A Thoughtful Approach to Emotional Growth
Tedology is a play-based emotional wellbeing kit designed to support children’s emotional understanding, regulation, and wellbeing through play, sensory comfort, and short guided activities grounded in developmental science.
Created by Dr Louise Mansell, a Clinical Child Psychologist with over 15 years’ experience, the Tedology Bear Kit was co-designed with children, families, educators, and professionals. It draws on attachment, developmental neuroscience, and real-world practice.
The multi-sensory bear, feelings cards, and children’s workbooks help children talk about emotions, build emotional literacy, develop calming strategies, and manage big feelings in engaging and accessible ways.
Designed for both one-to-one support and small group work, the bear’s simple press-button voice box gently guides playful activities that can be naturally incorporated into everyday routines and practitioner sessions.
Practitioner guidebooks, training, and termly webinar support are provided to help professionals confidently embed Tedology into their work with children.
Did you know?
Tedology Was Born from Real-World Experience
Meet Teddy
While the Tedology Bear may look like a teddy bear, it is actually an emotional wellbeing kit designed to help children talk about feelings, feel calmer, and manage big emotions through connection and play.
Developed by renown Clinical Child Psychologist, Dr Louise Mansell, who has more than 15 years' experience supporting children, families, educators and organisations across Australia and the UK.
At the centre is a comforting multi-sensory teddy with fidget-friendly paws, a lightly weighted body, sensory tags, and a simple press-button voice box. Each press of the tummy guides children through playful activities that support emotional understanding, calming, confidence, transitions, and worries.
The Tedology Bear also comes with an Emotional Regulation & Resilience Toolkit, including feelings cards, a children’s activity workbook, adult companion guides, videos and live termly webinar support, making it easier to help children understand and talk about feelings, regulate emotions, and build confidence and resilience at home, in education and in professional settings.
How does Tedology Work in a Support Setting?
Children do not always have the language to explain what is happening inside them, particularly when overwhelmed or uncertain.
Tedology offers a familiar starting point.
Rather than asking a child to talk on demand, the bear allows emotional exploration to begin through interaction, play and gentle prompts.
This can be particularly helpful for children who:
The bear becomes a shared focus, making conversations feel less pressured and regulation activities more engaging.
How it works
Designed with children in mind, Tedology is a soft, multi-sensory teddy that children naturally engage with and feel comfortable using.
Tedology supports children through:
Sensory regulation
Light weighting, fidget-friendly paws, textured tags and a crinkle ear provide grounding input and support attention.
Guided audio activities
A simple press activates one of 10 short child-led activities supporting emotional literacy, regulation, resilience and expression. The voice is intentionally gentle and paced to support processing.
Expression tools
A visual emotion card, notebook and pencils help children communicate feelings through drawing, storytelling or reflection
Where Tedology Fits in Practice
Professionals commonly use Tedology as:
Professionals commonly use Tedology as:
- a settling activity at session start
- a conversation bridge
- a reset during difficult moments
- a calm ending to sessions
- a structured emotional learning tool
- sensory support during challenging discussions
Tedology can be used within:
- therapy rooms
- sensory spaces
- waiting areas
- support rooms
- wellbeing environments
Focused Support Approaches
Tedology can also be used more intentionally for children needing additional scaffolding.
The Companion Guide explains how to extend activities and adapt them depending on developmental stage and need.
Some services use Tedology as a structured 6–8 session approach (Teddy Tools), allowing children to practise and revisit emotional skills over time. Downloadable activities support this process.
Why Professionals Love Tedology
Developed with clinical insight
Created by a psychologist and refined through real collaboration with children and families, Tedology feels natural rather than clinical.
Supports emotional literacy without pressure
Children practise recognising feelings, noticing body signals and expressing emotions through play and repetition.
Flexible alongside existing approaches
Tedology adapts to practitioner style, environment and level of need without replacing established methods.
Encourages skill transfer beyond sessions
Children begin to use the strategies outside the room, supporting confidence and parent involvement.
Guidance for purposeful use
The Companion Guide explains the intent behind each activity and how to build on it for emotional development.
Training & Professional Support
Dr Louise Mansell offers additional training and support for education settings wanting guidance on using Tedology within daily routines (Calm and Connect) or as part of a structured 6–8 session approach (Teddy Tools).
View our Helpful Resources for Professionals
Flyer for Practitioners
A practical flyer for health and education professionals outlining how Tedology supports emotional regulation in children.
The Science Behind Keep the Balloon Up
When the game becomes a bit too fast, intense, or unfocused, adding a simple instruction (like “use one little finger” or “slow motion taps”) gently encourages the child to slow down and re-engage their thinking brain. This small increase in structure and challenge supports regulation and helps the child return to shared, connected play with…
Did You Know?
Tedology Was Born from Real-World Experience
Meet The Maker
Helping little minds, and those who support them, navigate big feelings.
Tedology was developed by Dr Louise Mansell, a Clinical Child Psychologist with over 15 years’ experience. Tedology is designed to help children talk about emotions and understand how to manage them through everyday playful moments.
At the heart of the Tedology Wellbeing Kit is a multi-sensory teddy bear, with sensory tags, a lightly weighted body, fidget paws to support focus, a crinkle ear, and a press-button voice box that gently guides children through 10 playful evidence-informed activities that help them learn how to calm, name emotions and manage big feelings. Each kit also includes a workbook, feelings card, and supportive guidance for adults to help make children’s emotional development effective, easy and part of everyday moments.
Tedology Training Videos
Watch how to set up and use Tedology in your setting.