The Chaos and the Clutter

Sharla Kostelyk

My Winter Feelings Mini Book for Kids

colouring pages depicting winter scenes on a wood floor

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This mini book allows kids the opportunity to process their thoughts and feelings about different winter happenings. When children practise talking about and writing about their emotions, they are better able to manage them. 

a coloured page sits on a wood floor. Text reads "Winter My Emotions Mini Book"The pages include some common winter things such as drinking hot chocolate, going sledding, ice skating, building a snowman, and experiencing winter weather.

It also gives students the chance to express what they like about winter and what they don’t like about winter. colouring pages depicting winter scenes on a wood floorFor some students, it may be easy to think of things they like about winter and they may need some prompting. For others, it may be their favourite season and they may need help to come up with things they don’t like!

My Winter Feelings Mini Book:

Supplies needed:

    • My Winter Feelings mini book printable pages. (download here)
    • scissors
    • pencil or pen
    • markers, crayons, or pencil crayons
    • stapler and staples

Instructions:

  1. Download the My Winter Feelings mini book.
  2. Print the pages.
  3. Cut apart the booklet pages.
  4. Let your student decide how he or she feels about each winter activity and draw a corresponding face on the child on that page. Your student can use the Emotions Word Bank for ideas (for words to use and for faces to draw).
  5. When your student has completed the book, stack the pages together with the cover on top and staple on the left side to create a little book.

collage of different printed winter mini book pagesOnce your child or student has filled out their booklet, you can also sit with them and debrief. If there are some winter scenarios that seem to have potential to cause them some distress, brainstorm ways to help them manage those feelings or better navigate those scenarios if they arise. 

Download your free printable mini book for kids and be signed up for our sensory solutions and activities emails. 

Check out these other emotions printables for kids:

Pirate Emotions Playdough MatsPumpkin Emotions Gamepaper with pumpkin pictures and orange buttons set on top

November Emotions Printables for Kids

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Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends. It’s about getting together, eating great food, and making memories. But for some kids, any holiday or change in routine can bring with it a variety of feelings. These November Emotions Printables invite kids to explore their emotions about Thanksgiving, visiting relatives, and the day to day.

display of printed worksheets with orange pumpkins. Text reads "November Emotions printables"

November Copywork Emotions Sentences:

I firmly believe that teaching emotions is even more important than teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. Children need to develop a real understanding of emotions and know how to express their own. These November emotions printing practise worksheets allow kids to work on their printing while learning about emotions.

These copywork pages allow students to explore emotion words and associate the images with the corresponding feeling. This expands their emotional vocabulary.

Supplies needed:

  • November Emotions printables
  • pen or pencil OR
  • plastic sleeve AND dry erase marker

Download the printable pages. If you want to make them reusable, laminate the pages or slip them into a plastic page protector. Students can then use a dry erase marker to complete the tracing and writing.

If these are for a one time use, give the student a pencil, crayons, coloured pencils, or markers and the printed papers.

Instructions for the student:

  1. Read the sentence.
  2. Fill in the outline.
  3. Trace the dotted words.
  4. Write the sentence on the lines provided.
  5. Discuss the various emotions.

These worksheets can be the jumping off point for a class discussion or one-on-one talk about different emotions.

November Feelings Log:

Keeping a daily log of feelings helps kids to examine their emotions. It also allows them and their teacher or parents to analyze any patterns they see emerging when looking back through the log.

Doing this quick daily exercise is also a great jumping off point to help kids to talk about their emotions and most importantly, get to the root of why they are feeling the way they are.

I believe in teaching emotions with as much zeal and intention as we teach reading, writing, and math. It is with that belief that I create opportunities for children to learn about emotions and to put that into practise.

I’ve put together a special Feelings Log for November (please note that it does contain two questions about Thanksgiving, so if you’re Canadian, this may be more appropriate to use with your child or student in October). It includes a writing prompt, a drawing prompt, and weekly tracking sheet of “Today I feel” along with adorable pumpkin faces to use to help them express their emotions.

Supplies needed:

Simply enter your email below to download these November Emotions Printables. You can use this with your child at home or print it off to use with your students in the classroom.

You may also be interested in these resources for helping kids with their emotions:

Spider Emotions Matching Game

Make Your Own Emoji Squishies

Pirate Emotions Playdough Mats

How to Make Pumpkin Slime

clump of orange slime

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If you’re looking to make a Hallowe’en slime that’s not too scary, this pumpkin slime is a great choice. It’s festive and fun but still good for preschoolers. Once you learn how to make pumpkin slime, you’ll be able to easily make it anytime.orange slime stretched out on top and in a clump at bottom. Text says "Pumpkin Slime"

Looking for a creepier version of Hallowe’en slime? You might want to check out our spider web slime or make some glow-in-the-dark slime. Slime is a great addition to a classroom party or an October gathering. collage of photos of pumpkin slime stretched and in clumps

Pumpkin Slime Recipe:

Supplies needed:

*Note: You can use other brands of clear glue, but in my experience, Elmer’s washable clear school glue gives the best results for slime. 

clump of orange slimeDirections:

  1. Pour the bottle of clear glue into a medium-sized bowl.
  2. Stir in 1/4 cup warm water using a fork.
  3. Add 1/4 cup liquid starch. Stir well for 2 minutes or so.
  4. Mix in a drop or two of orange food dye.
  5. If the slime is too stiff, add more water. If it’s too sticky, add more liquid starch.
  6. Continue stirring until the slime forms into a ball.
  7. Knead for about 2 minutes, adding more water or liquid starch if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
  8. Once the slime is stretchy and no longer sticky, knead in the pumpkin confetti.

collage showing clear slime with orange pumpkin confetti being madeSlime should be stored in an airtight container or sealed bag when it’s not being played with. Be sure to wash hands thoroughly after handling slime. 

Variations of pumpkin slime:

  • Instead of pumpkin confetti, mix in actual pumpkin seeds.
  • Skip the orange food dye and keep the slime clear. Depending on which confetti you use, it may dye the slime orange over time anyway.
  • The stretchy pumpkin slime is a good one to use for our Halloween sensory game. 

orange slime stretched out with fall leaves in the backgroundAs with all sensory play recipes, adult supervision is recommended. 

Check out these other Hallowe’en slimes:

Spider Web Slime

Black Glitter Slimehands holding dripping black slimeGlow-in-the-Dark Slime

Halloween Sensory Bottle

close up of a sensory bottle with orange pumpkins and purple hues

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When we think of Halloween, we may think of dark, black, or scary, but the October holiday can also be celebrated with cheerful colours like purple and orange. That’s what I like about this Halloween sensory bottle. bottle filled with liquid and floating orange and purple items. Text reads "Easy Halloween Sensory Bottle"This is a simple activity to do in a preschool class or at home. Because the glitter and confetti travel slowly through the glue and water, it makes a great calm down bottle for kids to observe when their emotions get too big.

Halloween Sensory Bottle:

Supplies needed:

close up of a sensory bottle with orange pumpkins and purple huesDirections:

  1. Empty one bottle of clear glue into the plastic bottle. 
  2. Fill the empty glue bottle about half full with warm water and seal with the lid. Shake well to combine the remaining glue with the water. Pour into jar with glue and shake to combine.
  3. Add some of the glitter, sequins, and aquarium rocks.
  4. Seal the jar and shake well. If the glitter or confetti do not move easily, add more warm water. If the glitter or confetti move too quickly, add additional glue. Continuing adding in layers of water and glue with the glitter, sequins, and orange and purple rocks until you achieve the desired effect.
  5. When the contents of the bottle move the way you want them to, seal the bottle with the lid.
  6. You can use a hot glue gun to secure the lid in place to avoid spills.
  7. If you want to make the sensory bottle more festive, you can cover the lid with Halloween themed washi tape or  glow in the dark duct tape.

collage of supplies and finished project of a Halloween sensory bottleAre you looking for more easy sensory play ideas? Join us for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions and get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

Check out these other Halloween sensory ideas:

Black Glitter Slime perfect for Halloweenhands holding dripping black slime

Hallowe’en Sensory GameSpider Emotions Matching Game

Spider Web Slime

Black Glitter Slime Easy Recipe

hands holding dripping black slime

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Use this easy recipe to make your own black glitter slime. It’s great for Hallowe’en or just for sensory play. The glitter gives it a unique look.

two hands holding black glitter slimeIf you’re looking for a fun Hallowe’en activity that uses slime, check out our Hallowe’en Sensory Game for kids. It’s easy to put together and great for the classroom or for parties.

Black Glitter Slime Recipe:

Supplies needed:

  • 1 (6 oz.) bottle black glitter glue 
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 1½ Tbsp. contact lens solution that contains boric acid
  • 1 Tbsp glitter (if you want a more glittery slime)
  • optional: pumpkin confetti

thumb pulls pumpkin confetti out of black slime

Directions:

  1. Empty the black glitter glue into a medium sized bowl. 
  2. Add 1/4 cup warm water to the empty glue bottle and seal with the lid. Shake well to combine the remaining glue with the water.
  3. Pour into the bowl with the glue and stir to combine.
  4. Add the baking soda to the glue and stir to mix thoroughly. 
  5. If you are adding extra glitter or confetti, stir them into the glue mixture at this point.
  6. Add contact lens solution to the glue mixture and stir well. 
  7. Remove the slime from the bowl allowing any excess liquid to remain in the bowl.  The slime will be sticky. Begin to play with the slime, kneading it as if it were bread dough, to bring the slime together. The slime is ready when it is no longer sticky.

Note: Glitter glue requires more contact lens solution than making slime with regular clear or white glue. Add the contact lens solution slowly, mixing between additions, and add only enough to bring the glue together into a soft ball.

Slime should be stored in an airtight container or resealable bag when not being played with. hands holding dripping black slime

Possible Variations of Glitter Slime:

  • To make this black slime more appropriate for Hallowe’en, you can add different types of Hallowe’en confetti.
  • You can change the look of this slime by adding different colours of glitter.
  • Try adding tiny Hallowe’en themed erasers.

Are you looking for more easy sensory play recipes to try? Join us for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions and get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.
 

You might also be interested in checking out these other easy slime recipes:

Camo Fluffy SlimeGoogly Eyed Monster Slime

Stretchy Butterfly Slime

 

October Emotions Printables for Kids

collage of copywork with candy corn emotions

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Fall is in full swing where I live. In fact, there is a frost warning for tonight. No more denying that summer is over. But fall is full of great consolation prizes like colourful leaves, crisp fresh air, and candy corn! 

I like candy corn so I thought they would be the perfect visual to help kids talk about their emotions this October. This month’s free emotions printables include copywork pages, sheets to consider thoughts on trick or treating, and a feelings log. collage of printed pages with candy corn theme. Text reads "October Emotions printables"

Now I know that trick or treating is something that may be up in the air this year, so if it’s not happening in your area or your household, you can slip the word “not” in there and allow kids to express how they feel about not trick or treating this year. 

October Printables for Kids about Emotions:

October Copywork Emotions Sentences:

Supplies needed:

If you want sheets to be reusable, laminate the pages or simply slip them into a plastic page protector. Students can then use a dry erase marker to do the tracing and writing themselves. Or they can write directly on the pages with a pen, pencil, marker, or coloured pencils.collage of copywork with candy corn emotions

Copywork Sentences Instructions for the child:

  1. Read the sentence.
  2. Fill in the outline.
  3. Trace the dotted words.
  4. Write the sentence on the lines provided.
  5. Discuss the various emotions.

Copying sentences may not seem like it would be impactful, but these sentences do more than simply give a child practise for their penmanship! Copying out sentences about feelings can be a good launching off place for discussions. They help create a culture in your home or classroom where it’s normal to hear about and talk about feelings.a printed page in a plastic sleeve with four pieces of candy corn on top

You can also expand this activity by having your child talk about a particular time or situation in their life where they felt that particular emotion and how that was for them.

October My Feelings Log:

Supplies needed:

My Feelings Log Instructions for the child:

  1. Choose one apple icon each day to colour, cut, and paste into your log to represent how you are feeling at that time.
  2. At the end of the month, you’ll be able to look back and see all the different emotions you felt.
  3. Discuss your feelings with a parent or trusted adult.

Use the Feelings Log as a jumping off point for discussions about the different feelings your child is experiencing and what is underneath those emotions. This is also a good way to help them manage their emotions in healthy ways.

Enter your email in the box below to download your free October Emotions Printable Worksheets. You can then easily print them off to use at home with your child or with your students.

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