Resources for Children
and Those Close to Them
The purposes of these resources are two-fold:
Provide parents, caregivers, families, schools, providers and anyone who is in a supportive role to children, to feel more equipped and empowered to help children process experiences their bodies are holding.
To help children and teens to develop skills and tools for life, by gaining awareness of their internal experiences, learning how to regulate their bodies and nervous systems, and develop greater resilience in tending to, holding, and working through difficult emotions and experiences.
I've created three versions of a Body Awareness & Regulation Packet, each adapted for a different developmental stage. All three follow the same general process:
Notice body cues. Begin recognizing what's happening inside the body, without needing to name or explain an emotion.
Explore what the body might need. Get curious about what the body wants or needs.
Experiment with ways to respond. Explore different movements, sensory and proprioceptive experiences, breathing exercises, creative activities, and opportunities for connection that may help the body work through or make room for what it's experiencing.
Notice what happens next. Pay attention to what changes, what feels helpful, what doesn't. Children begin building their own collection of strategies that feel supportive to them.
You can download the resource packets here, or scroll further for additional information about how to use these resources, and the differences between each developmental age packet content.
[Download the Ages 3–7 Packet]
[Download the Ages 7–12 Packet]
[Download the Ages 12+ Packet]
The Goal Isn't Always to Feel Better
The purpose of these resources isn't to make difficult feelings go away or to teach children that they should always be calm or happy. Instead, the hope is to help children build a greater sense of awareness, choice, and confidence in how they respond to their bodies, even if that means learning to hold the hard things in a healthier way instead of trying to make the hard things disappear.
We want children to discover that they can notice uncomfortable sensations without necessarily being overwhelmed by them, and develop understanding of how to respond to those sensations. We want kids to find ways to make room for hard experiences, seek support when they need it, and gently shift the way their body feels, if that feels helpful.
The goal is not to change how we feel, but to help us feel more supported and capable of being with whatever we're experiencing.
My hope is that these activities offer children, and those close to them, practical ways to build that capacity together.
Choose & Download Your Activity Packet
Ages 3–7 | Body Awareness & Regulation Packet
Best for younger children, early-readers, or children with developmental needs for more simplicity.
This version is designed to be completed with a parent, caregiver, or trusted adult.
This playful, simplified version helps younger children become “detectives”, “scientists” and “experts” of their own bodies by noticing body clues, experimenting with activities, and learning what helps their body.
[Download the Ages 3–7 Packet]
Ages 7–12 | Body Awareness & Regulation Packet
For growing independence, with parent or caregiver support as helpful.
This version has helps children become “detectives”, “scientists” and “experts” of their own bodies by noticing body clues, experimenting with activities, and learning what helps their body. This version has more expanded body awareness building, a larger selection of regulation activities, and more space for children to write their thoughts.
[Download the Ages 7–12 Packet]
Ages 12+ | Body Awareness & Regulation Packet
For tweens and teens (and perhaps even adults) who prefer a more mature approach.
This version explores the same foundational concepts using more age-appropriate language, guiding individuals through recognizing body cues, exploring regulation exercises, and observing body responses to better understand what supports them. The exercises have been adapted for older children and teens.
[Download the Ages 12+ Packet]
A Note About Indicated Ages
The suggested age ranges are simply guidelines, not strict developmental boundaries.
You know your child best. Feel free to choose whichever version seems most accessible, engaging, and supportive for their needs. For older children and teens, you might even offer two versions and let them decide which feels like the best fit. There is no right or wrong place to begin.
A Note on Body Safety and Barriers to Body Awareness
If you find that your child is struggling to complete the first portion of their packet (Body Detective, or Body Cues), due to sensations of distress causing them to want to escape their body self-protectively, or due to feeling nothing or numb, or due to feeling sucked into or overwhelmed or body sensations, please try:
Stopping. Don’t force it.
Pausing, and trying again another time.
Noticing ONE body sensation, instead of many.
Noticing the body for just 2-3 second, then bring attention to something in the room around them.
Skip the Body Detective or Body Cues section (first page in each packet)
If you find that your child struggles to connect to their body without feeling distress, scared of their sensation, or quickly feeling detached or seeming distracted, I highly recommend connecting with a therapist / mental health professional who can help them develop a greater sense of safety in their body, and potentially help them process any stress or trauma that is contributing to the overwhelm or self-protective detaching.
These resources are intended as supportive educational tools, not a replacement for individualized mental health care. Participation should always be voluntary, and children can skip any activity that feels uncomfortable or unhelpful. If your child is struggling significantly following recent events, or otherwise, consider reaching out to a qualified mental health professional for additional support.