Helping Kids Learn to Self-Regulate Their Big Feelings

Podcast Playlist

Kids, like grownups, can experience overwhelming feelings over what’s happening in their lives and what they hear or see going on in the world around them. We kids’ podcast creators care deeply about our young audiences and their mental health. This podcast playlist includes storytelling, news and mindfulness podcast episodes with narratives and guidance to help kids recognize, understand and learn how to self-regulate their big feelings.

Big Bad’s Big Feelings

Dorktales Storytime Podcast

In the Dorktales Storytime world, the Big Bad wolf has made quite a life transformation, but there are still times when he huffs and puffs in an emotional blow-up. The podcast’s storytellers, Jonathan and Mr. Redge—who are experiencing their own strong emotions—encounter Big Bad and struggle to help him with his problems. Thankfully a caring capybara, played by Chanel Tsang from the Peace Out Podcast, patiently helps them understand the big feelings they are feeling and gives them tools for self-regulating when they feel overwhelmed.

H.A.L.T.

Peace Out Podcast

The Peace Out podcast by Chanel Tsang is a treasure-trove of calming yoga and mindfulness practices to help kids with their social-emotional health. This episode takes a popular parenting strategy—to check if your child is Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired when noticing they are out of sorts—and turns it around so kids can use it to self-assess where they are at with their feelings.

Time Yin

Adventures of Power Dog in Dogland

This fantastical serial fiction podcast is written by a mother and her young son. It follows the adventures of Power Dog who lives in the whimsical world of Licktopolis. (Hey, don’t get me started on how cute and clever this podcast is!) In this episode, poor Power Dog finds himself in uncertain circumstances and becomes flooded with overwhelming feelings. Through the narrative, kids learn what “shutting down” and “emotional flooding” mean and that it’s okay to take a break, to not know what to do next, and to take a moment for your mind and heart to catch up.

Mental Health Matters

The Ten News

Show host Bethany Van Delft talks to kids about making your mental health a priority. She calls out Olympic gymnast Simon Biles, NBA star Kevin Love, and tennis champion Naomi Osaka who have opened up about their struggles with their mental health and what they’re doing about it. The message: we are all in this together! Special guest Noah Glenn from the Like You: Mindfulness for Kids podcast shares techniques to help kids keep their mental health in top shape.

Mental Time Travel

Like You: Mindfulness for Kids

In this episode, Noah Glenn teaches listeners how to time travel in their minds to remember that the things that are challenging or upsetting us in the present won’t always be that way. When overwhelming feelings happen, it might be difficult to imagine that things will ever get better—that’s the perfect time for some mental time travel.

Add to Your Listening Library

You can import the playlist directly into your favorite podcast app! These instructions should be done using your mobile device:

1. Click on this Listen Notes Link.
2. Click on Subscribe button.
3. Click on Subscribe on Podcast Apps button.
4. Click on Continue button.
5. Choose the app you use.
6. Follow the instructions on how to open the playlist in the app.