by Max Nass, LMHC
Here's a deck of cards that teaches children how to manage their anger. Using two internal dialog techniques—Thought Stopping and Self-Talk—kids can stop anger in its tracks. By simply playing cards, they learn to envision a stop sign whenever their anger is triggered and to replace their angry thoughts with more positive responses.
The deck includes 37 pairs of cards, and each pair includes a "situation" card and a corresponding "response" card. As youngsters react to hypothetical situations that might normally trigger anger, they see a big red stop sign on each response card—a cue to stop the angry thought and come up with a better alternative.
You can use Stop That Angry Thought to play either of two familiar card games, Concentration or Go Fish.
| Topics: | Anger |
| Recommended ages: | Ages 6 through 12 |
| Grade level: | Grades K through 7 |
| Players: | 2 - 4 |
Reviewers say the cards are engaging and fun for kids, help start conversations about changing behavior, and offer clear examples of helpful thoughts. Customers also report they work well for social-skills practice and keep children interested during play.
