Helping Children Find Calm: Comfort Kits for Difficult Emotions

What can parents do when children feel scared, anxious, or overwhelmed— particularly in wartime? In Pervomaisk, Ukraine, families explored practical tools for helping children navigate difficult emotions through PKU’s “Comfort Kits” initiative.

At a recent Mothers’ Gathering, psychologist Yuliia Mudra shared simple techniques for recognizing children’s emotional needs and helping them regain a sense of calm and safety when facing extreme external stressors. Families explored the specially designed Comfort Kits, while children decorated their own bags during an art-therapy activity. Fifteen children received Comfort Kits to take home and use with their parents. For participant Yuliia, the practical approach made all the difference: “We have already tried a couple of the calming techniques at home, and they really work!”