My Feelings: Name It, Show It, Calm It

Materials Needed

• Three or four simple feeling faces drawn on paper: happy, sad, mad, and calm
• A small mirror
• Stuffed animal or doll
• Crayons and paper
• Optional: feeling song or gentle music
• Optional: pillow, blanket, or cozy calm-down space

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:

• Point to or name at least two feelings.
• Show a feeling with their face, body, or voice.
• Tell or show an adult how they feel using words, gestures, or a feeling face.
• Practice one simple calming strategy, such as taking a slow breath or asking for a hug.

Success Criteria

The child is successful when they can:

• Match or point to a feeling face.
• Copy a feeling expression or movement.
• Communicate “happy,” “sad,” “mad,” “calm,” or “help.”
• Try one calm-down action with an adult.

Lesson at a Glance: 30 Minutes

1. Hook and welcome: 3 minutes
2. Explore feeling faces: 7 minutes
3. Story and role-play: 7 minutes
4. Feeling movement game: 5 minutes
5. Calm-down practice and drawing: 5 minutes
6. Review and goodbye: 3 minutes

Introduction: Hook and Objectives — 3 Minutes

Teacher or Caregiver Actions

Show the stuffed animal or doll. Make a happy face and say:

“Look! Teddy has a feeling. Teddy feels happy! How do you feel?”

Invite the child to make any face or gesture. Accept pointing, sounds, movements, or words.

Say:

“Today we will learn about feelings. Feelings are inside us. We can name them, show them, and ask for help.”

Quick Connection

Ask the child to look in the mirror and make a happy face. Say, “I see your happy face!”

Body: Explore Feelings — 7 Minutes

I Do: Model

Show one feeling face at a time. Use very short, clear language.

• Happy: “I feel happy. I smile.” Smile and clap softly.
• Sad: “I feel sad. My eyes may have tears.” Pretend to wipe a tear.
• Mad: “I feel mad. My body feels tight.” Make a gentle, not scary, pretend mad face.
• Calm: “I feel calm. My body is quiet.” Take a slow breath.

Reassure the child:

“All feelings are okay. We do not hurt people or ourselves. We can use gentle hands and ask for help.”

We Do: Copy the Feeling

Hold up a feeling face and invite the child to copy you.

Use prompts such as:

• “Can you make a happy face?”
• “Can you make a sad face?”
• “Can you show me mad hands? Squeeze, then relax.”
• “Can you make a calm body?”

Formative Check: Notice whether the child points to, names, or acts out at least one feeling. Offer choices: “Do you feel happy or sad?”

You Do: Choose a Feeling

Place two or three feeling faces on the floor or table. Ask:

“Which face shows how you feel right now?”

Let the child point, touch, name, or carry the face. Do not require a verbal answer.

Body: Story and Role-Play — 7 Minutes

I Do: Tell a Tiny Story

Use the stuffed animal or doll to act out this simple story:

“Teddy built a tall block tower. The tower fell down. Teddy feels sad and mad. Teddy takes a breath and says, ‘Help, please.’ A grown-up gives Teddy a hug. Teddy feels calm. Teddy builds again.”

Use the feeling faces while telling the story.

We Do: Talk About Teddy

Ask one question at a time:

• “How does Teddy feel?”
• “Show me a sad face.”
• “What can Teddy say?”
• “Can Teddy say, ‘Help, please’?”

You Do: Help Teddy

Invite the child to choose how to help Teddy:

• Give Teddy a hug.
• Take a slow breath with Teddy.
• Use gentle hands to rebuild the tower.
• Say, “Help, please.”

Feedback: Give specific encouragement: “You noticed Teddy was sad. You helped Teddy use calm hands.”

Body: Feeling Movement Game — 5 Minutes

We Do: Move Like a Feeling

Call out a feeling and move together:

• Happy: Smile, clap, and wiggle.
• Sad: Walk slowly and pretend to wipe a tear.
• Mad: Stomp gently three times, then freeze.
• Calm: Sit or stand still and breathe slowly.

After each movement, say:

“Feelings can change. We can move, stop, and choose gentle bodies.”

Choice and Autonomy

Let the child choose the next feeling or movement. The child may also watch instead of participate.

Body: Calm-Down Practice and Drawing — 5 Minutes

I Do: Model a Calm Breath

Place a hand on your belly and say:

“Smell the flower. Blow the candle.”

Take a slow breath in through the nose and slowly blow out. Repeat two or three times.

We Do: Practice Together

Practice one or more calming choices:

• Take a slow breath.
• Ask for a hug.
• Use a quiet cozy space.
• Say, “Help, please.”
• Hold the stuffed animal.

You Do: Feelings Drawing

Give the child paper and crayons. Say:

“Draw a feeling. You can draw a happy face, a sad face, or any colors you like.”

Talk about the child’s drawing without correcting it: “You used blue. Tell me about your picture.”

Conclusion: Closure and Recap — 3 Minutes

Review

Show the feeling faces again and ask the child to point to or name them. Use simple reminders:

• “Happy is a feeling.”
• “Sad is a feeling.”
• “Mad is a feeling.”
• “Calm is a feeling.”

Ask:

• “How do you feel now?”
• “What can you do when you feel mad or sad?”

End with:

“You can tell me your feelings. You can say, ‘Help, please.’ All feelings are okay. I am here to help.”

Assessment

Formative Assessment

• Observe whether the child points to or matches feeling faces.
• Listen for feeling words, sounds, gestures, or facial expressions.
• Check whether the child copies one feeling movement.
• Notice whether the child tries a calming strategy.

Summative Demonstration

Offer the child two feeling faces and ask:

“Show me how you feel.”

Then ask:

“Show me one way to feel calm.”

Count pointing, acting, speaking, or using a gesture as a valid response.

Differentiation and Adaptations

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only two feelings at first, such as happy and sad.
• Offer choices instead of open-ended questions.
• Accept pointing, eye gaze, sounds, or gestures.
• Model each action slowly and repeat the same words.
• Allow the child to watch before joining.

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Add the feeling words worried, excited, or tired.
• Ask, “Why might Teddy feel sad?”
• Invite the child to make up a short feeling story.
• Practice a sentence such as, “I feel mad. I need help.”

Flexible Learning Options

• Homeschool: Use family examples, such as waiting for a turn or losing a toy.
• Classroom: Let children take turns choosing a feeling face or helping the stuffed animal.
• Digital or remote: Hold feeling faces up to the camera and invite the child to copy the expressions.
• Limited materials: Use facial expressions, body movements, and spoken words instead of paper faces.

Optional Everyday Practice

At different times during the day, ask:

“What is your feeling?”

Help the child choose a feeling face and practice:

“I feel _____. I need _____.”