Managing big emotions like anger, frustration, and anxiety can be tough for children. But with the Tucker the Turtle strategy, children can learn a simple, effective way to calm down and think before reacting. This craft teaches kids to "tuck" into their shell, take deep breaths, and pause to reflect, helping them gain control over their emotions. By practicing these steps, children build confidence in managing difficult feelings in healthy, constructive ways. We spoke with Tom Timmerman, LSW, a Parent Navigator at Sanford Children’s CHILD Services, to learn more about how the Tucker the Turtle craft can help children navigate their emotions and develop crucial self-regulation skills.
Helping Children Manage Strong Emotions with Tucker the Turtle
Emotional reactions can be instant and automatic, especially in stressful or frustrating situations. For children, it is often hard to recognize that they can have control over how they respond in those moments. As Tom explains, “It can be a major leap in a child’s self-awareness when we start having the conversation that we ALL have emotional reactions AND there is something we can do to control our actions in these moments.” The Tucker the Turtle craft empowers children to gain control over their actions during emotional moments through a simple process: tuck, breathe, and think. “Empowering children to have more self-control through tucking, breathing and thinking instills self-confidence that they can navigate difficult or stressful situations with the ability to manage the most intense emotions. They can also start to learn better, more effective ways to get what they are looking for rather than allowing their emotions to boil over and out of control,” highlights Tom.
The Benefits of "Tuck, Breathe, and Think"
Sometimes, tangible calming tools like stress balls or fidget toys are not always available or appropriate for certain settings. That is why teaching children the technique of “tuck, breathe, and think” is so valuable. This strategy provides children with a universal tool they can use anywhere – whether they are at home, at school, or even in the middle of a busy public place. Tom explains, “In a way, these are the most useful calming skills you can teach your child. Even if there are other interventions they can use for calming down, it always helps to have a variety of calming techniques like having extra tools in your toolbox as a caregiver.”
Using Tucker the Turtle to Reinforce Emotional Regulation
Caregivers can use the Tucker the Turtle craft to reinforce emotional regulation techniques and make these skills a part of everyday life. “Reading the Tucker the Turtle story, talking about stressful situations you have been in, talking about stressful situations your child faces, showing them how to use the skills through modeling, and playing pretend with the craft turtle using the skills are all good ways to start,” says Tom. By integrating Tucker the Turtle into conversations and activities, caregivers can help children understand that emotional regulation is not just about calming down in the moment – it is about building lasting skills to manage emotions in a healthy way. Through modeling, role-playing, and imaginative play, children can practice using the “tuck, breathe, and think” strategy in a fun and engaging way.
Teaching Children That Big Emotions Are Okay
It is important for children to understand that big emotions are a normal part of life, and expressing them in a healthy, non-reactive way is equally important. Tom suggests, “Imaginative play time, role playing real-life situations, and/or playing with dolls or stuffed animals (Tucker the Turtle can be included as well) to act out some big feelings or emotions is a great way to remove some of the embarrassment children might feel when talking about their actual emotional meltdowns.” By creating an environment where children can safely explore and act out their emotions, caregivers can help children feel more comfortable with their feelings. This also gives children a chance to practice healthy expressions of emotion and self-regulation techniques in a fun and stress-free setting. “Be sure to demonstrate what it feels like for you as the caregiver to experience these feelings and talk about how it looks different for everyone, but we all have feelings! Then we can again use imaginative play to act out healthy expressions of emotion and self-regulating/co-regulating techniques,” advises Tom.
The Tucker the Turtle strategy teaches children how to pause, breathe, and think before reacting. They feel empowered to take control of their emotions and respond in a thoughtful way. So, why not introduce Tucker the Turtle into your child’s emotional toolkit? Through fun storytelling, imaginative play, and consistent practice, children can learn the valuable skills of emotional regulation that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Ready to get crafty? Watch how to make this awesome project here!