As a parent, teacher, or caregiver, we spend a lot of time worrying about the milestones we can see—the first steps, the “ABCs,” and the math grades. But lately, there is a much bigger conversation happening around the milestones we can’t see: social-emotional health.
We now know that a child’s ability to manage their big feelings, empathize with others, and navigate a conversation is just as critical for their future success as their academic skills. In fact, social-emotional learning (SEL) is the foundation that allows everything else to happen. When a child feels emotionally secure and has the tools to express themselves, they are more confident, more resilient in the face of challenges, and better equipped to build healthy relationships that last a lifetime.
But let’s be honest, teaching “emotional intelligence” can feel a little abstract. How do you actually help a child understand something as complex as frustration or social cues without it feeling like another chore or a lecture?
That’s exactly where ThinkPsych comes in. Founded by clinical psychologists, ThinkPsych is a brand on a mission to make emotional health accessible, fun, and deeply integrated into daily life. They don’t just create “educational toys” – they design psychologist-backed tools that bridge the gap between clinical therapy and the kitchen table.
What I love about ThinkPsych is their “Happier Through Play” philosophy. They take evidence-based strategies, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and turn them into engaging games and resources that kids actually want to use. Whether it’s through their award-winning conversation games like Chat Chains or their innovative Roll With It coping skills kit, they are helping kids (and the adults who love them) develop a shared language for emotions.
By focusing on inclusive, research-driven products, ThinkPsych is helping raise a generation that isn’t just smart, but emotionally resilient and socially connected.
Working in an after-school program means you get to see kids in that tricky transition period—they’ve spent all day holding it together in a structured classroom, and by the time they get to us, their “emotional tanks” are often running on empty. It’s a unique environment where you realize very quickly that every child is on a completely different level when it comes to emotional maturity.
Right now, I’m working with several children who are having a really hard time navigating their big feelings. Whether it’s a disagreement over a game or just the exhaustion of the day catching up to them, these kids often hit a wall where they simply can’t handle their emotions. In those moments, I’ve realized that I need every resource possible to help them de-escalate and communicate. Having a solid set of social-emotional learning (SEL) tools isn’t just a “nice to have” in an after-school setting—it’s a necessity. It’s about finding practical ways to make the afternoon easier for the kids, more manageable for me, and ultimately, a more positive experience for the whole group.
When the team at ThinkPsych sent me a couple of their products to try out, I was immediately drawn to the Roll With It coping skills kit. In my daily work at an after-school program, I am constantly looking for ways to support kids who are on various points of the emotional spectrum. A psychologist-designed resource like this has been incredibly helpful for my job. It moves the conversation from “try to calm down” to “let’s play a game to feel better,” which is exactly the kind of shift these kids need.
This comprehensive 9-piece toolkit is designed by U.S. child psychologists to turn Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) into an interactive experience. Here is a breakdown of what you get:
- 4 Specialized Emotion Dice: These are color-coded (Red for Anger, Blue for Sadness, Yellow for Anxiety, and Purple for Boredom). Kids roll the die that matches their feeling to discover one of 50+ research-backed coping strategies.
- Anxiety Soother Mindful Mat: A sensory tool that provides immediate tactile relief and grounding during overwhelming moments.
- Draw Board: Perfect for kids who process their feelings better through creative expression or “doodling it out.” This is a dry erase board and it comes with three dry erase markers with “eraser” ends.
- Star-Shaped Stress Ball: A classic fidget tool that gives kids a physical outlet for tension.
- Boredom Busters Card & Feelings Card: Tools to help kids identify exactly what they are feeling and find positive engagement.
- Comprehensive Guide: A parent/caregiver manual filled with expert tips on how to implement these skills for long-term emotional resilience.
Everything fits nicely in it’s box. It even has a handle to make it easy to carry around.
What makes the Roll With It kit stand out is how it effectively gamifies the “choice” in emotional regulation. In a high-energy after-school setting, kids often feel like they’ve lost control of their day. When I bring this kit out, it gives that power back to them. They choose the die. They roll it. They decide which of the 50+ strategies feels right in that moment.
I’ve found that even the most frustrated child is usually willing to “roll the dice.” It breaks the tension of a meltdown by introducing an element of chance and play. The mindful mat has been a particular hit for my “yellow die” (anxious) kids. I like that it’s soft, durable, portable, and provides a quiet focus point in a busy room.
I have a box of fidget toys that I have been using to help children who are a bit “out of control,” anxious or frustrated to calm down, however the Roll With It kit is a million times better and I’ve found it to be exactly what I have been needing all these years.
I also received to review the brand’s Chat Chains game.
In an after-school setting, the biggest challenge isn’t just managing the energy, it’s managing the variety. I have kids from different grades, backgrounds, and emotional levels all in one room. Finding an activity that keeps a 3rd grader engaged while still being “cool” enough for an older middle-schooler is a tall order. That’s why ThinkPsych’s Chat Chains has become such a staple in our program.
It’s an award-winning social-emotional game that doesn’t feel like “learning” – it feels like a genuine connection. It was designed by psychologists to help kids (and even adults) move past one-word answers like “fine” and actually start meaningful conversations.
The concept is simple but brilliant. You start with a Topic Card. These are color-coded by difficulty (Easy, Medium, and Hard).
- Pick a Topic: An “Easy” card might ask about your favorite superpower, while a “Hard” card might ask about a fear you’ve overcome.
- Build the Chain: Players use Response Cards to keep the conversation going. You earn points by answering questions, but you earn more points for “adding to the chain” with follow-up questions or related comments.
- Keep it Going: The goal is to build the longest “Chat Chain” possible without breaking the flow. It rewards players for active listening and staying on-topic.
The magic of Chat Chains for my job is its progressive difficulty. Because there are three levels of topic cards, I can tailor the game on the fly.
For the younger kids I stick to the “easy” topics. It helps them practice the basic mechanics of taking turns and staying on a single subject without getting overwhelmed.
For the older kids, they tend to gravitate toward the “hard” cards. These prompts touch on deeper, more emotionally vulnerable topics that help them build real empathy and realize they aren’t alone in their feelings.
Because the game is structured around “building a chain” together, the older kids often step into a natural mentor role. They model how to ask open-ended questions, which helps the younger ones learn by example. It levels the playing field so everyone can contribute their own unique perspective, regardless of their grade level.
What I love most, and what sets this apart from other conversation starters, is that it rewards emotional vulnerability. In the scoring system, deeper questions earn more points. It teaches kids that being open and curious about others is a “winning” social strategy.
In my after-school program, I’ve seen Chat Chains turn a group of kids who barely knew each other into a circle of friends laughing and sharing stories within twenty minutes. It’s compact, requires zero setup, and is the perfect “bridge” for those tricky afternoons when the kids need a low-pressure way to reconnect.
The journey to raising emotionally resilient children doesn’t happen overnight, but it is one of the most important investments we can make. Whether you are an educator navigating the high-energy environment of an after-school program or a parent looking to support your child’s social-emotional health at home, having the right tools makes all the difference. From gamifying difficult conversations with Chat Chains to providing physical coping mechanisms with the Roll With It kit, you can transform moments of frustration into opportunities for growth and connection.
By prioritizing social-emotional learning (SEL), we aren’t just teaching kids how to “behave”—we are giving them a lifelong toolkit for empathy, communication, and resilience.
If you’re ready to bring these psychologist-backed tools into your home or classroom, I highly encourage you to explore everything ThinkPsych has to offer. They are dedicated to making mental health accessible and fun for every child, no matter where they are on their emotional journey. Head over to ThinkPsych.com to browse their full collection of games, kits, and educational resources. In addition follow them on social media @ThinkPsych (on Instagram, Facebook, and X) for expert tips, new product launches, and daily inspiration for fostering emotional intelligence through play.
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.
