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Teaching Children About Their Feelings

11/22/2019

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Child managing feelings
For students who've been impacted by trauma, self regulation can be a challenge. In other words, they have a hard time regulating their emotions.

Learning to identify feelings (in others and in themselves) is a good starting point. As teachers, helping your students identify and understand their feelings and to manage their emotions can make a big difference in their day to day.

This will take time. And practice. Give your students lots of opportunities to learn about and discuss feelings. 

The result - students who understand their emotions we will be less likely to use behaviors such as tantrums and hitting to express his or her emotions. And that's a win for the student, the teacher, the parents, and the rest of the class.
Teaching students about feelings

5 Ways to Teach Students About Feelings

1. ​Talk About Feelings

Discussions throughout the day about feelings can really benefit your students.  A great starting point is how talking about how someone other than your student is feeling. Use yourself as a learning tool. “I feel sad today because…” “I feel frustrated that computer isn't working today.”  Also, others around you can be great examples too. “That little girl looks like he feels sad that recess is over."

Books can provide good opportunities to talk about feelings. “How do you think the girl in the story feels about that?” “What do you think the mom in the story is feeling when they...?” 

2. Help Students Identify Feelings

Children often are unable to identify feelings, especially their own. Teachers can help children identify and name their feelings.  "It looks like you are feeling frustrated with the math problem." 

​3. Acting Out Feelings

Use puppets or stuffed animals to act out emotions. Make it fun. This can create a safe way for children to talk about their feelings through an animal or puppet. They may be more willing to share as they may feel less vulnerable, less exposed.

4. Learning About Feelings Through Play

Make it fun.

Play Guess the Emotion game. For example, make a sad face and have your child guess how you are feeling. Another one is play Simon Says and have your students match their face with the emotion on your face.

5. Children’s Books and Games About Feelings

Books and games are great tools for teaching children about feelings.In addition to being a teaching tool, they can open the door for discussions about feelings. Below you'll find some of our favorite books and games to help your students learn about feeligs…with affiliate links to make it easy to find them. 
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The Feelings Book: The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions by Lynda Madison   
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The Feelings Book will help you understand your emotions, and deal with them in positive ways. You’ll get tips on how to express your feelings and stay in control, plus get sensitive advice on handling fear, anxiety, jealousy, and grief. Learn how to stay in the driver’s seat of your own emotions!

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The Way I Feel by ​Janan Cain

Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are. Kids need words to name their feelings, just as they need words to name all things in their world. The Way I Feel uses strong, colorful, and expressive images which go along with simple verses to help children connect the word and the emotion. Your child will learn useful words, and you will have many chances to open conversations about what’s going on in her/his life. Recommended by parents, teachers and mental health professionals, The Way I Feel is a valuable addition to anyone's library.

Feelings book
B is for Breathe: The ABCs of Coping with Fussy and Frustrating Feelings by Dr. Melissa Munro Boyd

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From the letter A to the letter Z, B is for Breathe celebrates the many ways children can express their feelings and develop coping skills at an early age. Fun, cute, and exciting illustrations, this colorful book teaches kids simple ways to cope with fussy and frustrating emotions. This book will inspire kids to discuss their feelings, show positive behaviors, and practice calm down strategies.

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  • My Moods, My Choices Flipbook
    EDUCATIONAL TOOL. Teach kids about different moods/emotions and positive actions that can be taken in a fun and educational way.
  • 20 DIFFERENT MOODS ARE INCLUDED. Angry, bored, confident, confused, disappointed, embarrassed, excited, frustrated, grumpy, guilty, happy, hopeful, hungry, sad, scared, shy, sick, sleepy, stressed, and worried. Kids will enjoy flipping to the character that expresses their current mood, and the corresponding positive choices that can be taken.
  • LAMINATED PAGES. Every page is laminated for extra durability. Pages are easy to wipe off and a built-in stand is included. 

children's book about feelings
How Do You Doodle? by Elise Gravel

Meet Otti, Ugga, and Flibb—They like to doodle.
They doodle all the time!
They doodle when they are mad, they doodle when they are glad, and they doodle when they are sad.
They doodle just about anything they want!

How Do You Doodle? has over 40 doodle games for you to doodle, scribble, and draw out your thoughts, emotions, and feelings. You can draw or write whatever you want in this book — cute drawings, silly drawings, even ugly drawings.
Be creative and express yourself! Your doodles will help you to understand and recognize your emotions and feelings.
How do You Doodle? can be used alone, or in association with a therapist or parent to help kids better realize and understand their emotional responses to situations, and to help promote better emotional health. A "Note to Parents" is included.

Game to teach students about emotions
T 123 Version 2.0: The Hilariously Fun Game That Empowers Kids and Teens to Take Charge of Their Thoughts, Actions, and Emotions

EXCITING GAMEPLAY: Players work to pick up sets of 1, 2, and 3 cards, acting out the fun situations on the sets
  • EASY TO PLAY: CBT 123 is extremely easy to learn and put into practice. A game can be played in 15-20 minutes
  • Great for school counselors, therapists, and other professionals who work with children on anxiety, anger, depression, and coping skills. Includes a link for a free downloadable worksheet to expand its therapeutic value. For 2-4 players, ages 7-16

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Feelings in a Jar: A Fun Game for All Ages for Endless Play & Interaction
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Everyone needs to know how to name and express feelings. Each jar holds 365 little slips printed with ";feelings words";€”gleeful, insecure, grateful, angry, cranky, courageous, hopeful, and many more. Pull a slip and act out the feeling, or invite someone else to act it out. Use as discussion starters, journaling prompts, or icebreakers for groups. Ages 8 & up.

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