Social Emotional Resources for Children with Chronic Conditions

Social Emotional Resources

Supporting Children with Chronic Conditions and Their Families.

Pediatric Chronic Illness Support Resources

Purple Playas Foundation provides tools, strategies, and tips for families, child life specialists, therapists, medical professionals, teachers, and counselors who support children with chronic conditions and their siblings.

These resources focus on:

Social skills
Routines and schedules
Addressing challenging behavior
Emotions
Medical experiences
Sibling support

Many of these materials have been adapted and shared with permission from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations.

Browse the resource library below. Use the tabs to explore by topic or resource type.

Social Emotional Resources

Self-Regulation: Breathing Strategies — Spanish

Self-Regulation: Breathing Strategies — Spanish

Print-and-use visual card for breathing strategies and self-regulation (Spanish).

Self-Regulation Skills: Relaxation Thermometer — English

Self-Regulation Skills: Relaxation Thermometer — English

Print-and-use visual poster — Relaxation Thermometer for self-regulation.

Self-Regulation Skills: Relaxation Thermometer — Spanish

Self-Regulation Skills: Relaxation Thermometer — Spanish

Print-and-use visual poster — Relaxation Thermometer for self-regulation (Spanish).

Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think at Home — English

Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think at Home — English

Print-and-use scripted story for use at home.

Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think at Home — Spanish

Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think at Home — Spanish

Print-and-use scripted story for use at home (Spanish).

Taking a Break: Using a Calm Down Area at Home — Spanish

Taking a Break: Using a Calm Down Area at Home — Spanish

Print-and-use tip sheet for setting up and using a calm down area at home (Spanish).

Self-Regulation: Breathing Strategies — English

Self-Regulation: Breathing Strategies — English

Print-and-use visual card for breathing strategies and self-regulation.

Taking a Break: Using a Calm Down Area at Home — English

Taking a Break: Using a Calm Down Area at Home — English

Print-and-use tip sheet for setting up and using a calm down area at home.

Tucker Turtle Steps and Coping Clues

Tucker Turtle Steps and Coping Clues

Print-and-use visual wallet card. Tucker Turtle problem-solving steps and coping clues. Instructional video available on YouTube.

Help Us Calm Down: Strategies for Children — English

Help Us Calm Down: Strategies for Children — English

Print-and-use visual poster with calming strategies for children.

Help Us Calm Down: Strategies for Children — Spanish

Help Us Calm Down: Strategies for Children — Spanish

Print-and-use visual poster with calming strategies for children (Spanish).

Puffy's Pointers: Feelings are Real

Puffy's Pointers: Feelings are Real

Let's Teach Our Children How to Express and Understand Emotions

Feeling Wheel — Toddler

Feeling Wheel — Toddler

Print-and-use Feeling Wheel for toddlers. Instructional video available on YouTube.

Feeling Wheel — Young Child

Feeling Wheel — Young Child

Print-and-use Feeling Wheel for young children. Instructional video available on YouTube.

Feeling Wheel — School Age

Feeling Wheel — School Age

Print-and-use Feeling Wheel for school-age children. Instructional video available on YouTube.

Feeling Wheel Pointer

Feeling Wheel Pointer

Print-and-use Feeling Wheel pointer.

Page Full of Feeling Wheel Pointers

Page Full of Feeling Wheel Pointers

Print-and-use full page of Feeling Wheel pointers.

Book of Feelings Cover

Book of Feelings Cover

Print-and-use Book of Feelings cover page.

Feeling Faces Visual Cards — English/Spanish

Feeling Faces Visual Cards — English/Spanish

Print-and-use Feeling Faces visual cards in English and Spanish.

Feeling Faces Play Dough Mat

Feeling Faces Play Dough Mat

Print-and-use Feeling Faces Play Dough Mat.

Understanding Emotions When Wearing Masks

Understanding Emotions When Wearing Masks

Print-and-use resource for helping children understand and express emotions when wearing masks.

Feeling Wheel — Baby

Feeling Wheel — Baby

Print-and-use Feeling Wheel for infants and babies. Instructional video available on YouTube.

Making Life Easier: Bedtime and Naps

Making Life Easier: Bedtime and Naps

Family-friendly tips for making bedtime and nap routines easier.

Teaching Rules at Home

Teaching Rules at Home

Print-and-use tip sheet for teaching household rules to young children.

Transitioning Activities/Place-to-Place — English

Transitioning Activities/Place-to-Place — English

Print-and-use visual cards to help children transition between activities or places.

Transitioning Activities/Place-to-Place — Spanish

Transitioning Activities/Place-to-Place — Spanish

Print-and-use visual cards to help children transition between activities or places (Spanish).

Cleaning Up My Toys

Cleaning Up My Toys

Print-and-use scripted story for the clean-up routine.

I Brush My Teeth

I Brush My Teeth

Print-and-use scripted story for the tooth-brushing routine.

Making Life Easier: Running Errands

Making Life Easier: Running Errands

Family-friendly tips for making running errands with young children easier.

Making Life Easier: Diapering

Making Life Easier: Diapering

Family-friendly tips for making diapering routines easier.

How to Make Your Own Visual Supports — English

How to Make Your Own Visual Supports — English

Print-and-use visual cards with instructions for creating your own visual supports at home.

How to Make Your Own Visual Supports — Spanish

How to Make Your Own Visual Supports — Spanish

Print-and-use visual cards with instructions for creating your own visual supports at home (Spanish).

Family Articles — Pyramid Model

Family Articles — Pyramid Model

Tip sheets on playtime, biting, feelings, routines, cooperating with requests, and emotions. Available in multiple languages from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations.

The Backpack Connection Series

The Backpack Connection Series

One-page handouts in multiple languages covering challenging behavior, emotions, routines, and social skills including: following directions, difficult behaviors (biting, hitting, pushing, whining, meltdowns), feelings, routines/schedules, and social skills (sharing, getting attention, taking turns).

Positive Solutions for Families: Family Routine Guide

Positive Solutions for Families: Family Routine Guide

Strategies for supporting young children during common family routines including: dressing, brushing teeth, meals, bedtime, playing, clean-up, shopping, doctor appointments, and taking medications or treatments.

Puffy's Pointers: From the Outside Looking In

Puffy's Pointers: From the Outside Looking In

Supporting Families of Children with Chronic Illness

Puffy's Pointers: The Power of Words

Puffy's Pointers: The Power of Words

Communicating with Your Young Child with Chronic Illness

Puffy's Pointers: 4Sibs

Puffy's Pointers: 4Sibs

Ensuring Siblings Feel Important Too

Puffy's Pointers: Your Child's Body

Puffy's Pointers: Your Child's Body

Guiding Your Child to Be a Medical Self-Advocate

Puffy's Pointers: Supporting Children with Medical Issues

Puffy's Pointers: Supporting Children with Medical Issues

Strengthening their Social Emotional Development & Resiliency

Problem Solving Kits

Problem Solving Kits

Print-and-use Problem Solving Kits. Instructional video available on YouTube.

We Can Be Problem Solvers — English

We Can Be Problem Solvers — English

Print-and-use scripted story on problem solving.

We Can Be Problem Solvers — Spanish

We Can Be Problem Solvers — Spanish

Print-and-use scripted story on problem solving (Spanish).

Home Greeting Board for Social Distancing — English/Spanish

Home Greeting Board for Social Distancing — English/Spanish

Print-and-use visual cards for home use.

Solution Kit Cards for Home — English

Solution Kit Cards for Home — English

Print-and-use visual cards with solutions for social challenges at home.

Solution Kit Cards for Home — Spanish

Solution Kit Cards for Home — Spanish

Print-and-use visual cards with solutions for social challenges at home (Spanish).

You Got It! Teaching Social and Emotional Skills

You Got It! Teaching Social and Emotional Skills

Print-and-use resource for teaching social and emotional skills. By Lise Fox and Rochelle Harper Lentini.

Making Life Easier: Going to the Doctor

Making Life Easier: Going to the Doctor

Family-friendly tips for making doctor visits easier for young children.

Puffy's Pointers: Releasing the Reins

Puffy's Pointers: Releasing the Reins

Transitioning Medical Care to Your Teen/Young Adult

Storybook: When Purple Puff Gets Scared

Storybook: When Purple Puff Gets Scared

Shot Plan: I Want to Use...

Shot Plan: I Want to Use...

Print, laminate, add soft Velcro to squares and use with visual cue cards. A planning poster for children to choose how to plan getting their shots and self-regulate.

Bravery Badge Stickers — All Stickers

Bravery Badge Stickers — All Stickers

Print on Avery 94501 2-inch round stickers. Includes all stickers on one page plus individual pages for: infusions, shots, comforting, blood draws, counseling, radiology, surgery, meds, hospital stay, being kind, and making friends.

Bravery Badge Stickers — Individual Pages

Bravery Badge Stickers — Individual Pages

Print on Avery 94501 2-inch round stickers. Individual page for each sticker type.

Puffy Learns to Be Brave for His Shots and You Can Too

Puffy Learns to Be Brave for His Shots and You Can Too

Print-and-use scripted story to assist young children who may feel anxious or scared about shots.

1, 2, 3...Blow (2 pages)

1, 2, 3...Blow (2 pages)

Print-and-use. Page one can be used as a clinic poster. Page 2 can be printed and cut for families to keep in their wallet. A visual to assist young children who may feel anxious or scared about shots.

Numbing Choices

Numbing Choices

Print, laminate, cut into individual cues and add rough Velcro to back. Use with Planning Poster. Visual cue cards to make choices in how to numb an area before a shot, IV, port access, etc.

Belly Breathing Choices (2 pages)

Belly Breathing Choices (2 pages)

Print front-to-back, laminate, cut into individual cues and add rough Velcro to back. Use with Planning Poster. Visual cue cards for deep breathing to assist with self-regulation.

Activity Choices (2 pages)

Activity Choices (2 pages)

Print, laminate, cut into individual cues and add rough Velcro to back. Use with Planning Poster. Visual cue cards for choosing distraction activities to assist with self-regulation.

Internal Thermometer Check

Internal Thermometer Check

Print, laminate, and use visual poster with a clothespin to move up and down the thermometer. Doing a feeling check before and after a scary medical procedure validates feelings and assists with self-regulation.

Internal Thermometer Feelings Cues

Internal Thermometer Feelings Cues

Print, laminate, and cut feeling visual cues. Place rough Velcro on back. Use with the Internal Thermometer poster.

Tucker Turtle Steps and Coping Clues — Medical

Tucker Turtle Steps and Coping Clues — Medical

Print-and-use visual wallet card for medical settings. Tucker Turtle problem-solving steps and coping clues. Instructional video available on YouTube.

Making Life Easier: Holidays and Strategies

Making Life Easier: Holidays and Strategies

Family-friendly tips for making holiday routines easier and enjoyable.

Puffy's Pointers: Being Comfortable

Puffy's Pointers: Being Comfortable

How to Guide Interactions between Kids with and without Disabilities