Emotions for preschoolers

8 Fun Feelings Activities for Preschoolers

Early childhood is as much about developing a child emotionally as it is about building physical and intellectual capabilities.

These feelings activities for preschoolers bring art, songs, discussion and stories together, to help kids experience their emotions in practical ways.

How do you teach preschoolers about feelings?

As children progress through the stages of emotional development, they naturally learn to identify their feelings and express them in healthy ways.

Much of a child’s emotional development happens during play.

While children are playing dress-up or engaging in pretend play, they are imitating and acting out real-life scenarios, which are full of emotions.

Pretend play gives children a way to safely act out and practise big emotions such as fear, love, sorrow and anger.

However, parents and teachers can also find opportunities for teaching emotions to preschoolers by planning special feelings/emotions activities.

Here are a few ideas.

1. Mirror Emotions

Give children a hand-held mirror or stand in front of a large mirror. Ask them to explore their emotions in their reflections.

Ask them to make different faces. Start with easier emotions to identify, such as sad, happy and angry. Ask how their faces change as their emotions change.

Then, try to play with emotions such as boredom, excitement and worry. What do those faces look like?

Tell children to think of a cute puppy, running away from a lion, a very sad baby, or a big gift they are about to unwrap. How and why do their faces change?

2. Dance Your Feelings

Challenge kids to make up dances to show what various emotions feel like:

A tired dance (use scarves, slow movements and sleepy faces to slow music)
An angry dance (stomp around the room, making jerking movements with stern expressions to choppy music)
An excited dance (jump around with lit-up faces and a happy tune)

Choose music to match the mood and try out different emotions.

As a variation, play different kinds of music and ask children to show you, through their dancing, how the music makes them feel.

3. Emotion Drawing

Ask kids to draw a picture that explains how they feel.

Do not direct this activity too much. Rather allow children to express themselves with their own creativity. Different children will find different ways of representing their emotions.

Another way to do this is to play music (use the music from the dancing activity above) and ask your child to draw how the music makes them feel.

Tip: use clues from movies to help you choose the sounds, such as a choppy violin that’s used when a shark is approaching, or a slow, classical song that creates a sad atmosphere.

4. How Would You Feel?

Have a discussion about feelings and ask kids how they would feel in various situations.

Here are some examples of questions about feelings:

How would you feel if…?
How did you feel when…?
How does it make you feel when…?
Tell me about a time when you felt really scared.
What does mom do that makes you feel loved?

Learning to verbalize and express feelings is an important part of healthy development.

5. Paper Plate Faces

Creative art is a great way to make a physical representation of emotions.

One of the simplest emotions crafts for preschoolers is to make paper plate faces, depicting various emotions.

These can be turned into masks or you could attach a craft stick (or ice-cream stick) to the bottom and turn them into puppets for kids to use during their dramatic play.

6. Story Time

Story time is one of the easiest ways to incorporate teaching emotions. Books are filled with characters experiencing the full array of emotions and learning important life lessons.

As you read your stories in class or at bedtime, remember to ask questions about what the characters are feeling, why they are feeling that way, as well as how you would feel in the same situation.

7. Feeling Faces

Challenge kids to page through a magazine, or a storybook and identify faces that show strong emotions. Animals’ emotions are also often clearly depicted in drawings.

Cut out faces from a magazine and sort them into groups – happy faces, sad faces, angry faces, etc.

8. Emotion Songs

Music is an excellent medium for teaching skills in early childhood. These cute songs are all about emotions and kids will enjoy singing along to them.

If You’re Happy

This version of the popular song “If you’re happy and you know it” is by Super Simple Songs and it incorporates more emotions. Use these or make it up as you go along.

If you’re happy happy happy, clap your hands.
If you’re happy happy happy, clap your hands.
If you’re happy happy happy, clap your hands, clap your hands.
If you’re happy happy happy, clap your hands.

If you’re angry angry angry, stomp your feet.
If you’re angry angry angry, stomp your feet.
If you’re angry angry angry, stomp your feet, stomp your feet.
If you’re angry angry angry, stomp your feet.

If you’re scared scared scared, say, “Oh no!”
If you’re scared scared scared, say, “Oh no!”
If you’re scared scared scared, say, “Oh no!” say, “Oh no!”
If you’re scared scared scared, say, “Oh no!”

If you’re sleepy sleepy sleepy, take a nap.
If you’re sleepy sleepy sleepy, take a nap.
If you’re sleepy sleepy sleepy, take a nap, take a nap.
If you’re sleepy sleepy sleepy, take a nap.

This is a Happy Face

This is a good song to introduce the topic of emotions and how our facial expression often reflects how we’re feeling.

You can listen to the tune here. Watch it and then play it in the background as you sing along and make the faces. It has great music to accompany all the emotions.

This is a happy face.
This is a happy face.
This is a happy face.
This is my happy face.

This is a sleepy face.
This is a sleepy face.
This is a sleepy face.
This is my sleepy face.

This is an angry face.
This is an angry face.
This is an angry face.
This is my angry face.

This is a surprised face.
This is a surprised face.
This is a surprised face.
This is my surprised face.

Happy. Sleepy. Angry. Surprised.
Happy. Sleepy. Angry. Surprised.

This is an excited face.
This is an excited face.
This is an excited face.
This is my excited face.

This is a sad face.
This is a sad face.
This is a sad face.
This is my sad face.

This is a nervous face.
This is a nervous face.
This is a nervous face.
This is my nervous face.

This is a silly face.
This is a silly face.
This is a silly face.
This is my silly face.

Excited. Sad. Nervous. Silly.
Excited. Sad. Nervous. Silly

“Now, let me see those faces!”

Show me your happy face.
Show me your sleepy face.
Show me your angry face.
Show me your surprised face.
Show me your excited face.
Show me your sad face.
Show me your nervous face.
Show me your silly face.

This is a happy face.
This is a happy face.
This is a happy face.
This is my happy face.

I hope you liked these simple emotions activities for preschoolers.

For more ideas, here are some social-emotional activities for preschoolers.

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Talking with preschoolers about emotions — Better Kid Care — Penn State Extension

Just like adults, children need to develop strategies for managing their emotions, so that they can build social-emotional skills. When children are more socially and emotionally aware and skilled, they can more effectively navigate relationships, calm down and problem solve when challenges arise.

But unlike many adults, it can be difficult for children to recognize and understand emotions in themselves and others without adult support. The process of calming down when upset and using words to describe feelings and address challenges requires a lot of practice. It also requires a lot of adult support. When adults provide support and explanations, it helps children understand what they can do to manage their feelings. Children who learn how to understand emotions in themselves and others are better able to regulate their own responses to strong emotions.

Helping children to identify and label emotions is an important first step. Many preschoolers do not yet have the vocabulary to identify feeling words like angry or frustrated, or have the skills to “read” facial cues or to interpret body language. Adults support children’s social-emotional development when they label and talk about emotions.

Support children’s emotional understanding:

Ask children how they feel and notice children’s feelings throughout the day. For example, when a child has a concern or problem, ask questions or make comments like, “How are you feeling? or “It looks like you might be feeling sad about something.”
Talk with children throughout the day about emotions. For example, when reading books to children, label the characters’ emotions and point out the facial expression and body language of the characters in books.
Talk about how you are feeling during the day in appropriate ways. For example, “I am feeling happy today because today we are going on our field trip!” or “I am feeling sad today because I had to take my sick dog to the vet.” Direct children to look at your facial expressions and body language as you say, “How can you tell I’m feeling happy today?”
Talk about how people might feel in different situations to help children understand the different contexts of feelings and that all people have feelings. For example, when reading books or talking with children about their own lives, ask questions like, “Why do you think she felt that way? How could you tell she was feeling sad?”
Label and define feelings for children when they do not have the words to express how they are feeling. For example, “It looks like you might be concerned that you won’t get a turn on the swings today. That feeling is called worried. Let’s figure out a plan to help you with the problem if you are feeling worried.”

When children experience strong emotions, it’s important for adults to support their efforts to calm down so they will be better able to talk about how they are feeling. After children learn how to calm down and talk about how they are feeling, they can then begin to problem solve. When children are able to problem solve challenges, they are better able to focus on tasks, to learn, to form friendships and to navigate social situations. Talking about problems and how to solve them helps children develop more flexible thinking, and helps them to think about different ways to solve a problem. As children are able to better problem solve on their own it helps build their confidence and sense of “I can do it!” attitude.

Support children’s self-regulation and problem-solving skills:

Help children when they need to calm down. For example, when it looks like a child is beginning to get upset say, “It looks like this is a good time to calm down. Let’s take a deep breath together.”
Help children frame how they are feeling so that they can talk about the problem. For example, after a child has calmed down, reinforce feeling talk and problem-solving talk by saying, “You took a breath and calmed down, now you can say how you are feeling and what the problem is. Then we can figure out how to solve the problem.”
Model feeling talk and problem solving throughout the day. For example, “I think I need to take a deep breath and calm down. I’m feeling frustrated because I can’t find the book I was going to read to you. I’ll have to think where I put it. I had it when I walked over to the book nook. If I walk over there, maybe I’ll find it.”
Encourage children to share their feelings with each other. For example, when problems arise, encourage children to talk with each other about their feelings and about the problem. This process helps children label their feelings so that they can calm down, talk about a problem and talk about a solution to the problem.
Help children make the connection that all feelings are ok, but not all behaviors are ok. For example, “It is ok to feel frustrated when you have to wait your turn for your favorite center. It is not ok to push your friend.”
Be a cheerleader for children when they are problem solving! For example, “Tamara, you calmed down and told Jeremiah how you were feeling. Then you talked to Jeremiah about how to solve the problem so you could both play with the blocks. You were both great problem solvers!” Be specific when offering praise to children about their problem-solving efforts.

Helping children develop emotional understanding requires repeated and intentional practice. Adults support children’s development when they help children identify, label and talk about emotions, and when they support children’s efforts around problem solving.

References:

Bierman K., C. Domitrovich, R. Nix, S. Gest, J. Welsh, M. Greenberg, C. Blair, K. Nelson, and S. Gill. 2008. “Promoting academic and social-emotional school readiness: The Head Start REDI Program.” Child Development 79: 1802-1817.
Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning
Domitrovich, C., M. Greenberg, C. Kusche, and R. Cortez. 1999. Manual for the Preschool PATHS Curriculum. Channing-Bete Company.
Ursache, A., C. Blair, and C. Raver. 2012. “The Promotion of Self-Regulation as a Means of Enhancing School Readiness and Early Achievement in Children at Risk for School Failure.” Child Development Perspectives 6: 122-128.

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Talking with preschoolers about emotions

This publication is available in alternative media on request.

Emotions for children - we study feelings and emotions with children simply and clearly

We will introduce the child to the variety of human emotions, teach them to express their feelings and recognize the emotions of other people through exciting story games

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Why should a child study emotions?

Better understand yourself

It is sometimes difficult for a child to even realize, and even more so to formulate what he wants now, what he feels, why he suddenly became uncomfortable. And most importantly, understand what to do with it. Knowing the emotion "in the face", the child will not be at a loss in front of her.

Manage your emotions

Emotions arise uncontrollably, but how to dispose of them is up to us. Even a brave person can be frightened, but at the same time one will cry and hide, while the other will look fear in the face and defeat it. And this is exactly what you should learn from childhood - otherwise you won’t become successful.

Communicate more effectively with people

For productive communication, it is important to be able not only to recognize the emotions of others, but also to correctly express your own. Many will prefer to deal with a calm, friendly interlocutor, and not with a closed beech or a person who expresses his feelings too violently.

Protect yourself from manipulation

Each of us hides our true emotions in some situations. Sometimes it's a matter of etiquette. But sometimes people can pretend to benefit at our expense and even harm us on purpose. This is where basic knowledge of human emotions comes in handy.

What should a child know about emotions?

What are emotions and how they arise

The child should learn that emotions are a reaction to what happens to him. They help us to be aware of our attitudes to people and events, regulate behavior and better understand others. Emotions can arise spontaneously, but there is no need to be afraid of this - they can and should be controlled.

How to visually distinguish one or another emotion

People don't often talk about their feelings and emotions directly. How do you know if a person is scared or sad? Is he happy or nervous? Surprised or interested? Is he sincere? You can distinguish the emotions of other people based on their facial expressions, facial expressions, actions.

How to control your own emotions

Those who do not know how to cope with their emotions are perceived as ill-bred and unpleasant people. Children are usually forgiven for inappropriate expressions of emotions, but the sooner the child learns to take control of them, the better he will get along with people and the more he will achieve in the future.

How to introduce a child to emotions and feelings?

Be sincere with children

Parents who believe that the manifestation of emotions is a weakness and it is better to ignore them altogether will grow up unhappy, socially unadapted children. Feel free to express your feelings in front of a child: angry, laughing out loud, sad. Let him understand that different emotions are normal.

Pay attention to your child's emotions0009

If you see that the child, for example, is sad, turn to him: “You are sad. What happened? And what do you think to do with it? It is important that he understands: he will not be punished for what he feels, you are ready to analyze his feelings with him - and you will always tell you how to express them, what to direct them to.

Expand your child's emotional vocabulary

Psychologists have noticed a connection between emotional vocabulary and communication and introspection skills. Use at home more synonyms for words denoting sensations. Address the shades of emotions. For example, the general “evil” may mean “irritated”, “angry”.

Read and analyze literature together

The ability to empathize is formed when a person imagines himself in the place of another. Invite the child to imagine how he would feel if he were in the place of one or another literary hero. What would you do with these emotions? Would you express them or hide them? How would you proceed from them?

Learning emotions with children in an interactive

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Explore the interactive play activities your child will have with Umnaziah's Introducing Emotions course.

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The structure of the course "Emotions for children"

10 THEMED LESSON GAMES 30-40 MINUTES EACH

Each lesson is dedicated to one of the situations or emotions. The theory for the lesson is presented in the format of short stories and interactive tasks designed for children aged 6-13.

40 FUN CHALLENGES BUILT INTO THE SCENARIO OF LESSON

Each lesson contains 5-7 tasks to consolidate the material covered. All tasks have a plot and bright illustrations or are presented in the form of a game.

UNLIMITED ACCESS TO ALL COURSE MATERIALS

The child will be able to take the course as many times as he needs. You buy the course once and can return to it even after 5 years.

INTERACTIVE KNOWLEDGE QUIZ GAME

The course ends with an interactive quiz game, for the successful completion of which the child receives a certificate. You will be confident in his knowledge!

What topics do we study in the course "Emotions for Children"?

Galaxy of Emotions

Joy and Sadness

Fear and Anger

Interest and Surprise

Trust and Aversion

Complex emotions

What is empathy?

Dating cloak

Control helmet

Find yourself

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Examples of tasks for the study of emotions

Get to know the other steps of the Emotional Intelligence for Kids course

"Introducing Emotions" is the first of four steps in the Emotional Intelligence course for children from Umnaziah. See what topics our students are studying in other levels.

Getting to know emotions

In this course, we will introduce the child to the spectrum of human emotions, try to understand their own feelings, and learn to recognize and recognize the emotions of others. How are curiosity and surprise related? Is it possible to stop worrying at the blackboard and is fear so terrible?

Personality types

The main objective of this course is to show the child the diversity of human characters. We are all different in some ways, but similar in some ways. Why do some guys easily make new acquaintances, while others are reluctant to make contact, and how do different people make decisions?

Teamwork

The course is designed for children aged 9-13 and introduces the child to the basic principles of teamwork, teaches them to identify and take into account the strengths of each team member and give constructive feedback. 0057 feedback.

Difficult situations

The course is designed for children 7-10 years old. During the game, the child empathizes with the characters of the course, helps them cope with conflict situations and learns to predict the possible consequences of their decisions and actions.

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Children's Dictionary of Emotions - Definition of Emotions for Children

When a bright event occurs in life, we emotionally react to it. Every person is sad, funny, ashamed. How to explain to a child what emotions are?

Our vivid sensations are called emotions. There are quite a few of them. It is important to be able to distinguish them from each other: this helps to know oneself, the inner world of parents and friends, to make speech beautiful, expressive.

Differences between emotions and feelings:

feelings often last much longer;
emotions are superficial: quickly arise, quickly disappear;
feelings are specific, emotions are vague: "I'm scared" (emotion), "I'm afraid of her" (feeling).

Feeling - a set of complex emotions (for example, love consists of interest, joy, etc.)

What a child of senior preschool and primary school age should be able to:

quickly distinguish emotions from each other;
understand the emotional state of the interlocutor;
describe one's own mood;
choose suitable epithets to describe life situations.

Let's see what emotions exist and how they manifest.

Joy

This positive emotion is familiar to everyone: for example, people experience it when they win a competition, receive a long-awaited gift, hear praise.

The mood rises sharply, we begin to think optimistically: the future seems beautiful, and the world around us is benevolent.

Joy manifests itself in the form of a broad smile, light laughter.

Sadness

Sadness is a negative emotion that we encounter during unpleasant moments of life; the opposite of joy.

We feel sad when we lose, when our plans are violated. Emotion shows that a person's expectations have not materialized into reality.

Sadness also appears when we read dreary books or watch movies where something sad happens to the main characters.

Sadness is a slight despondency that does not last very long. The look goes out, the smile leaves the face, but later everything returns to normal.

Anger

A stormy, brightly colored negative emotion that can be beneficial - anger helps to start acting.

People get angry when something wrong, unfair from their point of view occurs on the path of life. For example, in a class, a quiet and calm classmate is offended, who does not wish harm to anyone - such a situation can cause the observer to become angry at the offenders.

Anger also signals that the surrounding reality does not allow one to achieve goals, to feel free and comfortable. A stranger got rude on the subway and stepped on his foot? This is one of the cases where anger is natural.

When angry, a person frowns, purses his lips, can look at one point. The opposite of anger is calmness, acceptance.

Fear

Fear is considered to be an evil, unpleasant and destructive emotion for a person, although it can save us from troubles.

This emotion is born when a person realizes that something bad is about to happen. The future threat is not always real, sometimes we ourselves come up with troubles that could happen in the future.

Fear makes our body muster all the strength to fight an obstacle: the heart beats loudly, the body tenses up, the skin turns red or pale.

When the human brain realizes that the threat has passed or turned out to be fictitious, peace returns, the normal state. The opposite of fear is a feeling of complete security.

Admiration

This is a pleasant, uplifting emotion. It arises when we encounter the beautiful, the unique, the rare.

For example, people experience admiration when visiting museums, art galleries. We admire the beauty, grandeur of nature, the complex and mysterious structure of the cosmos.

However, others can also cause this emotion - we like to watch talented people, their work (dance, drawing), follow scientists, heroes, researchers.

Simple things (a fashionable dress, a cute toy) also become an object of admiration. It all depends on the person who is watching what is happening, on his taste.

The opposite emotion of admiration is disgust, contempt.

How does it manifest itself? A person can smile, raise his eyebrows, slightly round his eyes.

In the online course "Emotions for Children" we will introduce the child to the variety of human feelings and emotions, teach them to assess the emotional state of the interlocutor and correctly express their own emotions. The course is designed in the format of an interactive story game and is designed for children 7-13 years old.

Shame

A very unpleasant emotion that destroys from the inside, feels like heaviness or burning (people who are ashamed often blush from this experience).

Shame arises when we do ugly or ridiculous things in public. The presence of witnesses is the basis for the emergence of shame. For example, a person will be ashamed of the fact that he cursed loudly in a public place (and then calmed down and regretted it) or slipped and fell into a puddle in front of everyone.

Emotion is born when behavior does not correspond to the ideal - personal or other people's. The opposite emotion is superiority, looseness.

Resentment

A negative emotion that has much in common with disappointment. Its opposite is a slight feeling of forgiveness.

We are offended by a person when he does not live up to our expectations: for example, the betrayal of a best friend causes resentment, because we expect support and loyalty from loved ones. Feeling empty, confused.

You can also meet with resentment when faced with injustice, when the situation cannot be corrected: the student has been preparing for participation in the school Olympiad for a long time, dreamed of winning, showing knowledge, but lost. In the soul, resentment accumulates at oneself, at unfortunate circumstances.

How is resentment manifested? The lip moves forward a little, the person hides his eyes.

Interest

When we meet something new, we automatically show a positive emotion called interest: we stop looking at the object of interest, raise our eyebrows, open our mouth.

People love information: remember how you pay attention to your friends' new clothes, watch bloggers making weird videos.

A person is attracted by unusual things, he hurries to study them, get to know them better and understand: what if knowledge will help in the future? Any fact can be useful.

We may be interested in specific activities, phenomena, people (this is how hobbies, new friends appear). Interest makes you search, reflect, develop intellect and imagination.

The opposite emotion of interest is boredom.

Surprise

Surprise is considered an unusual emotion: it can be both positive and negative.

Indeed, the things that surround us can pleasantly surprise us, and sometimes we experience surprise combined with disappointment or disgust.

For example, the courage of a person who saved a child during a fire, as well as the dishonesty of a thief who stole other people's things, can surprise.

How to recognize this emotion? The man raises his eyebrows, lips and eyes round.

Indifference is the exact opposite of surprise.

Disgust

When we strongly dislike something, we make faces and squint. Wrinkles appear around the mouth and eyes. This is disgust.

One can feel disgust towards real objects: such an emotion will be caused by spoiled food, mold.

They also feel disgust towards bad people who do terrible things (for example, criminals).

Why does disgust appear? This is how the brain reacts to things that can harm: cruel people, surfaces with harmful microbes, etc.

Delight, pleasure are emotions opposite to disgust.

Contempt

This emotion is externally manifested through pursed lips and a slightly slow look.

Unlike disgust, contempt can only be felt for people and their actions. Tastes, smells, objects are not included here.

Everyone has an idea in their head about what is good and what is bad. Contempt appears when a person does not correspond to our ideas about what is good and right. Sometimes this emotion helps us feel better than others.

Admiration and respect are emotions directly opposite to contempt.

Guilt

Causes a heavy sensation in the chest, intense gaze.

A person feels guilty when he realizes that the perfect deed was bad, wrong.

This is a state in which we punish ourselves for insults, insults of loved ones. Perhaps no one we know condemns us, but we feel that we need to ask for forgiveness.

The emotion of rightness, confidence is opposed to guilt.

Suffering, grief

Grief is an emotion that brings a huge amount of mental pain. We suffer when a beloved pet dies, a loved one dies.

In moments of grief, people cry, sob, refuse to have fun. Pay attention only to the unpleasant event that caused the suffering.

This is a complex process: sometimes the grief does not disappear for a long time.

A completely different emotion is the feeling of happiness, success, absolute satisfaction.

Anticipation

You have been dreaming of going on a trip for a long time, and your wish is becoming a reality: the tickets have been bought, it remains to be patient and wait. Life becomes more pleasant, you enjoy spending time waiting.

Sound familiar? This emotion is called anticipation: nothing happened, but you planned a good event and imagine what it will be like.

A person who is in anticipation becomes more energetic, smiles more often; the opposite of anticipation is hopelessness.

Pleasure

A positive emotion that makes us smile, laugh, feel short-term happiness.

Occurs when a person achieves a goal (not even a very important one) — you can get pleasure from a portion of ice cream, buying a gadget.

Unlike joy, pleasure is not a deep emotion. It's easier to get, but it disappears quickly. Joy pleases with its presence much longer.

Moreover, pleasure is more often associated with sensations that we receive with the help of the senses: for example, a pleasant smell, a feeling of coolness on a hot day, a soft pillow, etc.

The opposite is inconvenience, suffering.

Grief

This is an unpleasant emotion that occurs when contacting people, the outside world. Its opposite is joy.

When upset, the corners of the lips go down, the person looks sad.

Disappointment is born from our dissatisfaction: you and your friends dreamed of going to a cafe, but when you arrived, it turned out that it was already closed.

The emotion of grief does not torment us for a long time: a person is upset, but quickly realizes that the problem is not very serious. Grief is not such a painful emotion as grief, sadness.

Anger

Anger is an emotion directed at a person or phenomenon. A state of irritation, rage, hostility. The opposite is kindness, calmness.

When angry, people frown, cannot sit still, speak loudly.

People feel angry during a violent fight, wanting to hit the opponent; at the moment of humiliation, insult.

You can be angry with yourself: this is how a person shows that he is dissatisfied. For example, a broken leg is angry with himself for inattention and frivolity.

Humiliation

Every person has a sense of dignity. It is a feeling of value: "I exist, I deserve love and respect, my thoughts and desires have meaning."

When we are in a group (class, group of friends, family), people can put us down. They utter words that make you think: what if I'm bad, stupid, ugly, inept?

At the moment of humiliation, a person hides his gaze, may blush. Sometimes behavior changes: for example, after an evil mockery, a sociable classmate becomes quiet, withdrawn.

Emotion, the opposite of humiliation - veneration, support.

Fright

Fear appears when an unexpected and at the same time unpleasant situation arises; is the antonym of peace.

The man started to cross the road, but did not notice the car coming around the corner. I had to react quickly so as not to get under the wheels. The threat to life caused a strong fright.

Outwardly, fright manifests itself as follows: the heart beats faster, arms and legs may tremble, eyes become round, the person shudders.

Envy

Complicated emotion that destroys good mood and confidence. The opposite of friendliness.

Occurs when we compare ourselves with other people: for example, a classmate seems smarter and more beautiful. We regret that we do not have the same sharp mind, long hair.

Envy causes heaviness in the soul: a frown, lack of a smile. An envious person lives with pain, does not know how to get rid of it.

Emotion is often used for the right purposes — envy makes one develop, learn. But anger towards a person whom we envy will not bring any benefit.

Emotion recognition games

You need to be able to recognize other people's emotions, correctly assess the behavior of others. There are many games and exercises to practice the skill.

"Mirror"

The most popular game for developing children's emotional intelligence. You can play alone or in a group.

The host thinks of an emotion, depicts it with the help of facial expressions, gestures, posture. The task of the participants is to name the emotion and repeat it. Another option is for participants to guess the emotion, but portray the opposite.

“Name an Emotion”

Open photos of people, cartoon characters, fairy tales, games on the big screen. The child needs to describe what emotions each of them experiences.

Picture books are helpful: as you read aloud, pay attention to the illustrations: "How does the character feel and why?" An additional exercise makes the plot more interesting, develops imagination.

“Imagine…”

Make a list of situations that can cause conflicting emotions, positive and negative.

The task of the players is to tell what emotions visit them.

For example: “Imagine that you were going to wish your friend a happy birthday, but found out that he decided not to invite you to the party”, “Imagine that your jacket was torn at school because they wanted to harm”.

"Tell me about yourself"

The players stand in a circle. The host stands in the center with the ball, chooses a participant, throws the ball to him, asks the question: “What makes you happy?”, “What makes you angry?” The participant thinks, answers the question, passes the ball to another.

The game develops the skill of recognizing emotions, introspection. Participants react quickly, observe the emotional state of other players.

Theoretical training is not enough to quickly understand the shades of human emotions. Regular training in the form of a game, practical exercises are required. The emotionality of parents helps the child to begin to navigate in the world of emotions. It is necessary to discuss emotional responses to life events, to take time to discuss feelings and emotions.

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