This activity is designed for parents to complete with young children

The activity creates a framework for discussion between parent and child about acknowledging and expressing emotions in a healthy way. The discussion will not only focus on identifying emotions, but also that all emotions are valid and important, from happy to sad and even angry. This activity creates an opportunity to discuss with children that while it is okay to "feel the way that I feel", it is also very  important to find healthy ways to cope with or express these emotions. 

Parents along with their children will be able to identify emotions, and discuss what that emotion feels like. Further discussion can include that everyone has days when they feel this way, and what sort of things lead to someone feeling that emotion. Parents and children can then use the Emotion skills chart to find healthy ways of expressing different emotions. 

The activity is accompanied with a fill in the blank song that talks about how the person feels, and a healthy way to show how they feel. They will be able to sing the song independently and incorporate their coping skill while singing. Included in the song print out are sections for the children to draw their emotions, as well as their coping skill next to the verses. 

Use the Feelings Chart and Emotion Skills Chart to fill in the Today I Feel song.  You can find a copy of the song here. Children will be able to sing the song and incorporate their emotion skill while singing. You can also draw your own emotion face, and your own picture to represent the emotion skill! 

Click here to listen to a recording of the Today I Feel Song! There are spaces in the song for you to speak (or sing!) your own words! 

This activity enables parents and children to learn and practice expressing emotions in positive way. It can be used as a tool as the child is experiencing any emotion they need to express, and it can also be used as a daily exercise to practice healthy responses to various emotions. Using the My Emotion Skills page, select a different emotion and positive emotion skill to practice each day, and make a book of emotion skills! Use the My Emotion Skills book to help the child remember their chosen emotions skills when they are experiencing that emotion. You can find a copy of the My Emotion Skills page here. 

Directions:

1. Fill in each blank with the emotion for that page

2. Draw your own emotion face in the circle

3. Draw your own picture to represent each emotion skill in the boxes provided. In the lined boxes below, write what the skill is, and how it can help.