Studies have shown that the better a preschooler is able to talk about feelings, the stronger their social skills are. (Read more about why social skills are key to learning.)
This activity is meant to be a creative and engaging way for parents (and teachers) to help kids learn to recognize and name feeling words, such as sad, happy, mad, glad, excited, tired, frustrated, etc. while actively involved in an art project. As you hunt for pictures (or stickers), you’ll help your child name different feelings and learn to recognize what it looks like when other people experience those feelings. As you go, talk about each of these feelings: When has your child felt frustrated? Excited? And all the while, you’ll make a collage with images of people expressing different emotions.
What you’ll need for this social-emotional learning activity
- Magazines, catalogs, stickers, coloring books, or any source of images showing emotions
- Cardboard or poster board
- Kids’ scissors
- Glue or glue sticks
How to make a feelings collage
Talk with your child about different feelings and situations when you or he has experienced those emotions. Flip through magazines (or catalogs, sticker books, coloring books, etc.) together and have your child find images of people with various expressions. Ask your child, “What is this person feeling? Have you ever felt this way?” Have your child select some of the pictures and help them cut out and glue the pictures on the cardboard (or paper) to create a collage. If your child is starting to recognize letters and words, write the name of each emotion beneath the image in capital letters, such as SAD, MAD, EXCITED. Be sure to hang your child’s collage up so you can continue to recognize and name feeling words.
