Using The BOUNCE Approach®
What’s happening
- Many children find it difficult to understand social situations, especially when emotions or perspectives differ.
- Misunderstandings can lead to conflict, frustration, or feelings of rejection.
- Comic Strip Conversations (Carol Gray) use simple drawings and speech bubbles to make conversations visual, helping children see what was said, thought, or felt.
- Energy battery impact: reducing the demand on verbal processing saves energy and makes tricky situations easier to review calmly.
The BOUNCE Approach®
🖤 B — Body and Nervous System (Inside Tool)
- Use drawing time as a calming, low-arousal activity.
- Children can doodle while settling their body, making it easier to talk.
❤️ O — Openness to Connection and Attachment (In-Between Tool)
- Work side by side — drawing together creates safety without eye contact pressure.
- Use curiosity: “What do you think they were feeling in that moment?”
🧡 U — Understanding Sensory Differences (Outside Tool)
- Draw sensory triggers into the strip (loud noise, bright light, crowded space).
- Show how environment impacts reactions, not just people’s choices.
💚 N — Navigating Emotions (Inside Tool)
- Add thought and feeling bubbles to explore emotions: “I felt worried here,” “They thought I was cross.”
- Use colours (BOUNCE system: Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Blue) to show nervous system states.
💙 C — Connection to Self and Others (In-Between Tool)
- Practise perspective-taking gently: “What did each person notice?”
- Repair misunderstandings by highlighting both sides of the story.
💜 E — Esteem and Identity (Inside Tool)
- Affirm effort: “You explained that really clearly with your drawings.”
- Show that everyone sees things differently — and that’s okay.
Adult Focus:
- Comic strips aren’t about finding fault — they’re about making invisible thoughts visible.
- Keep it collaborative and light — humour often helps.
- Revisit strips over time to show progress and build confidence.
Next Steps
- Explore further learning:
- Comic Strip Conversations — practical training in using visuals to support communication.
- Theory of Mind — helping children understand perspectives.
- Solution Circles — collaborative approaches to resolving conflict.
- Family Coaching: Learn how to use quick comic strips at home to ease sibling disputes or talk through tricky social events. Click here
- Join the Learning Portal: Access 80+ trainings and printable tools, including ready-to-use comic strip templates for schools and families. Click here
👉 Comic Strip Conversations give children a visual voice, helping them process what happened — and plan for safer, calmer interactions next time.
