My Emotions... How Do I Feel Today?

Basic
Age: 4-5
1 h
Children take turns asking each other how they feel, choose an emotion face, and explain their feelings to build empathy and emotional awareness.
Self-regulation
Conversation Storytelling
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Markers
  • Crayons
  • (Colored) card paper or moderation bubbles (for creating emoticons)
  • Wooden rods, craft sticks, or similar materials (to hold up emotion palettes)
  • Laminator and laminating pouches (to make materials durable)
  • Large panel or flip chart paper (for creating the main emotions poster)

Preparation

Work together with the children to create the main set of emoticon/emotion face palettes. Also prepare a large emotions poster on flip chart paper. Fill it with many emoticons created by the children themselves. This poster will serve as a visual aid during the game and help spark emotional recognition and discussion.

Implementation

Gather the children in a semicircle in front of the emotions poster. Remind them that it’s okay to feel different things at different times and that this activity will help everyone understand each other a little better.

Children work in small or large groups. Begin the round with one child who chooses a partner by name and asks: How are you feeling today?

The chosen child steps forward, picks an emoticon from the emotions palette (e.g. happy, sad, angry, scared, excited), and tells the group how they feel and why.

The process continues with the child who answered calling on the next partner, and so on, until everyone has had a turn.

Encourage active listening and respectful responses throughout the activity.

Reflection

Invite children to share how they felt during the game:

  • Was it easy or hard to talk about how you feel?
  • Did anything surprise you?
  • What could we do to make this game even better?