If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know that my heart is firmly planted in the world of school-age development. Working as a Site Director for a school-age childcare program for the past twelve years, I have seen it all—the playground dramas, the “blurters” who struggle to find their filter, and the beautiful moments where a child finally finds the words to describe a complex emotion.
Recently, I shared a post about the importance of social-emotional health, which included a review of products that were sent to me from the brand ThinkPsych. Today I want to dive deeper into some specific “boots on the ground” tools I’ve been using with the children in my care including a few more products ThinkPsych recently sent me to try out. As someone who is constantly vetting resources for educational value and engagement, I am genuinely impressed.
Whether you are an educator, a parent, a grandparent, or a babysitter, these tools are designed to enrich the lives of the children in your care by building the skills they need to navigate a complicated world.
Redefining a Classic: Go Fish Faces & Feelings
We all know the game Go Fish. It’s a staple in any childcare setting or rainy-day toy chest because it’s easy for any child to play. However, ThinkPsych has taken this classic and turned it into a powerful tool for empathy and social recognition with their Go Fish Faces & Feelings game.
One of the first things that struck me is the representation. This deck features faces of a wide variety of people—young children, older adults, and individuals of many different ethnicities. This is vital because children need to see the world reflected in the games they play. It helps them recognize that emotions are a universal human experience.
What I love most is the vocabulary expansion. Most “feelings” toys stop at the basics, but real life is much more nuanced. This game includes:
- Confused
- Proud
- Frustrated
- Worried
By including these, we help kids extend their emotional knowledge. It’s one thing to know a friend is “sad,” but it’s a much higher level of emotional intelligence to recognize that they might actually be “worried.” Teaching these distinctions helps promote genuine empathy and gives kids the language to advocate for themselves when they are feeling “off.”
The card set includes 56 cards, 10 challenges, 22 tokens and rules for 2–6 players.
You can also use this as a matching game. Since the images of the people are different you can have children match cards up by their emotions. This card set could be seen as two games in one.
Another way you can try using these cards is to cover up the word of the emotion found on the bottom of the image and ask a child (or children) what the emotion is that is being expressed in the image simply based upon the person. That is a great way to judge how well a child is grasping understanding the various emotions based on the person’s expression.
Cultivating Connection: Moments of Gratitude Cards
In the hustle and bustle of a busy afternoon, snack time is often the only moment where everyone is sitting still. I’ve started using the Moments of Gratitude cards during this time to promote meaningful conversation.
The deck features 52 cards designed to help people cultivate daily mindfulness and gratitude. The kids I work with range in age from 5 to 10, so I’m always looking for cards that aren’t too personal or invasive but can still lead to an open-ended discussion. These hit the sweet spot.
How I use them professionally: I’ll pull a card and ask the group a prompt. It’s amazing to see a 5-year-old and a 10-year-old both find common ground in what they are grateful for. It shifts the energy of the room from chaotic to reflective.
On a personal level: I’ll be honest—I don’t just leave these at work. I’ve been utilizing these cards for my own mindfulness practice. In the middle of a busy week, taking sixty seconds to flip through a card and refocus on gratitude is a game-changer for my own mental health. It’s a reminder that these products aren’t just for “the kids”—they’re for the grown-ups who care for them, too.
The Classroom Game-Changer: Feelings and Coping Posters (12-Pack)
If I had to pick a favorite from this shipment, it would absolutely be the 12-pack of Feelings and Coping posters (also available in 2 and 6 packs). As an someone who works with children in a school setting, I’ve seen my fair share of flimsy, paper-thin posters. These are the opposite. They are exceptionally well-made with a beautiful laminated to give them a glossy finish that can actually survive a room full of energetic children.
One feature that is a huge “win” for me is that they are double-sided. One side is in English and the other is in Spanish. We have a large Spanish-speaking population in the school where I work, and being able to offer these resources in a child’s primary language is vital for making them feel seen and supported.
I’ve already started customizing how I display them. I’m putting magnets on the back of a few so I can stick them directly onto our metal cabinets at eye level. The rest are hanging on the walls. My favorite thing? I can switch them out whenever I want to focus on a new skill.
Three posters that is especially like are;
- “How to be a Great Friend“: I deal with “she/he doesn’t want to be my friend anymore” scenarios daily. This poster gives us a visual roadmap to talk through those hurt feelings.
- “Think Before You Speak“: This is a lifesaver for my “blurters.” You know the kids—they have hearts of gold, but sometimes “not-so-nice” things come out out of anger or frustration before they can stop themselves. Having a visual reminder to pause and think has been a fantastic resource.
- “How to Say I’m Sorry”: As anyone who has worked with children knows, an “I’m sorry” muttered under the breath while looking at the floor doesn’t exactly foster reconciliation.
Why Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Matters for Everyone
You might be thinking, “I’m not a teacher, do I really need these?” The answer is a resounding yes. Whether you’re a parent trying to manage toddler tantrums or a grandparent wanting to connect more deeply with your grandkids, the products ThinkPsych offers are designed to enrich lives.
Social-emotional skills are the foundation for everything else. A child who can identify their frustration is a child who is less likely to have a meltdown. A child who understands gratitude is a child who grows into a resilient, empathetic adult.
I am so grateful to have these tools in my arsenal at work, and I truly believe they belong in every home and classroom. They are high-quality, thoughtfully designed, and—most importantly—they actually work.
I highly encourage you to head over to the ThinkPsych website to check out their full catalog. They have so much more to offer than just what I’ve reviewed here in this post and my previous ThinkPsych review post (found here). Also, be sure to follow the brand on social media to see how other educators and parents are using these tools in their daily lives.
Teaching kids to be resilient is a journey, but with the right tools, it’s a journey we don’t have to take alone.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
