Self-regulation is a big skill for little learners. If you work with preschoolers, you know how tricky it can be for young children to identify their feelings, express them clearly, and calm their bodies when emotions get big. Whether you're a teacher, therapist, or parent, having simple and effective tools makes a huge difference. Our Preschool Self Regulation Activities for Little Learners is a jam-packed resource designed to support early childhood development using visuals, choice-making, and sensory tools. It’s developmentally appropriate for preschoolers and can even be used with early elementary students who are still learning about emotions and regulation.
What’s Included in This Resource?
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
Visual Supports To Build Awareness
- 2 “I feel – I need” visual boards
- 3 check-in chart options
- 30 “I feel” pictures (sad, mad, frustrated, happy)
- 30 “because” visuals to help explain feelings
- 100 “I need” visuals to promote regulation choices
- Sentence strips for building communication:
- I feel ____, I need ____
- I feel ____, because ____, I need ____
Sensory + Calming Strategies That Work
- “Today we are learning about” chart with 8 regulation targets (e.g., breathing, movement, yoga)
- Breathing cue cards
- Wall push-up cue cards
- Beginning yoga cards
- Calming sequence visuals
- “Calming My Body” social story
Emotion Recognition Activities
- 4 Emotions Matching Mats
- 1 Emotions Sorting Mat (with 30 emotion cards)
- 27 Emotions Flashcards (3 of each emotion)
Why Educators Love It
This set is easy to implement and helps young children learn to pause, reflect, and choose strategies that help them feel better. It’s been used successfully with 3–5-year-olds in real classroom settings by special education teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and paraprofessionals. The best part? It actually works—and it’s simple to use every day.
“This resource has been a great tool that the kiddos love to use and can help them to self identify how they feel and what tools that can use for improved regulation. “
Ellie B.
Ellie B.
Also Includes the Original Calming Strategies Pack:
- 24 calming strategy choice cards
- 20 emotion cards
- Emotion matching & sorting activities
- Bonus social story about using the “I feel – I need” tool
Who Is It For?
Perfect for:
- Preschool special education teachers
- Early childhood professionals
- Speech-language pathologists
- Occupational therapists
- School counselors and social workers
- Parents of autistic or neurodivergent children
“I love how this resource has many different strategies to teach and they are in the social story as well. “
Final Thoughts
Teaching self-regulation doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools in place, even our youngest learners can begin to build emotional awareness and confidence. If you’re looking for preschool self regulation activities that are both engaging and effective, this resource is for you!
Ready to build emotional awareness and calm classroom moments? Grab the Preschool Self Regulation Activities for Little Learners here!
And if you love this resource, be sure to check out our other matching activities for special education in preschool!
0 Comments