When children can say, “I feel nervous because I have a spelling test,” instead of acting out, it’s a game-changer. Am I right?!

Understanding and naming emotions is a key building block for social-emotional learning. When children can identify their feelings, they are better equipped to manage their behavior, express themselves clearly, and build positive relationships!

Here’s a step-by-step guide to make teaching feelings identification fun, engaging, and developmentally appropriate for your students.

Start with Visuals

Use rich visuals to make abstract concepts like feelings more concrete for little learners. Feelings charts and posters make emotions come to life!

Consider visuals with real photographs of children and visuals with cartoon or clipart images. Let’s talk through the pros of each one.

Visuals with Real Photographs

Depending on your population of students and their needs, photographs of real children may connect with them best.

Here’s why real photos work:

• Realism & nuance: Photos capture subtle facial expressions and body language that mimic real-world interactions.
• Representation: Real images reflect a range of skin tones, cultures, and abilities, helping students see themselves and others accurately.
• Practical application: Real photos better prepare students for recognizing emotions in everyday social settings.

Visuals with Cartoon or Clipart Images

While real photos have their advantages, cartoon and clipart images are also a powerful tool to teach feelings identification to children.

Here’s why clipart images work:

• Simplicity: Cartoon images clearly exaggerate the key features of emotions with big smiles, flowing tears, furrowed brows, smoke coming out of ears, etc. making it easier for young children to identify basic feelings.
• Focus on key cues: Kids aren’t distracted by clothing styles, lighting, or other details.
• Approachability: Clipart feels safe and fun, especially for kids who might feel uncomfortable looking at intense real expressions like anger or sadness.

A fun way to incorporate cartoon emotions faces into your counseling practice is to glue them onto craft sticks! This makes the learning process interactive and lends itself super well to role-playing activities.

Teach Body Clues

Feelings don’t just live in our minds, they also show up in our bodies. By teaching kids to notice their body signals, we give them an extra tool to recognize and manage their emotions before they grow too big to handle.

Teaching students to notice and recognize the signs of different emotions in their bodies is critical because:

• Early detection: Kids learn to “catch” feelings before they explode into tears, anger, or shut-downs.
• Self-regulation: Understanding body signals helps children choose calming strategies like deep breathing, movement breaks, or talking to an adult.
• Helps with empathy: Recognizing how feelings “look” and “feel” in the body makes it easier to notice when others might be sad, angry, or excited.

How to Teach Body Clues

Start with a simple explanation:

“Our bodies give us clues about how we’re feeling, kind of like secret messages. When you know how to read those clues, you can understand your feelings better and make good choices.”

Then, teach body clues for the primary emotions:

Try using rich visuals like these colorful posters:

And this engaging lesson:

Activities that Teach Body Clues

Use hands-on activities like color-by-code activities and folded crafts to engage kids through play while reinforcing SEL concepts. These fun, no-prep activities make learning interactive and give students a safe, low-pressure way to explore emotions while staying focused and calm. Plus, when kids are creating, they’re more likely to open up and talk about their feelings naturally, which builds connection and understanding.

Use Picture Books

Story books are another impactful way to explore emotions in a safe context. Here are 7 of my favorite books that teach feelings identification: (Amazon Affiliate Links)

1. “The Color Monster” by Anna Llenas
2. “I’m Happy-Sad Today” by Lory Britain
3. “The Boy with Big, Big Feelings” by Britney Winn Lee
4. “I Am a Rainbow” by Dolly Parton
5. “The Way I Feel” by Janan Cain
6. “A Little Spot of Feelings” by Diane Alber
7. “My Magical Feelings” by Becky Cummings

Teaching feelings identification lays the foundation for self-regulation, problem-solving, and healthy relationships. By using visuals, stories, body awareness, and interactive activities, you empower your students to understand their inner world and express themselves confidently.

What are your favorite ways to teach your students to name their feelings? Please share in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you!

You may also be interested in:

• Tips for Teaching Mental Health Awareness
• Tips for Teaching Mindfulness
• 4 Activities that Teach Self-Control