Students Play While Learning With This Free “Characteristics of Feelings” Lesson

Small activities can help students understand big feelings.

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When you’re happy, you might feel your smile stretch wider than ever. When you’re afraid, you might feel a swooping in your belly. But students don’t always know how to name their emotions, let alone identify how their body mirrors those feelings. With the right activities, you can help kids start learning to identify their feelings while having fun. Emotional awareness is so important, especially for young students. Check out this free Characteristics of Feelings lesson, complete with an All About Me Face printable, to integrate this kind of learning in your classroom.

Activities To Stay Involved

Flat lay of Characteristics of Feelings lesson

Ease your students into this activity by giving them time to play in groups with small beanbags, sensory bottles, or dough. From here, you can join them and observe their style of play. Which of these are they using?

  • Constructive play
  • Games with rules
  • Imaginative play

No matter how they play, the printable will help you connect the games to their feelings with questions like “If someone takes your turn, how does that make you feel?” or “Can you show me how you feel when it is not your turn?”

You’ll also have ready-to-go lesson scripts as you join them in play. Help them discover more about how they feel their emotions in their bodies or how they can understand a friend’s feelings based on facial expressions.

The All About Me Face Workmat

Flat lay of All About Me Face printable

With this lesson, you’ll have the opportunity to print out the All About Me Face workmat, where students can draw or use dough to craft different facial expressions throughout the lesson.

You might have students partner up and mirror their friend’s expression on paper, or ask them to create the face they make when they feel a certain way!

Get the Free Characteristics of Feelings Lesson

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