Flexible Thinking Visual, ACT Coping Skills Resource for Emotional Regulation

Description

Flexible Thinking Visual is a 2-page ACT-informed digital resource with six step-by-step prompts for noticing emotions, choosing a helpful response, and taking action. Designed for children, it supports emotional regulation, coping skills, flexible thinking, and self-advocacy in ABA therapy, classrooms, counseling, and home routines. The printable child visual and matching adult instruction page help behavior analysts, special education teachers, school counselors, parents, and caregivers teach flexible responding during calm practice and everyday challenges.

Help children learn what to do next when emotions, frustration, or unexpected changes show up.

Notice • Choose • ACT is a 2-page, ACT-informed resource designed to teach flexible responding step by step — not just tell children to “calm down.”

The child-facing visual walks learners through six concrete steps:

NOTICE — notice thoughts, feelings, and body signals
GROUND — reconnect with the present moment
CHOOSE — identify what matters and consider a helpful next move
ASK — advocate for help, a break, or more time
ACT — take one manageable step toward what matters
REFLECT — notice what helped and practice trying again

This resource also includes a matching instruction page for adults that explains how to teach and practice the process before expecting a child to use it during highly emotional moments.

The teaching approach emphasizes:

introducing the visual during calm moments
explaining each step in simple language
practicing with pretend or hypothetical situations
beginning with fun, easy, or mildly frustrating situations
gradually progressing to more difficult real-life moments
building self-advocacy alongside flexible behavior
practicing success at lower intensity before expecting the skill during bigger emotions

Unlike visuals that focus only on calming down or stopping behavior, this resource helps children learn to notice what is happening, identify what they need, choose a workable response, and keep moving toward what matters.

Helpful for

ABA therapy, classrooms, counseling, occupational therapy, parent coaching, emotional regulation instruction, flexible thinking practice, self-advocacy instruction, calm-down spaces, social-emotional learning, behavior support, and home routines.

It can be used for everyday situations such as:

waiting • mistakes • transitions • changes in plans • difficult tasks • peer conflict • activities ending • unexpected events

What you receive

2 printable 8.5 x 11 inch pages

Notice • Choose • ACT child visual
How to Use Notice • Choose • ACT adult teaching guide

Digital download only. No physical product will be shipped.

This resource is intended as an educational and clinical support tool and should be individualized to the learner’s communication, developmental, and support needs.

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