At a glance:

  • Talking about and caring for your young children’s mental well-being as they grow is just as important as caring for their physical health.
  • Naming feelings gives children the language they need to express themselves and get help coping with different emotions.
  • Mindful breathing and movement can help children cope with big feelings.
  • Modeling healthy behaviors is one way to show your child how to take care of their mental well-being. This includes recognizing and reaching out for help when you need support.

Why talk to young children about mental well-being?

Caring for children’s mental well-being from an early age is just as important as caring for their physical health. Young children experience big emotions and challenges as they learn, grow, and interact with the world. Talking about and practicing healthy behaviors together can help children thrive at home, in school or care settings, and in relationships with others. As children learn to understand and cope with their feelings, they develop resilience and strong emotional foundations that last a lifetime.

Give feelings a name.

Helping children name their feelings is a powerful tool for emotional growth. Naming feelings reduces confusion and helps children communicate their needs. It also lays the foundation for empathy and problem-solving as they grow.

Try:

  • Add new emotions to your vocabulary with a feelings wheel or similar list. Practice listing off all of the different feelings you and your child remember and then naming them in real time.
  • When reading together, ask your child how they think characters feel at different points in the story.
  • Narrate your own feelings, letting them know when you are frustrated, disappointed, happy, proud, etc.
  • Practice cultivating positive feelings, like gratitude, by naming things you are thankful for or that brings you joy.

Children are often ready for conversations about feelings and other big topics earlier than we think, as long as we approach them in age-appropriate ways. Learn more tips about how to talk to your child.

Mindful movement and breathing

Adding simple movement and intentional breathing into your daily routine helps children develop their focus and cope with big emotions. Parents and caregivers can practice different activities together with their children to find what works for them and build mindfulness skills over time.

Try:

  • Breathing exercises like belly breathing or pretending to blow out a candle when beginning to feel upset or anxious.
  • Listen to a meditation together as part of a bedtime routine.
  • Do a few mindful movements, like stretching or breathing exercisees, as part of winding down at the end of the day or waking up in the morning.

Model healthy behavior.

Children learn by watching—modeling healthy habits is an important way parents and caregivers can support their kids’ mental well-being. As examples, prioritizing good sleep, limiting screen time, and connecting with others are key behaviors to model for children.

Mental well-being can be affected as much by your environment as by your individual choices or brain. When things feel hard or stressful, it is not a personal failure. When your circumstances feel like too much, focus on what is in your control and consider asking for help. Talking to a friend, mentor, counselor, or healthcare professional to support your own mental well-being will set a positive example and help you care for your children.

Try:

  • Set a bedtime routine for the whole family to ensure adequate sleep.
  • Create tech-free zones or times, like during meals or before bed to encourage connection and/or replace screen time with mindful activities, such as reading, drawing, or outdoor play.
  • Talk about mental well-being with your children in age-appropriate ways. Practice identifying what is within and outside of your control.
  • Seek help if and when you need it.

Learn more about how your emotions can help your child learn to manage their own feelings.