INNE

Where does the butterfly sit today?

Nadeschda Barenje (SE) + Irini Kyrifidis Johnsen (NO)

Specific emotions activate specific body regions across cultures (Nummenmaa 2014). Children develop discrete bodily sensation maps from early childhood (Hietanen 2016). Yet all existing interoception tools for children are flat cards and posters. No 3D physical tool exists.

INNE develops a tactile body figure made of stackable segments: head, chest, belly, arms, legs. Children place small animal figures on the body part where they feel something. A butterfly in the belly. A lion in the chest. A snail on the shoulders.

The animals make emotions concrete and approachable. The figure can also be taken apart and rebuilt into creatures, towers, anything.

Research → Observe children → Map emotions to body → 3D model → PLA prototype → Test with children → Iterate → Wood

The Body Map

Body figure: empty segments and with animals placed

How it works

"How do you feel today?"

The child picks an animal and places it on the body figure. Children who struggle to say "I feel anxious" can place a fluttering butterfly on the belly and be understood.

The pedagogue asks: "Why did you put the hedgehog there? What does it feel like?" Conversation follows naturally. The body figure and the animals become a shared language between child and adult.

Dual function

1. Interoception tool: Point, name, feel. Build body awareness and emotional vocabulary. The 3D figure makes the body concrete in a way flat cards cannot.

2. Building blocks: Take apart and rebuild into monsters, towers, creatures, anything. Nine segments, limitless configurations. When not used for check-ins, it lives as creative building material.

The Animals

Butterfly

fluttering, nervous, excited

Lion

strong, brave, angry

Snail

slow, heavy, tired

Hedgehog

prickly, sore, irritated

Cat

warm, calm, content

Bird

light, happy, free

Bear

heavy, protective, sad

Rabbit

fast, scared, alert

"I have butterflies in my belly because we have a show today. And a lion in my chest because I feel brave."

The animals are not prescriptive. Children choose their own meanings. The pedagogue observes and follows. Over time, the child develops a personal emotional vocabulary grounded in their own body.

Research

Specific emotions consistently activate specific body regions across cultures. Children as young as six produce discrete bodily sensation maps for happiness, fear, and surprise. Body-emotion linking is developmental and teachable.
Nummenmaa et al. 2014, PNAS; Hietanen et al. 2016

Finding	Implication	Source
Emotions map to body regions	A physical body figure makes this concrete	Nummenmaa 2014
Children show body-emotion maps from age 6	The mapping can be supported earlier	Hietanen 2016
Interoception training improves emotion regulation	It works, but all tools are 2D	Mahler 2022
10-15% of children struggle to name feelings	Animals lower the verbal threshold	Alexithymia research
Children extend self to objects they own	A personal body figure becomes identity-bearing	Belk 2014
Open-ended objects = more creative use	Body parts become building blocks	Nicholson 1972

The gap

Kelly Mahler's interoception curriculum (2019) is the leading evidence-based program for body-emotion awareness. Her 2022 study showed significant gains in emotion regulation. But the entire curriculum uses flat worksheets and 2D body silhouettes. No 3D tool exists.

INNE fills this gap: a tangible body figure where children place animal figures on the body part where they feel something.

Design principles

Body first, words second. Children feel before they speak. The tool lets them show before they tell.
Animals as emotional proxies. A butterfly is more approachable than "anxiety". Animals lower the verbal threshold.
3D over 2D. A physical body you can hold, turn, and point at is more concrete than a silhouette on paper.
Dual function. When not used for check-ins, the body figure is building blocks. It lives in the classroom, not in a drawer.
Child-led meaning. The animals have no prescribed emotions. The child decides what the butterfly means.

Nordic context

Norway's kulturbarnhage integrates art and culture as core pedagogy. Sweden's preschool and parklek traditions emphasise emotional development through play. Yet tools for emotional body awareness are imported 2D materials, not designed for Nordic contexts.

The scientific foundation is Nordic: Nummenmaa et al. (Finland, 2014) mapped emotions to body regions. Pramling Samuelsson (Sweden) documents how play and learning are inseparable. Bjork (Norway, 2020) confirms that body awareness and emotional development are linked. Stortingsmelding 18 (2021) states culture for children shall happen with and by children.

Team

Nadeschda Barenje (SE)

Design, 3D modelling, prototyping

BA Ceramics and Glass, Konstfack 2026. Trained in glass, ceramics, and multiple craft disciplines. 3D models, prints, and fabricates prototypes. Stockholm.

vetroal.se

Irini Kyrifidis Johnsen (NO)

Body-emotion observation, kulturbarnhage

MA Theater and Dance. Works at a kulturbarnhage in Norway. Observes how children express emotions through their bodies.

Desirée Lundberg (SE)

Preschool teacher, pedagogical advisor, test site

Qualified preschool teacher with background in förskola, currently working in parklek in Stockholm. Prototypes are tested with children at her parklek.

Timeline

Aug 2026: Irini observes how children at her kulturbarnhage (NO) express emotions physically. Video and structured observation.
Sept 2026: Three-day workshop in Stockholm. Nadja, Irini, and Desirée review observations, map emotion-body patterns, select animal pairings. Nadja begins 3D modelling.
Oct 2026: Nadja 3D-prints PLA prototypes in Stockholm. Body figure (9 segments) + 8 animal figures.
Nov 2026: Testing at Desirée's parklek in Stockholm. Children aged 3-6 interact with prototypes. Irini joins to compare. Document, iterate, refine.

Fabrication

Body figure: 9 stackable PLA segments (head, shoulders, chest, belly, hips, 2 arms, 2 legs). Flat bottoms, dowel alignment, 4-8 cm per piece. No supports needed. Final: wood.

Animals: 8 small PLA figures, 2-4 cm. Simple forms with flat bottoms. Final: carved wood.

Safety: All pieces larger than 3 cm (no choking risk). Rounded edges. PLA is food-safe.

References

Nummenmaa, L. et al. (2014). Bodily maps of emotions. PNAS, 111(2).
Hietanen, J.K. et al. (2016). Bodily maps of emotions across child development. Developmental Science.
Mahler, K. (2019). Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System. AAPC.
Mahler, K. et al. (2022). Interoception-Based Program on Emotion Regulation. OT International.
Bjork, L.I.B. (2020). Emotion socialisation. Scandinavian J. of Psychology.
Pramling Samuelsson, I. (2008). The Playing Learning Child. Scand. J. of Ed. Research.
Belk, R. et al. (2014). Toys are me. Cognition.
Nicholson, S. (1972). The Theory of Loose Parts.
Stortingsmelding 18 (2021). Oppleve, skape, dele.