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A new emotional regulation well-being book series and coping tool set, My Magical Belt has been designed to help kids identify and regulate their emotions through play – and we have three complete sets up for grabs!

Anyone that’s ever witnessed a young child having an emotional meltdown, knows all too well that regulating big emotions can often be tricky for our little ones.

Emotions are easily triggered and can often feel overwhelming in little bodies that are not used to dealing with them. My Magical Belt has been designed to help kids identify and regulate their emotions through play. For many children, parents, teachers and childcare workers, this series will elicit a collective sigh of relief.

The brainchild of two clever Australians – Psychologist, Sharon Kirschner and Occupational Therapist, Lucy Jones, My Magical Belt incorporates evidence based emotional regulation techniques. Each of the four books in the series works best with one of the four tools on offer – a squishy toy, a sparkle disc, a bubble bottle and a movement dice. These tools are proven helpful for all kids to manage their emotions and are especially great for kids with ADHD, autism, and anxiety. A tool belt has been designed to hold all the tools. Ziggy, a lovable young zebra features in the books and uses the tools to manage his feelings and gain control of his ‘volcanic’ explosion as he goes through relatable childhood experiences.

Deep breathing is a commonly used calming tool for adults and children. The use of the bubble bottle tool with the ‘Bubble & Blow’ book, empowers children to take a deep breath in and long breath out to make lots of bubbles through play, cleverly calming them in the process.

Deep Pressure is another great way to manage emotions from erupting. The ‘stretch and squeeze’ squishy tool works on this principal – a bit like a stress ball for kids, the blue toy is pulled and pushed, prompting muscle tightening and releasing, helping let go of physical tension and telling the brain to relax.

The animal dice associated with the ‘Roll & Wriggle’ book lets kids firstly roll the dice and then asks them to mimic the movements of the animal that is rolled. This is considered ‘heavy work movement’ which compresses major joints in the body, releasing chemicals that slow the body down and creates a parasympathetic nervous system response in the body. (Therapists will know this as proprioception and vestibular input.) This tool is especially great for those who benefit from regular brain and movement breaks throughout their day. It’s great reset and focus tool.

Finally, the sparkle disc – aligned with the ‘Sparkle & Shake’ book, uses visual distraction and a form of grounding to support the child. As the sparkles drift down the disc, the child’s body mimics the ‘falling’, reducing the heart rate so that the child begins to feel cemented in the world again.

Co-creator and Occupational Therapist, Lucy Jones, has seen the benefits of this series first-hand through trials with her clients and other young children. “To achieve emotional balance a person needs both physiological balance and neurological balance. These books and tools help to create such a state. Learning these regulation skills early in life empowers children to independently manage their emotions and have the skills to cope throughout their life.”

With wait lists for child therapists at an all-time high, Sharon Kirschner, Co-Creator and Psychologist believes the My Magical Belt series can also help children waiting for therapy or diagnosis. “These books are not a replacement for proper professional intervention, but if you can’t get your child in to see someone for months, they can help assist your child’s emotional growth and well-being in the meantime.”

All four books contain notes for parents and teachers to get the most out of them. Books and tools can be purchased together and separately. School and kinder bundle sets are also available.

It may be more science than magic, but My Magical Belt will feel like the greatest trick of all time for those living and working with young children.

Winners for this competition

1. B. PennellNSW
2. E. FitzsimmonsQLD
3. L. WhitbyNSW