Big

minds
OVER 30 CREATIVE ACTIVITIES TO HELP
CHILDREN
GROWING UP CONFIDENT AND EMOTIONALLY
HEALTHY
 How to use this material
Thank you for purchasing our activity book! Here you will find resources to help you teach
your child how thoughts affect emotions. Our activities are based on CBT and NLP.
Providing children with knowledge of how the brain works can be very helpful in relation to their self-
regulation and self-awareness. We believe this is a very important parenting tool that we can use to open
lines of communication and support our children. Throughout the activities it is possible to observe a
diagram that explains how thoughts lead to feelings and feelings to reactions or behaviors. The idea behind
this teaching tool is to demonstrate where positive thinking can be inserted to support emotional and mental
health. This activity book also contains cards that can be cut out and used to create a diagram using a
specific event relevant to your child. We suggest doing this activity as a self-reflection tool that will gradually
develop self-awareness and self-regulation skills.

Printing Guide
Our materials have been formatted for easy printing at home or in print. The files are in high
quality PDF format and A4 size. If you need to print in another size, simply configure your
printer. For printing we recommend using good quality white paper, for example 120g, to
ensure greater durability in items that children regularly handle. We also recommend setting
your printer to the best default quality. You can print these activities as many times as you
need. If you prefer, you can also laminate it to increase its durability and make it more
flexible for use with other materials.

Make the most of Great Minds! Thank you for choosing us to support your child.
 Hello
Welcome to Big Minds, your new daily companion that will help you understand and take
better care of your emotions, so you can grow up happy and healthy!

Some days it may seem like the sun has disappeared from the sky
and everything turns grey and colourless.

When this happens, you may feel sad, have negative thoughts,
and be in a bad mood. Mmmmm! That doesn't sound like much
fun! Even if you have difficult days when it comes to your feelings,
learning the best way to act in these situations is a great way to help you
understand your emotions and make the most of life.

In this booklet you will find activities that will help you see yourself in a positive light,
learn to transform negative thoughts into positive and growth-driven thoughts, make a list
of positive activities, get to know the best in you, and practice gratitude. Our journey is
just beginning and you're in for a blast! Come on?!

Have fun, think happy thoughts and learn

to see the best in yourself and around you!
 All about me!
My name My age

Place where I live

People I love the most

We are all unique! Think about the things

that make you who you are!

Things I know how to do very Hot things I like to do

well

These are my favorite things

Games

Meals

Places

My biggest dreams are

 Things I love about
myself!
Draw or paste a photo of yourself here and write
down the
5 things you like most about who you are!
Y
o

Things I give to the

world!
Each of us has something unique, special and different from the others.

What do you offer to the people around you, simply by

who you
are?

Even if other people give the world similar things, you will do it
differently. Isn't it amazing?!
Write down the things you give to the world around you:
 Things the world gives me!
The world is full of wonders. If we look closely, we can
see amazing things and if we enjoy the moments we
are present in, we can experience feelings of calm,
tranquility or joy!

What does the world give you that, in your eyes,

is wonderful and brings you joy?
 My pride page!
What are you proud of? This could be an achievement, something about
your personality, a talent or a person. Write them on
this page.

When we are proud we have

a feeling of satisfaction with our
achievements, qualities or those of
someone close to
us. Thinking about things
we are proud of can help us
think positively and increase our well-
 My WOW moments!
Write, paste or draw your WOW moments here and create a
Memory Box with your happiest and most amazing memories!
 My happy
What is the happiestplace
place in the world for you? Describe or draw
your favorite place. You too can imagine and create your happy
place! Come on?!
 My Happy Activities
What activities help you feel calm and bring you joy?
These can be activities you use to relax and find
the positive when things get tough. Talk to an adult about your
happy activities and make a list of them here.

Doing these things calms me down

1
2
3
4
5

Doing these things gives me joy

1
2
3
4
5

Keep these lists in mind and whenever you feel

anger, sadness, anxiety, fear or any other negative
feeling, practice some of the activities you listed.
You will feel good and even know how to deal
with your feelings better.
. Set?!
 Types of thoughts
Difficult feelings are caused by thoughts that pop
into your head. These thoughts are like an uninvited guest who comes to
your door and says something unpleasant! You don't have to let an
unwanted guest stay, so you don't have to listen to
unwanted thoughts either! Instead, we can find a positive thought
that can help us with a difficult situation or feeling. This works
like listening to a kind friend defend you when an unwanted guest knocks
on your door.

See this example:

Negative thinking Positive thinking

It was a
good
you got it effort and
wrongYou're you will
not improve

See the difference between each thought:

My negative thought My kind

of uninvited guest friendPositive thinking

Automatically appears I can choose It is realistic

Often not true and

I can't find the true It is

solution useful It empowers and

Discouraging provides solutions.

Fearful
EncouragingReassuring
Disturbing
Optimistic
Sad
 Types of thoughts
If your unwanted guest (negative thoughts) and your kind friend
(positive thoughts) looked like a creature or a person, what
would they look like? Think about facial expressions, colors, etc. Draw them here!

My uninvited guest

My gentle friend
 Creation of thought
Negative thoughts can be intrusive and discouraging. And
sometimes they can make it difficult to create positive thoughts. Use
these questions to help you find your kind friend's
voice (positive thinking).

Just because
I'm thinking,
does that
make my
thought true?

Every time an unwelcome guest appears, imagine what

your kind (positive-thinking) friend might answer to one of
these questions.

On the next page you will create your own thoughts.

positive. If you have difficulties, ask an adult for help.
Get inspired by these thoughts:

I didn't succeed this time, but I might try again.

I am able to do this.

It's okay not to understand this now, I'm learning.

My positive thoughts
Use this space to write down your positive thoughts. Then
cut them out and paste them into the Positivity Jar (on the next page).
You can even make an actual positivity jar and put your positive
thoughts inside. Get creative! Come on?!
Pot of positivity
Paste your positive thoughts here.
 Transformation of thought
In the next column, there are some examples of automatic negative thoughts
that unwanted guests bring.
Do we transform these thoughts? In the next column,
write down the positive thoughts you could have.

Negative thoughts Positive

(unwelcome thoughts (gentle friend)
guest)
This is very difficult!

I don't know how to do that!

How could I have been wrong?!

I can't do it, I'm going to give up!

Other people can do it, I can't!

I'm not good at this, I might as well not even try!

Nobody likes me.

I should have known!

Transforming my Thoughts
Now you will transform your negative thoughts. Use the space
in the first column to write down the negative thought
you hear most often and in the next column turn it into
a Positive Thought.

My negative thoughts ( My positive thoughts (

my unwanted guest) my gentle friend)
W +•
Cycle of thoughts and feelings
Understanding our thoughts can be difficult!
Finding positive thoughts in some situations is a challenge.
But when you learn to CHOOSE your thoughts, your attitude and well-being
improve
! Now we will take a closer look at how
our thoughts work and why they are so important. WOW! Understanding this
is powerful! The clouds in this image show how your thoughts lead
to your emotions.
So your emotions lead to sensations in your body. After
that you react to these emotions and sensations!

In this way, if you can interrupt your cycle of negative thoughts and turn it into something
positive, you will be able to change your emotions, sensations and reactions!
 Cycle of thoughts and feelings
Imagine you are doing some homework and it is very difficult. You hear
your unwanted guest (automatic negative thoughts) appear in
your mind. You might think, "I can't do this." This thinking leads
to a feeling of frustration. This sensation can
cause tightness in the chest or a knot in the stomach. This negative thought
eventually becomes a reaction, such as screaming, crying,
or giving up. The thought cycle for this challenging moment is
as follows:

Now, let's learn how to use positive thinking to break a negative thinking cycle!

On the next page, there is a set of cards that you can cut
out and use to reflect on how positive thinking can help you.
Use it whenever you are struggling with negative emotions and thoughts.
Discuss the situation with an adult, write on each card and create your own
diagram like the one shown above. This will help you identify how
positive thinking could have helped you, so you'll be
more prepared next time.
 Print this page as many times as you need!

The thought I had The emotion I had

The physical sensation I had The reaction I had

p Types of mentality
We all have beliefs about our own abilities and potential.
These beliefs are part of our way of thinking and are so powerful that
we act according to what we believe. What we think
shapes our behavior.
Growth mindset
In the growth mindset we believe that our intelligence
and abilities can be improved with dedication and doing the best
we can.
Some characteristics of the growth mindset:

Willingness to face
Passion for challenges
learning See failure as an
opportunity for growth
This kind of mindset brings more happiness and achievements in life. This
is not what happens in a fixed mindset.

Fixed Mindset
In a fixed mindset we believe that our intelligence and
abilities cannot be improved. Therefore, mistakes are often
seen as failures rather than opportunities for growth.
Some characteristics of a fixed mindset:

I'd rather not try

it. Believing that things are
You have difficulty seeing opportunities
the way they are and
cannot change.
When we get stuck in a fixed mindset,
we can become fearful of new experiences and
avoid risks.
 Growth or fixed mindset?
Read the statements below and decide if they are a fixed or
growth
mindset. Mark the correct column!

Affirmati Growth
I acceptons
the challenges!

I just do what I
already know how to do

I avoid trying it

I can use strategies to help me

I don't like comments

I will never be good at that

I like to experience new things

This is not for me

Can I try again?

I'm doing better every day

 Growth mindset
Use the spaces below to write your own
affirmations about your growth mindset.
 My self-esteem
Do you know what SELF-ESTEEM is?

Having healthy self-esteem means feeling good about yourself

and accepting who we are, with our qualities and also our
defects.
When we feel good about ourselves, we have the confidence
to try new things. We are more willing to try
to do our best and feel proud of what we can achieve.
Self-esteem helps us cope with mistakes, giving us the opportunity to try
again, even if we fail at first. As a result,
we are better at school, at home and with friends.

With self-esteem
- feel loved, cared for and accepted
- feel safe and capable
- be proud of what you can do
- think good things about yourself
- believe in yourself
When we have low self-esteem we feel insecure.
We think that
others will not accept us as we are. Thus, we can
let others treat us badly and find it difficult to
defend ourselves
. We can easily give
up on something or not even try. Low self-esteem prevents us from knowing
how best to react when we make a mistake or when
something is beyond our control.

With low self-esteem

- Judge yourself, criticize yourself and be hard
on yourself
- feels that he is not as good as others
- focuses more on defects and not on good
things - lack of confidence
- he doesn't think he can do anything right
Promote self-esteem
When we feed our self-esteem, we like ourselves even more, we begin to believe
in our abilities and understand our value. As a result, we make better decisions,
become more resilient, and strive harder to achieve our goals. We build lasting
self-esteem when we feel capable, accepted, and loved. As we grow, self-esteem
can also grow. Whenever we try to do and learn new things, we have the
opportunity to increase our self-esteem.

Some ways to boost self-esteem:

Achieve a new goal Learn new things at school Make friends and have
fun with them
Practice your favorite activities

Help and be kind to someone.

Receive praise for good behavior. to put effort

into something

Do things you are good at and enjoy the moment.

Be part of a group and be welcomed.

Feeling understood and accepted

Win a prize or a good grade

 Or Vase of Self-Esteem
See below what helps your
self-esteem container always remain flourishing, strong
and happy!

What makes my vase bloom?

What makes you feel good about yourself.

Examples:
Having friends and people who care about you,
having confidence in yourself, using your skills,
doing the activities you like the most, etc.

What makes you feel bad about yourself.

Examples:

What is
damaging
Not feeling my negative
loved, not trusting yourself,
thoughts, not trying something new,
not knowing your abilities and qualities, etc.

Things you can do to feel good.

Examples:
Talk to your family, make new friends,
learn a new skill, ask for help, etc.

What nourishes my
vase?
Or My Vase of Self-Esteem
Now, write down below what helps your glass of
self-esteem always remain full, strong and happy!

What makes my vase bloom?

What is
damaging my

What nourishes
my vase?
 Forgiving myself
Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes. Making mistakes is
what helps us learn and grow. It's important for your self-esteem to
let go of any negativity you're holding on to and forgive
yourself so you can move forward. List the things
you need to forgive yourself for and let it go.
Describe here your positive qualities and skills that make
you
unique and special!
 Positive experiences
Now write about times when you demonstrated some of
your positive skills and qualities.

Positive quality or ability Moments when

you use that quality or ability
 The power of STILL...
List some things you can't do yet. Includes
the steps you will follow to acquire this new skill.

Still!

Still!
 Write and
grow

I learn and
continue
growing
 One thing I do very well is:

Why do I do this so well?

The things about myself that I would like to

improve are:

What can I do to improve on these things I

wrote?
 Write grow
Write and
grow
You are in a group project with five other
colleagues.
However, no one is involved and you feel like
you are doing all
the work. What do you think you could do?

You want to try out for a sports team, but you need to
be more skilled to get on the team. Do you try or give
up? What can you do to help make your dreams come
true?
 Write and
grow
You were out of school and missed out on a lot of learning.
When you return to school, you feel behind. You start
having negative thoughts like:
I will never be able to It is of no use
Nobody
catch me! nothing,
Talk
helps

Instead, what are some positive things you could tell yourself?

Write a list of things you could do to help yourself;

this may include goals and people you can ask for help.
 Write and
grow
An opportunity arises that makes you uncomfortable and forces you to
leave your comfort zone. It would be easier to say 'NO', but you wouldn't
grow in that opportunity. What do you think you should do?

How could you control your feelings of trying to stay in your comfort zone
and not trying something new? Who could you talk to to understand what
is the best decision to make?
 Checklist of my day
Use these questions as a guide to reflect on your
growth mindset every day.

Did you do anything challenging today? IF NO If yes, what?

If so, what?

Did you ask for help today? BUT

Because?

Who helped you?

How did that make you feel?

Have you shown kindness to someone today? BUT

Tell us what happened:

Is there anything you could have improved from today?

BUT
That?
What will you do to continue growing?

Did you achieve all your Y N

goals today? E O
 4" • 0 •

Daily
How was my day?
My name is:
Today is:

My mood today is: Te

T
Today's weather:

Today I

—
Describe part g here
favorite of your day

3 things that made my day very happy

1___________________________

2___________________________
 My week of positivity
Challenge yourself to do one of these positive things every day
this week! Mark when you perform each action.
Remember to do at least one positive action a day!

Positive attitude

Be kind to
someone

Doing a task at home without being asked

Repeat a positive affirmation 10 times.

Learn something new and challenging

Apologize for something you did wrong.

Talk to someone about something you're feeling.

 My tree of
gratitude
This is the tree of gratitude. Cut out the leaves on the following page,
write down your reasons for being thankful, and stick them on your tree.
Cut and paste on your gratitude tree!
 About great minds
We were created to teach children that growing up is fun!
And with our activities, growing with healthy emotions is really fun (and possible)!

We create resources that help parents with emotional education and connection.
with your children. We want to empower you to have kind and effective conversations with your child to develop
their emotional health and build their resilience. We suggest you use our resources to get off to a
healthy start and

productive activities with your child, taking advantage of this quality time to get to know him or her better
while working on your emotional intelligence in a creative way.

Emotional intelligence is something we all need to work on.

keep us healthy. Teach your child to use his emotional intelligence
effective is a great way to lay the foundation for your future well-being.

All our materials are created responsibly, based on the latest discoveries and studies on how people's minds
and emotions work.
children!

We have alliances with qualified early childhood professionals and educators, so that together, we create the ideal tools
for the healthy emotional growth of the little ones.
We have a unique and exclusive collection with the best to do this.
real in the lives of children!

At Grandes Mentes we hope that you and your children make the most of our activities and that Grandes
Mente is a positive tool for transformation in your lives!

We are grateful for your support of our mission.

With love,

Great Minds C)
GreatMinds
It's fun to grow up