How to Use Your Feel-It Buddie

Every Feel-It Buddie kit contains:

• Emotion keychain — tactile faces with raised icons you can feel
• Emotion cards — color and black & white faces for every feeling
• Braille labels — every emotion named in Braille on the keychain

Read this with a grown-up the first time.

1. Pick it up and feel it — Hold the keychain and run your fingers over the faces. Each one feels a little different — bumps, lines, and shapes that match the feeling.
2. Find the face that matches yours — Look at the cards or feel the keychain. Which one looks or feels like how you feel right now? It's okay if it's a hard one.
3. Show or tell a grown-up — Point to the face, hand them the card, or just say its name. You don't have to explain it — just showing is enough.
4. Keep it with you — Clip it to your bag, pencil case, or belt loop. Whenever feelings get big, it's right there.

1. Introduce it during a calm moment — Don't wait for a meltdown. Look through the cards together when things are calm. Name the feelings out loud — even the hard ones.
2. Make it a check-in ritual — Try asking "which face are you today?" at the same time each day — after school, before bed. Repetition builds comfort with the practice.
3. Follow their lead — If they point to a face, meet them there. Resist the urge to correct or explain. "You feel frustrated — that makes sense" goes a long way.
4. Use it yourself — Share your own feelings with the cards too. When children see adults naming emotions, it normalizes the whole practice.

1. Embed it in your existing check-in routine — Feel-It Buddies slot naturally into morning meetings, session openers, or transition moments. Use the cards as a prompt board or hand the keychain for tactile self-assessment.
2. Adapt to the learner's modality — Use the tactile keychain for tactile and proprioceptive learners; color cards for visual learners; black & white cards for those who process better without color cues. Braille labels support low-vision users independently.
3. Use as a communication bridge — For non-speaking or AAC users, the cards can supplement or bridge to their primary system. Pair with PECS, core boards, or device-based AAC where appropriate.
4. Document and data-collect if needed — The consistent iconography makes it easy to track emotional patterns across sessions. Note which faces a learner selects and in what contexts for behavioral or therapeutic records.