If You’ve Ever Wondered ‘Is My 5-Year-Old Where They Should Be?’ This Is For You
One trusted checklist to replace Google spirals, milestone charts, and second-guessing.
Help Your Child Navigate Big Feelings & Become The Picture of Emotional Reslience
You're at the grocery store and your child wants the cereal with the cartoon character on the box. You say no and, suddenly…
They’re on the floor with their arms flailing, eyes red, and lungs hoarse from screaming. It’s like their whole world has ended and, at this point, everyone’s staring.
You feel your own face getting hot and that familiar voice in your head asking: Why can’t they just… handle this?
Or maybe you’re experiencing a different emotional story.
One where your child stands on the edge of the playground, watching other kids run and laugh—but never walking over to join them.
One where they hit when they’re frustrated because they don’t have words for what they’re feeling inside.
One where bedtime turns into a battle of wills, every single night.
Whether you’re facing your fifth tantrum this week or fighting back tears because your child is struggling to make friends, I know one thing to be true:
You’ve tried everything.
You’ve tried deep breaths, a calm voice, color-coded sticker charts, time-outs, picture books about processing emotions… you’re even accepting from your step-mom, neighbor, and random strangers on the internet.
Some of it works but, most of the time, you’re left wondering “what on earth am I doing wrong?”
If this sounds like you, I want you to know one thing:
Your child isn’t giving you a hard time, they’re having a hard time.
And the skills they need to manage big emotions, cooperate with others, and feel confident in who they are? They aren’t aren’t automatic. They’re learned.
The good news? You can teach them. And it’s simpler than you think.
The truth about big emotions
The part of the brain that handles emotions, impulse control, and social awareness won’t be fully developed until your child is in their mid-twenties. (Yes, really.)
So when your toddler melts down over a broken cracker or your preschooler refuses to share, it’s because they literally don’t have the tools yet.
They don’t know how to name the weird, tight feeling in their chest. They don’t know how to calm their heart when it speeds up. They don’t know how to ask for help instead of hitting. They don’t know how to walk up to another kid and say, “Can I play too?”
But they can learn.
And here’s the beautiful part: you don’t need to be a child psychologist or have hours of extra time in your day.
You just need the right activities, woven into moments you’re already sharing together.
What’s Inside the Toolkit
The 5-Year-Old Developmental Checklist
Your simple, research-backed roadmap of what’s typical at this age — across social, emotional, physical, and language milestones.
“What to Do Next” Parent Guide
Once you’ve identified where your child is thriving (and where they might need support), this guide shows you what to do next — with simple, everyday activities and conversation tips you can use right away.
Introducing Social-Emotional Behavior Pack
A 4-week activity guide that helps your child build the emotional skills they need—through play, connection, and everyday life.
This isn’t a rigid program, it’s not homework, and it definitely won’t make you feel like you’re failing. (Because you’re not!)
It’s a simple, practical toolkit designed by an experienced educator who has spent over a decade helping families just like yours.
Each day, you get one activity. Something you can do during breakfast, bath time, or those ten minutes before bed.
Activities that feel like play to your child but are quietly building the foundation for:
✓ Naming and understanding emotions
✓ Calming down when feelings get big
✓ Cooperating with siblings and friends
✓ Showing empathy and kindness
✓ Feeling confident in who they are
No special materials. No prep work. No guilt.
Just connection, play, and you and your child growing together.
What's inside the pack
Week 1: Emotion Identification “I feel… something. But what?”
Help your child build a vocabulary for their inner world. When they can name what they’re feeling, they’re already halfway to handling it.
Activities include:
→ Feelings scavenger hunts using facial expressions
→ “How does your body feel?” body mapping
→ Story-time conversations about characters’ emotions
→ Mirror games that connect faces to feelings
Week 2: Emotional Regulation “I feel it. Now what do I do with it?”
Give your child real strategies for calming down. Ones that actually work for little bodies and busy brains.
Activities include:
→ Breathing exercises disguised as games (blowing bubbles, pretending to smell flowers)
→ Movement breaks that release big energy
→ Creating a “calm down” corner together
→ Simple phrases they can say to themselves
Week 3: Cooperation & Empathy “How do I get along with others?”
Help your child learn to share, take turns, and notice how other people feel—skills that will serve them for the rest of their life.
Activities include:
→ Turn-taking games that build patience
→ “What would they feel?” conversation starters
→ Cooperative play challenges (building something together, working toward a shared goal)
→ Acts of kindness they can do independently
Week 4: Connection & Confidence “I matter. I belong. I can do hard things.”
Wrap up the month by strengthening your child’s sense of self and their connection to the people who love them.
Activities include:
→ Affirmation activities that build positive self-talk
→ Family connection rituals you can keep doing forever
→ Celebrating growth (without pressure for perfection)
→ Simple ways to keep the momentum going
This Is For You If…
✓ You have a child who struggles with big emotions and you want to help them (without yelling, bribing, or losing your mind)
✓ You’ve noticed your child has trouble making friends, sharing, or joining in with other kids
✓ You want to be more intentional about emotional development but don’t have hours of extra time
✓ You believe in the power of play and connection over punishment and pressure
✓ You’re looking for guidance from someone who actually understands child development—not just another Pinterest board full of ideas you’ll never use
This pack is NOT for you if:
✗ You want a magic fix that requires no effort
✗ You’re looking for screen-time activities
✗ You prefer clinical, diagnosis-focused approaches
✗ You need one-on-one therapeutic support (though this can compliment professional help beautifully)
What Makes this difference
So much of what you find online makes you feel like something is wrong with your kid. Like they need to be corrected, managed, or trained.
That’s not what this is.
The Social-Emotional Behavior Pack is about understanding your child, supporting them, and walking alongside them as they learn and grow.
It’s about turning the moments you’re already sharing—breakfast, bedtime, playtime—into opportunities for connection and growth.
And it’s designed to fit your real life.
You won’t find complicated setups or expensive materials here. Every activity uses things you already have at home. Every instruction is written in plain language, not textbook-worthy jargon that you have to decode.
Because you don’t need a degree in child psychology to help your child thrive.
You just need the right tools.
Meet The Creator
Mackenzie Riley is the founder of Anchor & Bloom and an experienced educator, administrator, and intervention specialist with over a decade of experience supporting both families and schools.
She’s seen the gap that exists between what children need and what parents are given.
Too often, families are left searching through conflicting advice, comparing their child to everyone else’s, and feeling alone in the hardest moments of parenting.
Anchor & Bloom was created to change that.
Every resource is research-based but written in the warm, supportive language of a friend who’s been there. Someone who understands that parenting is hard—and that you’re already doing so much right.
“We walk alongside families. We celebrate progress, not perfection. And we believe every child can bloom when they’re given the right support.”
Imagine...
Four weeks from now, your child has a meltdown.
But this time, something is different.
They pause, take a breath, and say, “I feel frustrated.”
You meet them where they are, you use the language you’ve practiced together, and the moment passes.
Not perfectly and not without any tears, but with connection instead of chaos.
Imagine watching your child stand up for themselves and say, “that made me feel red” when their big sibling makes them upset.
Imagine bedtime becoming a moment of cozy closeness instead of an hour long argument.
Imagine feeling like you actually understand what’s going on inside your child’s head and know exactly how to help.
That’s what’s possible when you have the right tools.
What you get:
→ A complete 4-week activity guide (PDF)
→ Daily activities organized by focus area
→ Educator guidance built into each activity
→ Parent tips on what to watch for and how to respond
→ Printable resources to support learning
Format: Instant digital download
Age Range: Select your child’s age group at checkout (5 years)
Investment: $39.99
Instant Download
Common Questions
What if my child is really intense? Will this still work?
I don't have a lot of extra time. Is this realistic?
My child is only 2. Isn't this too early?
Social-emotional development starts from birth. The earlier you begin building this foundation, the stronger it becomes. We offer age-specific versions, so every activity is appropriate for your child’s stage. Additional age packs are coming soon.
What if I've already tried everything?
Is this a replacement for therapy or professional support?
No. If your child is experiencing significant challenges, we always recommend working with qualified professionals. This pack is designed to support everyday development and can compliment professional guidance beautifully—but it’s not a substitute for it.
Your Next Steps
You can keep searching for answers. Keep reading articles at midnight. Keep wondering if you’re doing this right.
Or you can take one small step today.
$39.99 for four weeks of guidance. Four weeks of connection. Four weeks of watching your child grow in ways that matter.
Parenting is hard. Really hard.
And if you’re reading this, it’s because you care deeply about your child and you want to do right by them. You’re looking for answers.
That impulse? That love? That’s everything.
You don’t need to be perfect and you don’t need to have it all figured out, you just need to keep showing up.
And when you have the right support, showing up gets a whole lot easier.
We’re here to walk alongside you.
Welcome to Anchor & Bloom.
© 2026 Anchor & Bloom