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Candy (Emotional Check-In)

Gummy Worms

Candy (Emotional Check-In)

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Community Builders
  • Age level
    Grades K-2
    Grades 3-5
    Grades 6-8
    Grades 9-12
    Ages 6-9
    Ages 10-12
    Ages 13-15
    Ages 16-18
  • Group size
    Min size
    5
    -
    Max size
    25
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Materials

Candy: several pieces for each participant.

Instructions
  • Say, “Welcome to our Candy Check-In.”
  • Ask each youth how many pieces of candy they would like. 

 

Facilitator Note: If you have a limited quantity, ask how many pieces youth would like up to a certain number. For example, say, “You may have up to five pieces of candy. How many pieces would you like?”

 

  • Distribute candy to youth, according the quantity they request.
  • Instruct youth to sit in a circle.
  • Say, “It’s important to know that it is OK to feel how you are feeling. Everyone goes through lots of emotions every single day. It’s normal to feel sad, excited, angry, calm or nervous every day, even multiple times a day. Emotions are like colors. There are many different kinds. For today, each color of candy will represent a different emotion.”
  • Write the following on a whiteboard or flipchart paper for youth to see, and read it aloud:
    • Red = Happy
    • Purple = Angry
    • Yellow = Worried
    • Blue = Sad
    • Green = Calm
  • Ask each young person to share their name, choose two candy pieces from their hands, and recall a time they experienced the emotion represented by the color candy they selected.
  • Allow youth to share their experiences by going around the circle.
  • Summarize by saying, “Talking about your emotions is a way to help your brain slow down and understand how you’re feeling. This is important and helpful to do, especially when you are feeling a strong emotion and choosing how to react.” 

 

Facilitator Note: Follow up with any youth who are feeling dysregulated (mad, sad, scared, or worried) to ensure their emotional safety.  Provide them with an empathetic listening ear and space to self-regulate. 

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