Emotional Strength for Kids —
Made Simple

We all want to raise emotionally strong kids. But where do we start? Hero Cards® makes it easy.

Shop
Young girl in a red shirt standing outdoors with greenery in the background
Illustration of a character with a rugby ball on a red background
Girl wearing a red shirt and blue jeans standing in a grassy area with green bushes in the background
Cartoon character in a superhero costume on a red background
Young girl in a red shirt and blue jeans standing in a grassy area with greenery.
Illustration of a person in a wheelchair playing basketball on a red background
Girl doing a handstand on grass with a green bush background
Illustration of a girl riding a hamster with a  football on a red background
Example of an Emotion Hero Card with text about fear and anxiety on a white background

What are Hero Cards?

Created by psychologists, Hero Cards® are a supersized deck of 49 cards that help children aged 6 - 12+ learn powerful science-based skills to build confidence, calm and coping habits that last a lifetime.

We do the hard work for you - no psychological expertise needed. A way to start conversations and learn powerful skills that are easy to use and remember - whenever your child needs them.

  • Start conversations about emotions with engaging stories
  • Understand and recognise thoughts & emotions
  • Spot Power Stealers like worry, avoiding or people-pleasing
  • Develop Superpowers — helpful ways to think & cope

The most important habits our children can learn are how to think and respond in helpful ways when life gets tough. When this happens, children often do what we all do like worry, avoid, people-please or get angry — even though these don’t usually help in the long run.

Hero Cards® change that by teaching children what they can do instead - science-based techniques that really work.

  • The need for help is greater than ever

    1 in 5 children aged 5-16 years are likely to experience a mental health problem

  • Difficulties often start in childhood

    50% of all adult mental health problems start by the age of 14 years

  • Prevention is better than cure

    The most important habits children can learn are helpful thinking and coping skills

Photo of Dr Emmie wearing a red t-shirt with 'tell a new story' text, standing indoors.

welcome

I’m Dr Emmie, a psychologist and mum of three. For over 20 years, I’ve helped adults develop more helpful ways to think and cope, to feel better. It got me thinking – why are we not teaching this to children? Helping them learn what really helps before they struggle. That’s why we created Hero Cards.

Simple. Powerful. Designed for real impact.

What makes Hero Cards different?

Many kids’ wellbeing tools teach basic coping strategies at the surface level.

This is Different. Hero Cards® go deeper. They help children handle big feelings with confidence, using trusted psychological tools from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), specially adapted for kids.

We created Hero Cards® with expert input from teachers, health professionals, child counsellors and most importantly - parents and children.

Two young girls using Hero Cards with a scenic background

How do they work?

Children follow a simple 5-step journey picking one card of each colour. Each Superpower Card explains what the skill is, why it matters and how to do it in child-friendly steps. They can be used alone or with parents, siblings, teachers or friends – in short 5-minute bursts or over longer periods of time.

Hero cards

Children can choose a hero they relate to or one who’s different — helping build empathy and understanding that we all experience life differently.

Character card of Rose with superhero design on a red background

story cards

Next, they take their hero on an imaginative journey, with stories that introduce everyday challenges like worry, loss, anxiety, jealousy, frustration, and change. Children can listen to audios of the stories too.

Story Card example titled 'The Shadow Hunt' with a horse illustration and text on a purple background.

Emotion cards

Children explore what their hero might be feeling, thinking and noticing in their body — building emotional awareness without pressure.

Emotion card example about sadness with a cloud emoji and text on a light blue background

Power Stealer cards

These reveal common unhelpful coping habits like worrying, avoiding, perfectionism, making jokes, getting angry or shutting down — helping children spot patterns that drain their power.

Example Power Stealer card - 'Worrying' with a character illustration and text on a blue background

Superpower cards

The powerful bit. These are science-based coping tools that help calm their body, think more helpfully and take positive action. Each includes simple, fun instructions children can use right away and downloadable audios and Practice Sheets to help them become second nature.

Example Superpower card - 'Thought Catch!' with ABC image on a yellow background

Start your child on a heroic journey of emotional health