Niko Crashes Out

About this book

Niko Crashes Out: A Story About Big Feelings and Finding Calm is a heartfelt social-emotional learning story that helps children understand that having big emotions is normal-and that they can learn healthy ways to work through them.Niko's school day does not begin the way he hoped. He arrives feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and missing his mom. As the day continues, those feelings become harder and harder for him to manage. Niko refuses to participate, turns his desk around, breaks his pencil, knocks things over, and struggles to explain what is happening inside of him.But beneath Niko's behavior is a child experiencing emotions that feel much bigger than he knows how to handle.With patience, encouragement, and support from the caring adults around him, Niko begins to discover that difficult moments do not have to ruin his entire day. Through breathing, taking a break, receiving comfort, eating a snack, using his words, and starting over, Niko learns that he has choices when his emotions begin to feel too big.As Niko slowly finds his calm, young readers are reminded of an important message: sometimes our biggest feelings are really our smallest needs.Designed for young children, families, educators, childcare professionals, counselors, and social-emotional learning programs, Niko Crashes Out opens the door for meaningful conversations about frustration, anger, sadness, separation, self-awareness, triggers, emotional regulation, and making better choices.The story encourages children to recognize what their bodies and emotions may be telling them while introducing practical calming strategies they can use at home, at school, or anywhere big feelings happen.