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What is The Time-In Toolkit?
Establish clear and consistent boundaries, free from blame, shame and pain! Take a Time-In the next time your kids are having a big feeling.
Loved by hundreds of thousands of parents and educators in 200+ countries
“When I got my strong-willed child, time-outs were ineffective. I needed something in a box, with instructions, a video, and a community to hold my hand.”
Suzanne Tucker, creator of The Time-In Toolkit
Children aren’t born knowing how to regulate their emotions any more than they’re born knowing how to tie their shoes.
Loved by hundreds of thousands of parents and educators in 200+ countries
Our play-based techniques are developed based on the latest studies and science from CASEL, the Yale School of Emotional Intelligence, and other leading sources, as well as our own experiences as parents.
How The Time-In Toolkit Works
Step 1
Your Time-In ToolKit manual will guide you every step of the way as you set up a cozy, inviting space your child will want to spend time in.
Step 2
Introduce your children to Time-Ins as a new way to work through our big feelings and come up with fun ways to say "Goodbye!" to Time-outs!
Step 3
Take a Time-In before you really need one. Go through the many play-based activities included in your ToolKit so you and your child are familiar with them.
Loved by hundreds of thousands of parents and educators in 200+ countries
Our system is proven to work.
Loved by hundreds of thousands of parents and educators in 200+ countries
Both options include identical information and activities, presented in different ways
Rated 4.8 Stars by 2,334 Customers
Rated 4.8 Stars by 2,334 Customers
Still have questions?
Frames do not come with the original Time-In ToolKit, but the ready-to-hang Time-In ToolKit does include stylish, faux-framed posters on a thick and durable chipboard that can be mounted directly on the wall. If you want to frame your original TITK posters, we recommend IKEA frames for quality and price. Sticky tabs are included for hanging unframed or laminated posters.
The Time-In toolKit is built around skill-building, and teaching children social and emotional skills via modeling, not by reward or punishment.
The Time-In ToolKit replaces both the punitive and/or a "behavioral management approach" by nurturing emotional intelligence in both children and adults. The many skill-building activities that come inside each kit are nurtured through the primary relationships a child has --- with their parents, siblings, and teachers.
The Time-In ToolKit encourages people of all ages to notice, name, and express their thoughts and feelings. The animal stickers that come with the kit engage children and help them track which PeaceMakers cards they have pulled until they collect all 35, serving as a record of the learning that has occurred (Reggio Emilia). The stickers are not a reward nor are they given in exchange for a behavior.
Children experience the same emotions as adults. The difference is in the rapid mood swings and intensity of emotion. Temper tantrums are very common in early childhood. Toddlers, in particular, have very intense, but also short-lived emotions.
At this age, children normally find it hard to share and typically lack impulse control. Rather than punishing children for not being born with social and emotional skills, we can nurture them. Just as we teach children to walk and talk, it’s crucial to teach children social skills and how to express emotions. The Time-In ToolKit and all our play-based tools turn this process into daily playful rituals!
Examples of positive development in early childhood include cooperating with peers, being attentive to adults, and being capable of switching between activities smoothly and easily.
Studies suggest kids can grasp emotions as early as 4 months. Babies show preference or interest by looking at something for a longer period of time. In a study, infants were shown images of different facial expressions – ex. expressions of anger, sadness, or joy – and most of them spent more time looking at the “happy” photos.
Many infants can tell the difference between how different emotions are expressed vocally by the age of 5 months. In another study, infants were shown one single facial expression, but the emotional tone of voice changed. They started looking at the photo again immediately after the change of voice. For example, the baby was looking at a picture and hearing a happy voice. They lost interest in the photo and started looking elsewhere. When the voice changed – i.e. became angry or sad, their focus returned to the picture, and vice versa.
Children are sensitive to emotional changes in a voice and it is never too early to establish positive discipline practices in a home. For nurturing social-emotional skills in infants and young toddlers, we highly recommend starting with our transformative Online Positive Parenting Course.
There are special games in the Time-In ToolKit that you can play with your kids to help them recognize feelings and foster empathy. Games are an engaging way to teach kids social competence and skills so they feel comfortable expressing their feelings. This is important because negative feelings will tend to dominate in many facets of their life in the absence of adequately developed social skills.
For toddlers, “adequately developed social skills” means learning to play well with others, having the ability to show empathy, and being able to share things. Children at the age of two normally show empathy – for example, a child this age will pat a crying child on the back to comfort him.
There are many things you can do to help your child develop social and emotional skills. Children learn by imitating, which is why parents are such important role models. If your child sees you being helpful, sharing things and feelings, and being grateful, they will imitate you. Eventually, they will develop a firm grasp of how to interact with others both at home and outside it. Playing a fun game with them and saying “please” and “thank you” with a smile is a nice start.
It is essential to praise your child when they demonstrate good social behavior. This way, they understand which forms of behavior are praiseworthy and encouraged. They also feel better about themselves. This plays an important role in fostering a sense of emotional competence and empathy. Children become more mindful and thoughtful if a positive climate is created at home, in which they can share their feelings without fear of punishment.
It’s never a good idea to wait until a tantrum to begin teaching a calming strategy. Calming strategies are best taught at non-stressful times and through playing games. The My Calming Strategies Poster, which is part of the Time-In Toolkit, presents different strategies that will help children notice, name, share, and regulate their bodies and their minds.
Interacting with your child and allowing them to interact with peers is the best way to teach calming strategies and social competence.