Teaching Young Children About Feelings

It's important for children to recognize and name feelings. Young children are usually able to understand four basic feelings of Happy, Sad, Mad and Scared.

Stick puppets are a fun way to help your child learn to identify these feelings.

You can draw these feeling faces or have your child draw them. Better yet, draw them together. Attach them to a  craft stick using tape. Now it's time for the feelings puppet show to begin! Stand a two-pocket folder on its end for a puppet stage. Take turns with your child telling a story using the feeling puppets. Ideas for a story might be, "Grandpa and Grandma are coming for a visit," "My favorite toy  is lost," "Mom won't let me have a cookie." or "It's dark in my room." At the end of each story discuss with your child ways to cope with each feeling. "When you're feeling mad you can take three deeps breaths."  "When sad you can sing a song to feel happy."

When the show is over the puppets can be stored in the pockets until it's time for the next feelings puppet show.