In early childhood education, some of the most powerful interventions don’t come from elaborate programs or expensive resources. They come from the quiet, intentional words educators choose in moments of emotional intensity. When a child’s body is flooded with frustration, fear, or sadness, it’s not logic they need; it’s presence. And that presence often begins with a few carefully chosen words. This article explores how emotionally intelligent language, gentle presence, and intentional silence can transform a child’s experience of safety, identity, and belonging.

Tantrums can be intense, unpredictable, and emotionally draining for both children and adults. But beneath the noise and tears lies something deeper: a child overwhelmed by emotion, struggling to communicate what they feel. In early childhood education and care, how we respond to these moments shapes not just behavior but also emotional literacy, trust, and long-term well-being.

In the rhythm of early childhood, emotional storms are natural. Toddlers and preschoolers are still learning to navigate big feelings, and their expressions, whether tears, tantrums, or withdrawal, are often calls for connection, not correction. As educators, our role is to be the calm in their chaos, offering warmth, understanding, and safe spaces to feel. The following article explores emotionally intelligent strategies that educators can implement to support children during moments of overwhelm, with examples.

How To Handle Big Feelings Posters are a supportive visual resource designed to help children recognise, name, and regulate intense emotions. These posters can be displayed in quiet corners, wellbeing zones, or used during group discussions to normalize emotional expression and build self-regulation skills. By making big feelings visible and manageable, they foster emotional safety, resilience, and a shared language for navigating challenging moments

Learning About Feelings Posters focuses on a different emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, or excitement and features visual cues that help children identify and express their feelings.

These posters can be used in a variety of ways: as part of a daily check-in wall, during storytime discussions, or in quiet corners to support self-regulation. By making emotions visible and relatable, they foster empathy, language development, and emotional safety.

Empathy can be understood as the experience of understanding another person's condition from their perspective. The trait is considered one of the most important life skills that children can learn since it not only nurtures interpersonal relationships, thereby making for a strong support network in adulthood but has been linked to positive life outcomes too. The following article provides strategies for promoting empathy in children. 

This feelings rhyme is sung in the tune of "I'm A Little Teapot" and is simple for both toddlers and preschoolers. It describes facial features when someone is happy and sad. This is a great song for children to get to understand when someone looks happy or sad. 

This song is a fun way for kids to learn how to identify and regulate their emotions.  Children will begin to understand that they go through different emotions throughout the day and it's alright to feel what they feel when they feel. 

This action song names feelings that children may have. It also includes actions for children to do during the song. This is great for children to name feelings that they may experience. 

This is an easy song, especially for young children that enables them to identify different emotions and how we respond to those emotions. This song enables children to act out different feelings throughout song.