For young children it can be really hard to explain all the different feelings they feel on a daily basis. Their language isn’t developed enough to help them express their feelings and this can often result in what is labelled “toddler tantrums”.

One way of managing these moods is to have a toy at hand, ideally one they haven’t seen for a while, and use it as a distraction whilst you try and talk to your child about why they are feeling a certain way. We have designed some gorgeous tactile wooden toys safety tested for 18 months + that are ideal for this.

A toy with some story telling attribute would be ideal. For example our Garden Magnetic Puzzle or our Garden Stacker would be great. It’s a simple puzzle toy, perfect for table top play and small hands and therefore a great example for a toy to have at hand when a tantrum starts.

As the parent you could take the puzzle apart, then ask your child to piece it back together whilst you gently ask why they are feeling upset. If they need more guidance you could build a story around the fox being sad/angry/scared and ask your child why the fox might be feeling that way. This often helps a child talk more easily about their own feelings as the pressure has been taken off them.

Another great way for a child to express their feelings is through drawing. Even really young children who can only just hold a crayon can express themselves through their mark making and often feel a lot better afterwards. You could see if they want to talk about their drawing too.

We’ve added a simple drawing activity for you to print out at home and give these ideas a go using the cute Fox from our toy. Check it out here: