Helping Children Let Go of Strong Emotions {Free Printable}

I remember holding on to anger and pain after my mother died. Part of me was looped into the painful misunderstanding that these emotions connected me to her. I let pain dwell inside me longer than necessary. I let anger rest in my soul until there was no one left to be angry with but myself.

It is difficult to let go.

It is difficult to let go of pain, of anger, of wishes that have not and will not come true. It is difficult to let go of our past without feeling like we are cutting ourselves in half. So how do we let go of something that no longer serves us? How do we mourn a future we had created in our minds? How do we let go?

Here is a simple activity to help you create a letting go ritual. Use real balloons and have each child write (or share) words of gratitude before letting go of the balloons. This can help children move on with less anxiety and confusion. It allows them to acknowledge their feelings about an experience and validate their emotions.

You can also go here to download this sheet to build on the same idea of helping children let go of strong emotions: