Big Feelings, Brilliant Minds: Supporting Emotionally Intense Children
Is your child easily frustrated, quick to anger, or overwhelmed by change?
In this episode of Play, Learn & Create with Edx Education, Heather Welch explores why some children experience emotions more intensely and why these “big feelings” are often a sign of a brilliant, deeply thinking mind.
Drawing on research in child development, emotional regulation and play-based learning, Heather reframes the idea of the “explosive” or “chronically inflexible” child. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with this child?” she invites us to ask, “What skills are still developing?”
You’ll discover:
- Why emotional dysregulation is a developmental skill gap — not bad behaviour
- How frustration tolerance develops in the early years
- Why play is one of the most powerful tools for building flexible thinking
- Practical strategies for home and classroom to reduce meltdowns
- How connection builds regulation
Heather shares simple, evidence-informed approaches that help children move from overwhelm to ownership of their feelings. Through playful learning experiences, children can build resilience, persistence, flexible thinking and emotional safety — essential foundations for school readiness and lifelong wellbeing.
If you are parenting or teaching a child with big emotions, this episode will leave you reassured, empowered and equipped with strategies you can start using immediately.
Because at Edx Education, we believe every child can thrive when we understand how they develop.
