone, while focusing on a thought, feeling, or situation that’s causing distress.
The rhythmic tapping can help create a sense of grounding and calm. For many people, including some individuals with an Autism diagnosis, it provides a predictable and soothing physical action during moments of overwhelm or anxiety. It’s easy to learn and can be done almost anywhere.
Parents and caregivers can explore gentle, child-friendly versions of EFT by watching short guided videos or learning from certified practitioners. Every person’s sensory preferences are different, so it’s important to introduce tapping slowly and watch for comfort cues.
Note: EFT is considered a complementary strategy and is not a replacement for medical or behavioral therapy. If you’re interested in trying it, talk with your child’s therapist or healthcare provider to see if it’s a good fit.
Learn more about EFT/Tapping:
If you’d like to explore this technique further, these resources offer helpful information and gentle guidance for getting started:
How Journaling Helps
Journaling can help kids and teens with an Autism diagnosis to better understand their emotions, experiences, and sensory needs. Writing or drawing about their day gives them a safe way to process what happened, especially when talking about feelings can be challenging.
Some benefits of journaling include:
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Recognizing patterns in emotions and behavior
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Noticing sensory triggers or calming activities
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Practicing self-expression in a low-pressure way
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Helping caregivers understand what works (and what doesn’t)
Journals can be written, drawn, or filled out with simple checklists or visuals, whatever fits the child’s communication style.
Noticing How Different Places Affect Them
A daily journal can also help track how different environments affect a child or teen. For example, you might notice patterns such as certain stores, schools, events, or social situations being more overwhelming, or certain places being calming and enjoyable.
Over time, this kind of tracking can help families:
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Plan outings more successfully
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Prepare for challenging environments
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Advocate for accommodations at school or activities
We offer printable daily journal pages designed to make tracking emotions and environments simple and visual-friendly.
Small Supports, Big Impact
Many kids and teens with an Autism diagnosis benefit from clear visuals and predictable routines when learning about emotions. Seeing feelings represented in a simple, concrete way can reduce overwhelm and help children feel more in control. Even small changes, like pointing to a visual card instead of using words in a stressful moment, can make communication calmer and more effective.
You can use ready-to-go printables from our store, like the Emotion Identifier Kit or Manage My Feelings Kit, or even create your own simple visuals at home. What matters most is consistency and connection, tools are just a way to make those moments easier for both kids and caregivers.