Inspired by “Emotional Intelligence Program for Children,” written by Kinderwise emotional intelligence curriculum, play a fun game of Feelings Charades. The kiddos get to act out emotions while the others guess. Not only does it help build the children’s emotional vocabulary, but it also encouraged empathy, observation skills, and lots of laughs.
Playing Feelings Charades is giggles, growth, and great guesses all in one!
You Will Need:
Mason Jar
Paper
Crayons, Pencils, or Markers
What to Do:
1. Make a “Feelings Jar.” Have the children write different emotions on slips of paper such as: happy, sad, frustrated, proud, excited, scared, silly, nervous, sleepy, and so on. Fold the paper in half and put in the jar.
2. Have each child take turns picking a feeling from the jar and silently act it out.
3. The others guess the emotion.
4. Then have a short chat about, “What makes you feel that way?” and “How can you help a friend who feels that way?”
What We Learned:
✔️ 4-year-old acted out “embarrassed” by covering her face and giggling — she nailed it!
✔️ 6-year-old shared that “when I’m nervous, I chew my sleeve” — what a moment of self-awareness!
✔️ Everyone learned that all feelings are okay — it’s how we express and manage them that matters.
Helping children identify and express their emotions early builds the foundation for healthy relationships, problem-solving, and resilience. It also makes our days together calmer and more connected.
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References:
Idea from “Emotional Intelligence Program for Children,” written by Kinderwise and illustrated by Cecilia Coto
Photos by Stephanie Felzenberg
bethebestnanny.com 
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