Understanding Emotions With a Feelings Faces Chart
In this activity, your child will begin to understand feelings by drawing faces with different emotions. They can then use the chart to point to the face that best matches how they are feeling.
Children don’t often make the connection between what they feel and the emotions that they display. With their limited language and experience dealing with intense feelings, it makes sense that children may rely on nonverbal cues to communicate (pointing, screaming, crying, etc). One way to help children identify and express their feelings is with a feelings faces chart. This chart shows faces in different states of emotion. In tough moments, it can help children explain — and their parents understand — just how they feel when they can’t find the words.
Materials
Directions
Help your child brainstorm a list of feelings by asking, “What feelings have you experienced?” If your child has trouble, name a few to start. Write them down on a sheet of paper.
Draw a set of circles on the page.
Have your child draw a face that expresses each feeling.
Underneath each face, write the feeling that describes it.
Now that you and your child have created the chart together, place it somewhere your child will see it frequently, such as in their room or common area.
Have your child use the chart to describe how they are feeling. Ask your child to point to the face that matches how they feel. Are there multiple faces that capture their feelings? Do you need to add a new face to express a new emotion?
You can also use the feelings faces chart to play feelings charades. Take turns with your child choosing an emotion from the board (without telling each other which one you picked) and acting it out. Correctly guess all the emotions and you both win!
Author: 
Emotions & Self-Awareness
Social Skills
Character
Arts- Activity Type
- Craft
- Topics