- Sproutly
- Posts
- đ±đ Excitementđđ±
đ±đ Excitementđđ±
Melissa Moore
November 21, 2024
Hello Sproutly Families,
Welcome to this weekâs edition of Sproutly, where weâre focusing on helping kids understand and manage excitement! Excitement is a wonderful emotionâit energizes kids, boosts their creativity, and makes lifeâs special moments even brighter. However, knowing how to handle big bursts of excitement can be a challenge, especially for young children who may feel overwhelmed or find it hard to settle back down.
In this issue, weâll explore how to teach kids to recognize excitement, enjoy it, and channel it positively. With the right tools, we can help our kids turn their excitement into a source of joy, growth, and positive experiences.
In this newsletter, you will get....
Parenting Tips
Photo by Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels
Helping Kids Embrace and Express Excitement
Recognize the Physical Signs of Excitement:
Excitement often shows up physically in kidsâthey might wiggle, jump, talk loudly, or move quickly. Help your child notice these cues by saying, âI see youâre really excitedâyour feet are bouncing, and your voice is loud!â
Celebrate Their Joy:
Let your child know itâs okay to feel excited and that itâs a wonderful emotion. Show enthusiasm for their excitement by joining in, saying, âWow, thatâs amazing! I can see how thrilled you are!â This validates their feelings and strengthens your connection.
Guide Appropriate Expression:
While excitement is positive, it can sometimes be overwhelming or disruptive. Teach your child where and when certain behaviors are appropriate. For instance, âItâs great to feel excited! Letâs find a way to express it without running indoorsâmaybe we can do a happy dance together!â
Teach Calming Techniques for Overwhelm:
Sometimes excitement can escalate into chaos. Help your child learn to take deep breaths, use calming tools like a favorite stuffed animal, or count backward from 10 to bring their energy back to a manageable level.
Model Excitement Positively:
Kids learn by watching you. Share your excitement about small joys, like a sunny day or a favorite meal, and show them how to express enthusiasm in ways that are positive and balanced.
Help Them Anticipate and Manage Excitement:
Excitement often builds around anticipation, like a birthday or special trip. Talk about what to expect and how they can channel their feelings. For example, create a countdown chart or plan small activities leading up to the event to keep their excitement manageable.
Activity of the Week
Photo by Charles Parker on Pexels
Excitement Freeze Dance
Explain the game to your child: When the music plays, you can dance and let out all your excitement. But when the music stops, you have to freeze and be as still as a statue.
Play some upbeat music and let your child dance out their excitement.
When the music stops, everyone freezes in place like statues.
After freezing, guide your child to take a deep breath in and out, saying something like, âLetâs breathe in calm and breathe out the wiggles.â
This activity combines fun, expression, and a quick introduction to self-regulation skills.
Excitement is a wonderful emotion that fills our kidsâ lives with energy, joy, and anticipation. While itâs a feeling to be embraced and celebrated, itâs also an opportunity to teach them balance and self-awareness. By helping kids recognize how excitement feels in their bodies and showing them healthy ways to channel it, weâre giving them tools for emotional growth that will serve them for a lifetime.
Remember, whether itâs through fun activities like Freeze Dance, calm breathing techniques, or open conversations about their feelings, every small effort helps your child learn to navigate their emotions. Letâs celebrate the beauty of their excitement while empowering them to express it in ways that enrich their experiences.
Until next week, stay playful and present! đ±
Warm regards,
Millie & Melissa
The Sproutly Team
New here? Join Our Newsletter
