Recognise Emotions
Identify feelings such as happy, sad, worried, angry, excited or frustrated.
Child Development & Learning Centre Bengaluru
✦ • Kamanahalli, Bengaluru
BEHAVIOURAL & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Helping Children Build Confidence, Coping Skills and Emotional Regulation
Children experience many emotions throughout the day.
Happiness, excitement, disappointment, frustration, worry and anger are all part of everyday development. Learning how to recognise, communicate and manage these emotions is an important skill.
At AstraKids, Behavioural & Emotional Support focuses on understanding what may contribute to a child's reactions and developing practical skills for emotional awareness, coping, confidence and everyday participation.
✓ Emotional Awareness
✓ Coping Skills
✓ Positive Behaviour
✓ Confidence Building
UNDERSTAND✦
RECOGNISE✦
COMMUNICATE✦
COPE✦
REGULATE✦
RECOVER✦
BUILD CONFIDENCE✦
UNDERSTAND✦
RECOGNISE✦
COMMUNICATE✦
♡
LOOK BEYOND THE REACTION
Behaviour can communicate a need.
UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOUR
Behaviour Can Be a Form of Communication
What adults see as difficult behaviour may sometimes be a child's way of communicating something they cannot yet explain.
A child who refuses, cries, becomes angry, withdraws or avoids an activity may be trying to communicate:
Instead of focusing only on stopping the reaction, it can be useful to understand what happened before it and what the child may need.
UNDERSTANDING EMOTIONAL REGULATION
Learning to Recognise, Communicate and Manage Strong Emotions
Emotional regulation develops over time through guidance, modelling and repeated experience.
Understand Triggers
Notice situations that make certain emotions stronger.
Communicate Feelings
Develop appropriate ways to tell others how they feel.
Use Coping Strategies
Learn practical ways to calm, pause or request support.
Recover From Difficult Moments
Gradually return to an activity after becoming upset.
LOOK BEYOND THE REACTION
Understand the Need Behind the Behaviour
When challenging behaviour occurs, observing what happened before, during and after the reaction can reveal useful patterns.
What Happened Before?
Was there a difficult task, unexpected change, loud environment, social situation or unclear instruction?
What Did the Child Do?
Observe the reaction without immediately labelling it as good or bad.
What Might the Child Be Communicating?
Consider whether they need help, reassurance, clarification, extra time or a break.
What Helped?
Notice which strategies helped the child become calmer and participate again.
✦
Over time, these observations may reveal useful patterns that help adults respond more effectively.
OBSERVE • UNDERSTAND • SUPPORT
The reaction is only part of the story.
BUILDING EMOTIONAL AWARENESS
Give Children Words for What They Are Feeling
Before children can manage emotions effectively, they first need opportunities to recognise and understand them.
Parents can connect words with feelings during natural everyday situations.
“You look disappointed because the game finished.”
“You seem excited about going to the park.”
“That was difficult. You look frustrated.”
DEVELOPING HEALTHY COPING SKILLS
Helping Children Discover What Helps Them Regain Calm
Different strategies work for different children. Depending on the child's needs, coping strategies may include:
Slow Breaths
Ask for Help
Request a Break
Move to a Quiet Space
Count Slowly
Visual Emotion Scale
Drawing or Writing
Calming Movement
Talk to a Trusted Adult
Prepare for Changes
THE GOAL IS NOT TO REMOVE EVERY DIFFICULT EMOTION
“I am feeling something difficult, and I have ways to manage it.”
MANAGING CHANGES & TRANSITIONS
Predictability Can Make Change Feel More Manageable
Transitions may become easier when children know what is happening now and what will happen next.
Advance Notice
“Five more minutes, then we are leaving.”
Give the child time to prepare for a change.
Visual Schedules
NOW
→
NEXT
Show the sequence of activities visually.
First–Then Guidance
“First homework, then play.”
Make expectations easier to understand.
Simple Choices
“Books or pencils first?”
Offer appropriate control within a clear routine.
BUILDING CONFIDENCE THROUGH POSITIVE EXPERIENCES
Confidence Grows Through Achievable Success
Children who repeatedly experience difficulty may begin avoiding challenging situations because they expect to fail.
Breaking activities into smaller steps can help children experience meaningful success and develop greater willingness to participate.
Trying something new
Asking for help
Completing part of a difficult task
Recovering after frustration
Waiting for a turn
Communicating a feeling appropriately
Using a coping strategy independently
Praise should focus on effort, strategy and progress, not only the final result.
SMALL SUCCESS MATTERS
Confidence grows one experience at a time.
SUPPORTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR
Clear, Consistent and Achievable Expectations
Positive behaviour develops more effectively when children understand what is expected and receive consistent support.
Short Instructions
Keep directions clear and specific.
Predictable Routines
Create consistency across everyday activities.
Explain Expectations
Prepare children before an activity begins.
Offer Choices
Provide appropriate and manageable options.
Recognise Positive Behaviour
Notice what the child is doing successfully.
Model Calm Communication
Show children how calm responses can look.
Build Independence
Create opportunities to try tasks independently.
Avoid Too Many Instructions
Reduce unnecessary demands at one time.
Maintain Boundaries
Keep important expectations consistent.
Repair & Try Again
Help children recover after difficult moments.
HOW PARENTS CAN SUPPORT EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT HOME
Everyday Conversations Can Build Emotional Skills
Children learn emotional regulation gradually through practice, modelling and supportive relationships.
Talk openly about different emotions
Help children name how they feel
Listen without immediately correcting
Model healthy ways of managing frustration
Use stories to discuss emotions
Prepare children for changes in routine
Create predictable daily routines
Notice situations that regularly cause difficulty
Encourage children to request help or breaks
Celebrate successful coping
WHAT PARENTS CAN NOTICE & RECORD
Look for Patterns Across Several Situations
Simple observations can help adults understand what regularly contributes to challenging moments and what helps the child recover.
What was happening?
What happened immediately before?
What did your child do?
What might they have been expressing?
What did you try?
What helped them recover?
Looking at patterns across several situations can be more useful than
focusing on one difficult moment.
PERSONALISED BEHAVIOURAL & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AT ASTRAKIDS
Understand the Child Before Choosing the Strategy
Every child's emotional and behavioural needs are different. AstraKids focuses on understanding the child's strengths, triggers, communication patterns and everyday challenges before developing appropriate strategies.
Emotional Awareness
Recognising and naming feelings.
Emotional Regulation
Developing ways to manage strong emotions.
Coping Skills
Learning constructive responses to difficult situations.
Communication
Expressing needs, frustration and feelings effectively.
Flexibility
Becoming gradually more comfortable with change.
Confidence
Building willingness to participate and try.
Social Participation
Developing skills for successful interaction with others.
WHEN TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
When Challenges Begin to Affect Everyday Participation
Consider discussing concerns with an appropriate professional when emotional or behavioural difficulties are persistent and regularly affect your child's daily life.
Learning & classroom participation
Family routines
Communication
Friendships
Social participation
Everyday transitions
Independence
Confidence
Participation in activities
Important:
A behaviour or emotional reaction by itself does not establish a
diagnosis. Understanding the child's broader development, environment
and individual needs is important.
HELPING CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THEIR FEELINGS
Children Do Not Need to Manage Every Difficult Emotion Perfectly
They need opportunities to understand what they are feeling, what they need and what they can do next.
With patient guidance and consistent strategies, children can gradually develop stronger coping skills, emotional awareness and confidence.
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CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S BEHAVIOUR OR EMOTIONAL REGULATION?
Speak with the AstraKids team to explore support suited to your
child's individual needs.
Professional Disclaimer:
AstraKids provides personalised educational and developmental support
according to individual requirements. Specific outcomes and development
timelines may vary for every child. Information on this website should
not replace medical diagnosis, clinical treatment or professional
healthcare advice.