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Games Making Faces
“Na-na na-na-na” - what does that mean? How about “you are gonna get it”? Kids and grown-ups alike use words, sounds, body language with tone of voice that can send mixed messages to one another. To ensure we communicate clearly with young children, and always check for comprehension when kids communicate with you and other children, try playing games to help children grow their E.Q. (Emotional Quotient), competence in emotional vocabulary, emotional communication skills, and self-regulation of emotions. Pre-teach the vocabulary then have fun!
Emotion Cards - cut out pictures of facial expressions and pass them out face down. Each player makes that face and others guess the emotion then shares a time when they felt that way.
Feeling Wheel - spin the wheel and the child acts out the emotion.
Feelings Thermometer - Little, Medium, Big - Use the thermometer to teach kids how to regulate their emotions by asking “show me a little angry….let’s see medium angry….what does big angry look like?” then ask them how their body feels at each level. Sometimes kids act largely when they feel unheard and teaching regulation and acknowledging their upset will help everyone, but especially the adult, how to teach “little” and get their needs met.
