Kids experience a multitude of emotions, and they’re not shy about it — excitement, anger, sadness, and joy all within the same hour! But, of course, they do not yet understand and manage those emotions. This is why pretend play becomes one of the most powerful teaching tools.

With Nommi Dolls, playtime becomes a nurturing and safe environment for children to experience and learn about emotions.

Why Emotional Regulation Matters

Each person experience and manage a range of emotions. For children, this skill is still developing and they are learning to handle big emotions. This is why parents and caregivers often experience tantrums and tears, frustration isn’t a sign of misbehavior.

Imaginative play allows for a child to express emotions in a safe and constructive way. This is even more true when guided by a familiar friend, Nommi, and gives children the opportunity to practice emotional expression.

Step 1: Play the “Feelings Games” with Nommi

There are three simple, but exciting, games to play with each child and their Nommi Doll:

1. Show Nommi Your Happy Face! Ask your child to show how different emotions look: happy, sad, scared, and surprised.

Next, let them “teach” Nommi how to do it!

“Nommi’s feeling sad today — what could we do to help Nommi feel better?”

💡 Tip: This helps children recognize and differentiate facial expressions and feelings, and connects emotionally to themselves and others.

2. Breathe with Nommi When You’re Mad

Lay Nommi on your child’s chest and say:

“Let’s help Nommi calm down by breathing together. In for 3… out for 3.”

Counting together or humming softly works as well.

💡 Tip: Deep breathing reduces heart rate and encourages self-regulation, which is needed for emotional control.

3. Nommi’s Feelings Adventure

Make up a story where Nommi feels a big emotion (e.g., nervous before school, sad when a toy breaks, excited for a party). Ask your child how Nommi might handle it.

“Nommi’s worried about starting school. What could we say to help Nommi feel brave?”

💡 Tip: Roleplay teaches problem-solving and empathy — kids practice managing emotions indirectly through Nommi.

🗂 Step 2: A Mini-Guide for Parents on Labeling Emotions

Helping children name their feelings is the first step toward helping them manage them.

Here’s a quick parent cheat sheet for everyday conversations:

Name it: “You look frustrated that your block tower fell.”

Normalize it: “It’s okay to feel mad — everyone feels that way sometimes.”

Guide it: “Let’s take a deep breath with Nommi and try again.”

💡 Why it works: When kids hear emotions labeled and accepted, their brains begin linking language with self-awareness — making it easier to express feelings instead of acting them out.

📊 Step 3: Download the Nommi Mood Chart

To make emotional check-ins a fun daily ritual, try the printable Nommi Mood Chart.

Each day, your child can:

Point to or color how they’re feeling (happy, calm, sad, mad, silly, etc.)
Talk about why they feel that way
Choose one calming activity (like cuddling Nommi or doing a breathing game)

This turns emotional reflection into a normal, positive part of the day.

🌟 The Power of Play

When children learn emotional awareness through play, it sticks. The Nommi Doll becomes more than a toy — it becomes a bridge between imagination and real-life emotional growth.

Through a child’s play, Nommi helps your child learn an important lesson. And that is, how to comprehend and control their emotions. It is,… one cuddle, one conversation at a time.