Exploring Feelings

So Kindergarten students were finishing up a unit on Feelings Awareness when schools were closed. We were working on increasing their emotional vocabulary. Kids will often choose one of three feelings words to describe their emotions – Happy, Sad, or Mad. And often, how they really feel is jealous, disappointed, or left out. We are working hard to develop a vocabulary that helps them really describe what’s going on inside them. And they love experimenting by using words like clever, blue, curious, irritated, and shocked. Now is a great time to practice that vocabulary. Challenge them to come up with some different words to describe their reactions to a food they don't like, a new activity, or how they feel about not being with their friends in school. We read a selection of books and watched some video clips that exposed them to different feelings vocabulary. One of the favorite activities we didn't get to do is the music activity where they get to decide how a piece of music feels and then move their bodies to demonstrate the mood. They have a lot of fun – the budding dancers really get to show off! And we get to talk about how we tend to move slower, faster, louder, etc. in response to our feelings. Make this a fmaily activity. Turn up the music and see what feelings you all come up with.

We also didn't get to a similar activity with color. I'm hoping to share The Color Monster on SeeSaw soon and some activities that can go with the book. This is a strange time and we all have a myriad of feelings right now. Your kindergarteners probably has some confusing feelings they don't even understand right now. Getting them to express different feelings in creative ways can be really helpful to them right now. You might be surprised by what they come up with.