Description

Big feelings can be overwhelming for many children. Learning how to recognize emotions and respond in healthy ways is an important life skill.

This Big Emotions Social Story and Companion Activity Pack helps children understand their feelings and learn strategies to calm their bodies and minds.

In this engaging story, siblings Ava and Eli experience big emotions and learn that feelings like anger, frustration, sadness, and excitement are normal.

The story gently teaches children that while emotions are natural, there are safe and helpful ways to respond to them.

Using simple language and supportive visuals, children learn strategies such as:

• taking deep breaths
• asking for help
• taking a break
• talking about feelings

These strategies help children develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, and confidence.

This resource was created by a former special educator and autism parent and is designed for students who benefit from visual supports, structured emotional learning, and predictable routines.

What’s Included Social Story

A step-by-step social narrative that teaches children how to recognize and manage strong emotions.

Students learn:

• what emotions are
• that everyone experiences big feelings
• how emotions can feel in our bodies
• healthy ways to respond to strong feelings
• how to calm their bodies and minds

The story models positive emotional regulation while reassuring children that their feelings are valid.

Companion Activity Pack

The activity pack reinforces emotional learning through engaging worksheets and reflection activities.

Activities include:

• Parent and teacher guide
• Feelings identification worksheets
• Emotion reflection activities
• Calm-down strategy practice pages
• Matching activities
• Emotional vocabulary development
• Maze activity
• Word search
• Coloring pages
• Reflection worksheet for discussing feelings
• “Emotion Expert” award certificate

These activities help students practice recognizing emotions and choosing appropriate coping strategies.

Skills Addressed

This resource supports development of:

• emotional regulation
• self-awareness
• social emotional learning (SEL)
• coping strategies
• communication skills
• problem solving
• emotional vocabulary
• self-confidence

IEP Goals This Resource May Support Emotional Regulation Goals

Student will identify and label emotions.

Social Emotional Learning Goals

Student will demonstrate appropriate coping strategies when experiencing strong emotions.

Communication Goals

Student will describe feelings using appropriate vocabulary.

Behavior Goals

Student will use a calming strategy when experiencing frustration or upset.

Social Skills Goals

Student will demonstrate understanding of emotional responses in social situations.

Who This Resource Is For

Perfect for:

• Autism classrooms
• Special education classrooms
• Social emotional learning lessons
• Counseling sessions
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Calm corners
• Social skills groups

Especially helpful for students who:

• struggle with emotional regulation
• experience big feelings or meltdowns
• benefit from visual supports and structured SEL instruction

File Details

This resource is a digital download.

Included files Combined:

• Printable Big Emotions Social Story PDF
• Printable Companion Activity Pack PDF

Teachers often use these pages in:

• calm corners
• SEL lessons
• behavior support plans
• social skills groups
• home emotional learning practice

Copyright

Adventures of Ava & Eli series © AvaHasAutism
All rights reserved.

This resource includes symbols from Boardmaker® Picture Communication Symbols (PCS)
Boardmaker PCS © Tobii Dynavox, LLC. Used with permission.