Have you ever tried reasoning with a screaming 6-year-old mid-meltdown?
Yeah. Good luck with that. Whether it’s over a broken granola bar or a sibling breathing “wrong,” big feelings in little bodies can come out like a Category 5 hurricane. And as much as we’d love for kids to just know how to calm down, share their toys, or handle disappointment with grace… they don’t. Because no one is born with emotional regulation superpowers. It’s a learned skill—and the earlier they start practicing, the better.
At Kong Academy, we teach emotional regulation the way kids actually learn: through movement, play, and shared adventure.
Quick Watch: emotional regulation in action
Watch this short Kong YouTube video on brain breaks and movement games to see how physical play helps kids calm their bodies before big emotions take over.
Why Traditional “Calm Down” Methods Often Backfire
When your child’s nervous system is on red alert, you’ve probably said something like:
“Take a deep breath.”
“Use your words.”
“We don’t hit when we’re mad.”
And then watched them ignore every word while yeeting their snack across the room.
Given that kids can’t access logical thinking in a dysregulated state, our approach starts with the body. When kids move—run, climb, balance, dodge—they learn to regulate their nervous system. That physical activity paves the way for emotional awareness and control to follow.
So… What Actually Is Emotional Regulation?
Let’s break it down. Emotional regulation is the ability to recognize and respond to feelings in a healthy way. Think:
- Naming the feeling instead of becoming the feeling
- Taking a break instead of breaking a toy
- Breathing through frustration instead of melting into a puddle
It sounds simple, but it’s a lifelong skill—and most adults are still working on it too. For kids, emotional regulation looks like learning to pause before they lash out, and being able to recover when something feels too big.
At Kong Academy, we teach those moments through games—not lectures.
Kong Games That Help Kids Build Emotional Regulation:
Through movement-based games, kids get to practice staying calm under pressure, handling setbacks, and working through frustration with their bodies before their brains even realize it’s happening.
Here are a few of our favorite emotional regulation games—and what they’re secretly teaching:
- The Floor is Lava: Builds impulse control (“Wait your turn!”), emotional resilience (“You fell in the lava—try again!”), and problem-solving under pressure.
- Minecraft Cataclysm Brain Break: Powers through an action-packed routine while modeling how to stay focused and bounce back from mistakes.
- Ninja Exercise for kids: Practices managing frustration, bouncing back from failure, and to keep going
These games become Trojan horses for teaching skills like patience, recovery, and self-awareness while moving big emotions through a child’s body in a healthy way.
Movement + Community = Emotional Regulation Goldmine
Let’s get nerdy for a second. Research from institutions like Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child shows that kids thrive emotionally when they have consistent access to sunlight (hello, Vitamin D), movement, peer interaction, and nourishment—all of which support the brain structures involved in emotional regulation.
And while we’re not doctors, we work closely with educators, parents, and child development specialists who know that kids need real-life practice—not just reminders—to develop these vital skills.
That’s why our after school and summer camp programs intentionally combine:
- Brain-based games
- Outdoor play
- Physical challenges
- Peer-based teamwork
- Social learning and kindness
Emotional regulation doesn’t come from a child’s logical decision to do something different—it’s something they feel and learn through moving their whole bodies. When they’re active, connected to others, and immersed in playful environments, the lessons stick.
Giving emotions a healthy outlet and practicing regulation while their brains and bodies are fully engaged is more important than merely asking a child to control their feelings. That kind of control isn’t learned through words—it’s built through experience.
What About Video Games? Can They Help With Emotional Regulation?
Yes—and no. Some video games, when used intentionally, can teach focus, teamwork, even resilience. But it’s all in how they’re used. We take the themes kids love in video games—missions, adventures, characters—and bring them to life through physical play.
In our after school and summer programs, we turn obstacle courses into “leveling up” quests. We create spy missions, jungle challenges, and dinosaur hunts that encourage kids to move their bodies and solve problems together. These real-world adventures teach kids how to regulate their emotions in the moment—whether that’s staying calm under pressure or knowing when to pause, reset, and try again.
If your child loves gaming, this is their chance to live the story and build real emotional skills while doing it.
FAQs Parents Are Searching For (So Let’s Answer Them Here)
How can I help my child regulate their emotions?
Get them moving. Create safe, playful opportunities to practice emotions, not just talk about them. And yes, let them struggle a little—regulation is a skill built through experience, not perfection.
At what age can kids emotionally regulate?
Signs of emotional regulation start around 3–4 years old, but full mastery takes years. Just like learning a language, the earlier they’re exposed, the more fluent they’ll become.
What causes poor emotional regulation in children?
Lack of sleep, limited social interaction, unprocessed trauma, inconsistent routines, and not enough movement are all big factors. Also? Screens without balance. We’re obviously not anti-tech, but we do encourage building in recovery time away from tech.
What are the 3 R’s of emotional regulation?
According to trauma-informed teaching models, the 3 r’s of emotional regulation are: Regulate, Relate, Reason. In that order. When you can calm the body, then connect emotionally, and then talk it out you get the very best results.
Want to Raise a Kid Who Can Handle Big Feelings?
Send them to a place where movement meets mentorship, and fun meets flexibility. At Kong Academy, we give your child the tools to handle tough stuff—without ever making it feel like homework.
Watch More on Kong Academy’s YouTube Channel.
Join us for summer camp or after school fun in Seattle, Washington.
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