Gentle Observations (2025)

11/08/2025

🎲 Regulation practice that actually feels like fun?

Say hello to the Zones of Self-Regulation Board Game, a colorful, card-guided game that helps kids reflect, respond, and regulate, one roll at a time 🎲💙💛❤️💚

Designed for 1:1 sessions, small groups, or whole-class activities, this board game brings structured, zone-based reflection into real conversations

Each of the 300+ game cards (75 per zone) gives kids a chance to connect, reflect, and practice calming strategies

🎴 Here’s how it works:
💙 BLUE ZONE (75 cards): Kids explore low-energy feelings like sadness and boredom. Prompts help them name how they feel and identify tools that support rest or connection

💛 YELLOW ZONE (75 cards): These cards prompt students to notice early signs of escalation and choose strategies that can help before things tip into the Red Zone

❤️ RED ZONE (75 cards): Kids use charades, reflection, or scenario-based cards to talk about big emotions like anger or panic, and how they might respond more safely next time

💚 GREEN ZONE (75 cards): Students name what helps them stay focused, relaxed, and ready to learn, building pride in their strengths and tools

🙌 What makes it a favorite?

🧠 Over 300 cards with color-coded reflection prompts
🧩 Simple rules, easy to learn and quick to play
🎯 Supports SEL goals and classroom-wide Zones language
🎓 Ideal for emotional check-ins, regulation practice, or calm corner breaks
👩‍🏫 Used by counselors, therapists, and educators across settings

11/08/2025

💚 You know the moment: a student walks in after recess, clearly dysregulated, and when you ask how they’re feeling... they shrug...

Or worse...they say “fine.”

That’s where the Zones of Self-Regulation Worksheets come in: simple, engaging, printable pages that help students move from blank stares to self-awareness and next steps ✍️🧠

These worksheets were designed to make emotional learning easy to implement, even on busy school days

✅ Here’s why counselors and therapists love them:
🟩 They build emotional vocabulary. Students learn to recognize and label what they’re feeling, beyond “happy” or “mad.”
🟨 They encourage problem-solving. Instead of just naming their Zone, students identify what helps and what doesn’t, giving them agency over their own regulation
🟥 They help kids reflect, not react. Tools like the ‘Worry Loop’ and ‘My School Challenge Mountain’ prompt deeper insight into what’s really going on

This set is packed with gentle guidance, no-prep tools, and powerful visuals that actually make sense to kids 💬💛

10/08/2025

💛 Ever support a student who knows their Zone, but freezes when it’s time to act on it?

That’s where the Zones of Self-Regulation come in. It’s more than just color-coding feelings. It’s a structured, student-friendly way to connect emotional awareness with realistic support strategies 💚💛❤️💙

Whether a student is flatlined in the Blue Zone, bouncing off in Yellow, or melting down in Red, these tools give you a way to meet them right where they are, and gently guide them toward what they need next 🧠

✨ Self-regulation doesn’t mean students “behave.” It means they begin to understand themselves, practice emotional flexibility, and make small moves toward calm

These strategies work best when:
💬 A student can name their Zone, but doesn’t know what to do next
🧩 You need tools that don’t rely on verbal reasoning
🧠 You’re supporting learners with neurodiverse needs
🪑 You want calm corner visuals that actually get used
🏠 You’re helping build consistent school-home emotional language

You don’t need to over-explain or over-teach. Just give kids a visual map they can follow back to calm, with your support by their side 💛
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08/08/2025

🎲 Struggling to get teens to open up during sessions?

🎲 The “Get to Know You: Teen Edition” Dice Game is your answer!

This game is all about creating a safe space where teens can explore their thoughts and feelings through fun, engaging prompts

Here’s why it’s a game-changer for working with teens:

✨ Top 5 Benefits:

Breaks the Ice:
The game uses thought-provoking questions to get teens talking, even those who usually hold back 🧠

Encourages Self-Reflection:
Prompts help teens dig deeper and share what’s really on their mind 💬

Builds Trust:
The relaxed format makes it easier for teens to open up and feel comfortable 🤝

Flexible and Easy to Use:
Perfect for group therapy, individual sessions, or even casual check-ins 🌟

Addresses Relevant Topics:
Focuses on challenges like anxiety, relationships, and self-esteem—topics that matter most to teens 🎯

Here’s how it works in real life: Imagine a group session where teens are hesitant to talk. You roll out this game, and suddenly, they’re discussing their anxieties and thoughts without feeling pressured. It’s a tool that’s as fun as it is effective

07/08/2025

🐍🎲 Friendship drama can feel like an emotional rollercoaster for kids

One day it’s giggles and games, the next it’s tears and silence at lunch

That’s why we created the Navigating Friendship Drama board game, built like a Snakes and Ladders adventure, but filled with thoughtful prompts that guide kids through the ups and downs of friendship 💛

The board is paired with 4 powerful categories of cards:
🎭 Act It Out
✨ Builds empathy and social problem-solving through role play
😬 BFF Drama
🧠 Offers real-life scenarios kids face with friends, and how to handle them
✅ True or False
💡 Challenges common friendship myths and encourages respectful behavior
💬 How Would You Feel
💛 Builds emotional awareness and encourages thoughtful reflection

Whether it’s cliques, exclusion, jealousy, or misunderstandings

This game helps students make sense of tricky social dynamics in a playful, low-pressure way

Great for small groups, SEL time, or one-on-one sessions focused on relationships and empathy

If you’ve got a student navigating friendship ups and downs, this tool can make a big difference

06/08/2025

🦋 Some kids need a little help growing their wings

Navigating conversations, reading social cues, joining in, it’s not easy for every child
But the Social Butterfly Board Game makes social learning feel safe, playful, and full of possibility 💬

This board game is filled with thoughtful prompts that help children:
✨ Practice taking turns and listening actively
✨ Learn how to express themselves kindly and clearly
✨ Understand how others might feel in different situations
✨ Recognize and respond to social cues with confidence
✨ Build real-life friendship skills through guided play

Whether you're working with shy students, those struggling to connect, or kids who just need a little extra practice

This tool is a gentle and effective way to build their confidence

It works beautifully in small groups or one-on-one, and it creates natural moments of joy, connection, and laughter along the way 💛

If you’ve got a student who avoids eye contact, hangs back during group time, or just doesn’t know how to join in

06/08/2025

😡 When anger takes over, words get lost, and so do coping skills

This board game helps students find their way back 💛

The Anger Management Board Game is one of our go-to tools for helping kids recognize, understand, and respond to their anger in healthy ways

It’s thoughtful, gentle, and easy to use, with prompts that turn tense emotions into teachable moments

Each card falls into 1 of 4 categories:
✨ Name a Coping Skill
💡 Encourages kids to build their personal toolkit of calming strategies
✨ What steps can you take if…
🧠 Teaches step-by-step problem-solving through real-life scenarios
✨ Question Cards
💬 Builds awareness of anger triggers, feelings, and consequences
✨ Charades

🎭 Gets kids moving, acting out emotions and strategies in a fun, low-pressure way
It’s perfect for:
✔️ Small group sessions
✔️ One-on-one work
✔️ Role play and SEL skill practice
✔️ Building emotional vocabulary
✔️ Reducing shame and increasing emotional confidence

If you work with kids who shut down or lash out when angry
This game was made for you 💛

05/08/2025

😩 “Just calm down” isn’t a coping skill 🎲 But THIS game teaches kids what is…

Helping students learn how to manage their emotions doesn't have to feel like another lecture

In fact, it can feel like play

That’s why we LOVE using the Coping Skills Board Game in sessions

It’s gentle, engaging, and full of prompts that get kids thinking, talking, and trying new things, one card at a time 💬

Each card falls into 1 of 5 helpful categories:
✨ Name a Coping Skill
💡 A quick way to recall and reinforce what they already know
✨ What would you do if…
🧠 Builds problem-solving and emotional regulation through everyday scenarios
✨ True or False
🙋 Helps bust myths about what actually helps in stressful moments
✨ Charades
🎭 Encourages movement and creative expression, especially for younger or non-verbal kids
✨ Describe a time you…💬 Gently encourages personal reflection and peer connection

This board game is packed with ways to talk about stress, anxiety, frustration, and disappointment, without feeling heavy 💛

Perfect for small group work, one-on-one sessions, or even as a classroom SEL activity

04/08/2025

🎲 Group sessions can feel like magic when students start to open up

But getting there isn’t always easy

Especially when the room goes quiet and everyone avoids eye contact

That’s where game-based therapy makes all the difference 💬

Games give kids structure and safety

They take the pressure off talking

And they offer a way to practice emotions, empathy, and communication, without making it feel like work

Whether you’re a counselor, teacher, or parent supporting a small group of children

Therapy board games can help build trust, spark real conversation, and bring social-emotional learning to life ✨

If you're supporting someone who struggles to speak up in groups

Or if you're tired of sessions that feel more like pulling teeth than building connection

This approach was made for you

Save this for when you need a reminder that even the smallest moments, a smile, a shared answer, a thoughtful pause, are signs that growth is happening 🧠❤

You’re creating space for that
And it matters so much
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01/08/2025

🔁 “Avoiding school feels better in the moment… but harder in the long run.”

After identifying what’s standing in their way, many teens stop there

They know it’s hard, but they haven’t thought about how it’s affecting them

That’s where Step 2: How Does It Affect You? comes in

💛 This page (from the Emotion-Based School Avoidance Workbook) helps students reflect on the consequences of avoidance

Not as a scare tactic
But with compassion and clarity

✨ It gently guides them to:
✅ Notice how school avoidance is impacting their friendships, self-esteem, and future plans
✅ See that short-term relief often leads to long-term stress
✅ Realize that moving forward, even just a little, is worth it
✅ Understand their own patterns without shame
✅ Feel empowered to make changes at their own pace

31/07/2025

🏔️ “It’s not just one big mountain. It’s lots of little ones.”

For teens avoiding school, the idea of going back can feel massive and unmanageable

The Climbing Your School Challenge Mountain activity helps break it down,
One challenge at a time
From the smallest step…
To the hardest hurdle

✨ With this worksheet, students can:
✅ Identify what’s hard, without judgment
✅ Rank each challenge from easiest to most difficult
✅ Create a gentle, step-by-step plan they can actually follow
✅ Celebrate each win as they climb
✅ Build confidence with every small success

It’s part of the Emotion-Based School Avoidance Workbook, and it’s one of the best tools for turning overwhelm into momentum

Want us to send the link directly?
Just comment the word EBSA and we’ll pop it in your DMs 💬

31/07/2025

🚪 “I don’t mind school… just not that hallway.”

It’s not always all of school that feels overwhelming

Sometimes, it’s a time of day
A particular classroom
Or a spot in the building that quietly becomes unbearable

The Identifying My Red Areas activity (part of the Emotion-Based School Avoidance Workbook) helps students map those tough spots, so they can start to name what’s hard and what feels safer

💡 It helps them reflect on:
✅ What parts of the school day raise their anxiety
✅ Where they’re avoiding and why
✅ What motivates them to stay home instead

🧠 This visual activity opens up big insight in a non-threatening way, and gives you practical info to build a support plan that actually fits their experience

Gentle Observations

11/08/2025

11/08/2025

10/08/2025

08/08/2025

07/08/2025

06/08/2025

06/08/2025

05/08/2025

04/08/2025

01/08/2025

31/07/2025

31/07/2025

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