Emotional Regulation Story: A Breathing Trick to Calm an Angry Child
Our Child Who Blows Up When Things Don't Go Their Way
When they lose a game or things don't go the way they want, your child's face turns bright red and they scream. They stamp their feet and sometimes throw things. Parents are flustered, and the friends around them scatter in surprise too.
But if you only scold your child for getting angry, the problem keeps repeating. What they really need is to be taught 'what to do when they feel angry.'
Curious about the emotional regulation story? Take a look at its lesson through pictures. Meet the key scenes of the tale too. Read it together with your child and talk about it. We've gathered many stories about calming anger, anger management for toddlers, emotional regulation education and more, all around 25. When You're Angry, Big Breath Out!
Anger Is Not a Bad Emotion
Anger itself is not wrong. The question is how that anger is expressed. If you only tell a child to hold their anger in, they come to feel ashamed of their own feelings.
Instead, telling them that "anger is a guest that just stops by for a moment" and teaching them to let that guest float away with a deep breath helps a child build the strength to handle their emotions. This is the first step in emotional regulation that helps for a lifetime.
The Magic Breathing Hori Taught
In the story When You're Angry, Big Breath Out!, Hori goes up to Toto, who is furious, and says, "Something hot rushed up inside you, didn't it? That feeling is called anger."
Then, with a hand on the belly, they breathe magic breaths together, breathing in through the nose so the belly puffs out, and blowing out through the mouth. And the bright red cheeks slowly return to their normal color. "When you're angry, big breath out!"
Learning to Handle Emotions with Tangobook
The heart of this story is that anger is not a bad thing but a feeling you can manage. Children naturally learn that instead of shouting or stamping their feet, they can let anger float away with a deep breath.
Tangobook's story repeats "When you're angry, big breath out!" like a refrain, helping your child naturally recall it in the moment they feel angry. The scene where Toto breathes on his own in the next game shows that very growth.
Practicing Magic Breathing Together at Home
After reading the book, recall a moment when your child was angry and practice the 'magic breath' together. With a hand on the belly, breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, and feel the belly puff up and shrink like a balloon together.
If you repeat it like a game in everyday life, your child can pull out this breath and use it on their own when they actually get angry. When they let their anger go well, praise them specifically by saying, "You held it in with a big breath out!"
Letting Anger Go Well Is Truly Wonderful
Watching Toto handle his anger so well, Hori says, "Letting your anger go so nicely makes you the real winner!" It's an ending that shows the true courage is not in holding emotions in, but in letting them float away well.
Hori's daily-life stories warmly capture safety, emotions, and habits at a child's eye level. Try turning the first page together with your child through a 7-day free trial on Tangobook right now. Stories you can hand over with peace of mind, and with no ads, are waiting for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I calm my child when they get angry?
A. Practice together the way of taking a big breath out when anger comes. Rather than telling them to suppress the feeling, teaching them a way to manage it puts their heart at ease.
Q. How does an emotional regulation story help?
A. Watching the main character calm their anger in the story, your child also learns how to handle their own feelings. An emotional regulation story teaches that anger is not a bad thing but something that can be managed.
Q. How should parents respond when a child throws a tantrum and screams?
A. Rather than getting worked up too, first acknowledge your child's feelings and wait calmly. After they've calmed down, gently talking about how they could have expressed it helps.
Classic Stories to Read Together
If you enjoyed this story, try reading these classic stories together too.
- 01. Eat a Rainbow, Feel the Power!
- 02. Brush-Brush, Sparkle-Sparkle!
- 03. Bubble-Bubble, Squeaky Clean!
- 04. Pee Went Whoosh, Well Done!
Curious about "25. When You're Angry, Big Breath Out!"?
Experience it for yourself on Tangobook, with beautiful illustrations and Korean and English narration.
📖 Go to the storybook →