Name that Feeling Activities
Here are four engaging, age-appropriate activities designed to help children identify and better understand their emotions. These can be used by teachers, caregivers, and parents at home or in the classroom:
1. Emotion Face Cards & Mirror Mimic
Objective: Help children recognize and label facial expressions and the emotions they represent.
Materials Needed:
- Emotion face cards (can be handmade or printed: happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared, confused, etc.)
- A handheld mirror or a large wall mirror
Instructions:
- 1. Show a child one emotion face card at a time.
- 2. Ask them: “What do you think this person is feeling?” and “When have you felt this way?”
- 3. Then, have them try to copy the expression in the mirror.
- 4. Follow up by discussing what situations might cause that emotion.
- Why It Works: Kids learn to associate expressions with feelings and reflect on personal experiences.
2. Color Your Feelings
- Objective: Help children express emotions through art, even if they don’t have the vocabulary yet.
Materials Needed:
- Blank paper or printable emotion outlines (faces, hearts, or people)
- Crayons, markers, colored pencils
Instructions:
- 1. Give each child a blank outline and explain that different colors can represent different feelings.
- 2. Ask: “How are you feeling right now? What colors match that feeling?”
- 3. Let them color freely and then explain their choices.
- Why It Works: This activity provides a nonverbal outlet for emotional awareness and communication.
3. Feelings Charades
- Objective: Promote empathy and understanding of body language and emotional cues.
Materials Needed:
- Small cards with feeling words (e.g., “excited,” “nervous,” “proud,” “frustrated,” “lonely”)
Instructions:
- 1. One child picks a card and silently acts out the emotion.
- 2. The others guess what the emotion is.
- 3. After a correct guess, ask: “Have you ever felt that way? When?”
- Why It Works: Kids practice observing and interpreting emotional cues, which boosts emotional literacy and empathy.
4. My Day in Emoji
- Objective: Build emotional vocabulary and encourage daily self-reflection.
Materials Needed:
- A simple feelings chart or emoji printout
- Journals or a feelings log
Instructions:
- 1. At the end of the day, ask each child to choose 2–3 emojis that match how they felt today.
- 2. Have them draw or circle the emojis and briefly explain why they chose them.
- 3. Prompt gently with questions like, “What happened that made you feel that way?” or “Did your feelings change during the day?”
- Why It Works: This reinforces emotional reflection as a regular part of the day and builds self-awareness over time.
