Today I Feel…{Emotions / Feelings Activity Toolkit}

DOWNLOAD>> Today I Feel…{Emotions / Feelings Activity Toolkit} for purchase at my TPT store.

Feelings Sorting Cards: The packet contains 9 feelings sorting cards perfect to use in circle time, small groups, and math centers. I am using the Feelings Sorting Cards in my Safe Place area based on Conscious Discipline to encourage children to recognize facial expressions. I am also introducing the Feelings Sorting Cards as part of my Feelings Theme to use at the beginning of the school year. (PP. 4-5)

Directions: It is suggested to print on card stock and laminate for durability. Then cut out each feelings sorting card along the solid black line. For a sorting game I suggest printing at least (5) sets. For a matching game like memory I suggest printing at least (4) sets. These cards can also be used like “Go Fish” cards.

Feelings Bingo: (5) Different Feelings Bingo cards. (PP. 5-7)

Feelings Stick Puppets: (4) different emotion black and white faces. Six each on a page of the following emotions: angry, sad, scared, and happy. (PP. 8-11)

Directions: It is suggested to print the angry faces on red paper, sad faces on blue paper, scared faces on yellow paper, and happy faces on green paper. Trim all faces to black image border, laminated for durability and glue double-sided to large craft sticks.

Activity Cards: Use the (20) different scenarios during large or small group time and have students identify using the Feelings Stick Puppets how they would feel. (PP. 12-13)

Angry Toolkit: 8.5” x 11” color poster describing what happens to your body when you become angry. 8.5” x 11” color poster describing possible reasons a student might become angry in a classroom setting, and 8.5” x 11” color poster of a calm down song. (PP. 14-16)

Sad Toolkit: 8.5” x 11” color poster describing what happens to your body when you are sad. 8.5” x 11” color poster describing possible reasons a student might become sad in a classroom setting. (PP. 17-18)

Scared Toolkit: 8.5” x 11” color poster describing what happens to your body when you are scared. 8.5” x 11” color poster describing possible reasons a student might become scared in a classroom setting. (PP. 19-20)

Excited Toolkit: 8.5” x 11” color poster describing what happens to your body when you are excited. 8.5” x 11” color poster describing possible reasons a student might become excited in a classroom setting. (PP. 21-22)

Individual Emotions Monitor: 8.5” x 11” color poster describing different levels of emotions from level 1 being calm and happy to level 5 being out of control and needing help to calm down. (PP. 23)

I Can Choose: 8.5” x 11” color poster giving a student (6) different choices to use to calm them self down. Have the objects used on the poster in a box. Locate the box in a quiet part of the classroom where the child cannot be disturbed or disturb the class. (PP. 24)

Feelings Vocabulary Cards: One 8” x 2.625” color vocabulary card for the following words: happy, glad, silly, excited, mad, angry, cranky, furious (use the same image on angry and furious), sad, gloomy, blue, discouraged, (used the same image for sad, gloomy, blue and discouraged) worried, scared, surprised, embarrassed, proud, shy, feelings, and emotions. (PP. 25 - 29)

Individual Feelings Posters: One 8.5” x 11” color poster for the following emotions, angry, sad, happy, excited, silly, worried, shy, scared, cranky, embarrassed, and proud. (PP. 30 - 41)

Individual Feelings Check-In: One 8.5” x 11” color poster for the following emotions, angry, sad, scared, and happy. Use as part of your morning routine and have the students clip their name to the emotion they are feeling. This can also be used to monitor students emotions through the day. There are also editable student name tags that fit a standard size wooden clothespin. (PP. 42 - 47)

QR Codes: (16) Individual songs and/or situations about feelings using QR codes. Simply scan the codes with a smart phone or tablet. The QR code will take you to a youtube video link using SafeShareTv.com. I check the links periodically to ensure the video has not changed link locations. If you find a broken link, please email me at once so I can correct the link and send you a revised QR code FREE of charge. (PP. 48-49)

Feelings Songs: One 8.5” x 11” color anchor charts for the following songs: Feelings, The More We Get Together, If You’re Happy and You Know It, Feelings (to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star), and I Look in the Mirror.
(PP. 50-54)

Are You a Bucket Filler?

I am using the concept of “Bucket Fillers” and “Bucket Dippers” as part of my classroom management system in prekindergarten. According to Bright from the Start guidelines we are unable to use traditional behavior charts. This upcoming school year I am introducing the book the first week of school. I have designed our classroom rules around this theme. I have also purchased (2) buckets one is green for the “bucket fillers” which means go or good. It is a concept young learners can easily grasp. I also have printed a picture of a girl smiling to attach to the front of the bucket with the words “Bucket Fillers.” The second bucket is red for the “bucket dippers.” Again using concepts early learners can understand, red meaning stop and think about your actions. The picture for the front of the bucket is a boy who is sad and has a tear rolling down his face.

After reading the book the children will hear scenarios that I have observed over the years of teaching and decide if the action is “bucket fillers” or “bucket dippers.” A child can draw a heart from the bag and depending on the age level either read the scenario or have the teacher read it. Then the child decides which bucket to place the heart in. 

Another activity for children to complete is a drawing prompt. Have the students draw a picture of how he/she can be “bucket fillers.” Let the child dictate his/her story to you and write the caption underneath. You can hang the pictures individually or combine and make a class book the children can revisit often.

In addition to the whole group activity I have designed “Bucket Fillers are people who…” poster illustrating our class rules. I also have designed a “Bucket Dippers are people who…” illustrating the opposite of our class rules. This way when a situation arises you can show the child what he/she is doing that is a “bucket dipper” and an illustration of how he/she can be “bucket fillers.”

DOWNLOAD>> I Can Be a Bucket Filler Activity Packet

I have also incorporated a Kindness Recorder as part of our classroom helpers based on the ideas of Conscious Discipline. The Kindness Recorder’s job is to catch classmates being “bucket fillers” and add a heart to the bucket. At the end of the day we count how many hearts are in the bucket and say our Bucket Filler Chant which can be found at BucketFillers101.com.

Preschool Feelings Theme

I have collected over the years several sources to use with the Feelings Theme. I also recently have started incorporating Conscious Discipline into my prekindergarten classroom. This upcoming school year I have designed several games and visuals for the children to use along with Conscious Discipline. The information below is a few of my ideas and ideas friends, and colleagues have shared with me over the years.

Several of my printables are FREE and can be downloaded from TeachersPayTeachers.com. I try to keep all of my teaching resources in one area to make it easy for myself and others.

I hope you find the information useful. If you have any questions or comments do not hesitate to email me or post a comment. Suggestions and comments are always encouraged and helpful.

Objectives

1. To correctly identify feelings
2. To understand ways to safely express feelings
3. To practice discussing feelings

Art Activities

Happy Face, Sad Face 

Materials: small paper plate or circle shape per child, crayons, large craft stick per child, hand mirror

Directions: The children look in the mirror and make a happy face. They draw themselves on one side of the plate or circle including eyes, nose, and hair then and smiling mouth. On the opposite side they draw themselves with a sad face. Glue craft stick on the bottom.

Extension: Use these at circle time or a large/small group time later in the day asking questions about feelings. They turn their "faces" to show the side that corresponds to the question or statement.


Examples: You need to go to clean up the centers. Are you happy or sad? You find your favorite toy that you thought was lost. Are you happy or sad?

Paint a Feeling

Materials: Paint, brushes and paper

Free art expression. When they are done, ask them to name their picture with a feeling. Hang paintings with their descriptions.

Feeling Activity Mats

The packet contains four blank faces for young children to use playdoh to build how they feel faces. The mats can also be used with a dry erase marker and have the students draw how they feel. I am using the mats in my Safe Place area based on Conscious Discipline to encourage children to identify how they feel. I am also introducing the activity mats as part of my Feelings Theme to use at the beginning of the school year.

Directions: It is suggested to print on card stock and laminate for durability. Then cut out each face and place in your center. You could also print on card stock, glue in a file folder, and laminate the entire set.

SUBSCRIBE to DOWNLOAD>> How Do I Feel Today?

Cooking Activities

Comfort Cookies

Ingredients:3 cups margarine
3 cups brown sugar
3 cups flour
6 cups oats
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 cups chocolate drops (or butterscotch or peanut butter drops)

Directions: Mash, knead, squeeze, pound, pinch, etc. all ingredients in a large bowl until completely blended. Form into small balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in size and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Butter the bottom of a small juice glass and then dip it into white sugar, then pound the cookies flat with it. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for approx. 10-12 mins.

Science Activities

Apple Experiment

Materials: (1) apple

Directions: Sit the class in a circle and show them the ordinary apple. Then pass the apple around in the circle and instruct the students to lightly hit the apple on the carpet. Once all of the children have had a turn, show the apple to the children. Ask the children does the apple look any different? What do you think happened to the inside of the apple? Explain to the children that the apple looks normal on the outside, but on the inside it is bruised. Cut the apple open and pass the apple halves around the circle letting the children examine the bruised inside. (Remind the children the apple is for looking and not eating.) Explain to the children that sometimes we cannot see how our words or actions hurt our friends on the inside, but like the apple our friends can be bruised on the inside by what we say and do.

Extension: Have the children draw a picture of how they can make a friend feel better when someone says something mean or hurtful.


Feelings CD

Materials: CD player, recorder, pictures of children showing various emotions.

Directions: Record the children making different sounds such as laughing, giggling, growling, crying, yelling, etc. Place the CD in the Science area along with pictures of the different emotions. The children then listen to the sound and match the emotion.

Bottled Up Emotions

Experiment to show what happens when we bottle up anger and emotions inside....we EXPLODE!
Materials: vinegar, baking soda, paper towel, gallon size ziploc bag.
Experiment can be found at All Things Beautiful.

Literacy Activities

Class Feeling Book

Materials: Digital camera, computer, and printer.

Directions: Ask your children (one at a time) to give their best happy, sad, mad, silly, and scared faces. Then take a picture of them. Print pictures and glue them on an 8.5”x 11” paper. Either type the words that describe the emotion or write the words directly on the paper. Combine all of the children’s faces into a class book. You can either secure using comb-binding if accessible OR punch three holes and secure using book rings. You can use the class book to lead a discussion about different feelings.

How do you feel today?

Objective: Children will guess how a character in the story feels. Some may say happy, sad, mad or scared

Materials: Today I feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis, sets of faces made with paper plates showing different feelings, and a puppet.

Instructions: Read the book. Give each child in your small group a set of plates. Using a puppet, retell few situations that happened in the story. Have the children choose a paper plate to show how they think the character feels.

Feelings Vocabulary Cards: The packet contains 12 feelings vocabulary cards perfect to use in circle time, small groups, and word walls. I am using the Feelings Vocabulary Cards in my Safe Place area based on Conscious Discipline to encourage children to identify how they feel. I am also introducing the Feelings Vocabulary Cards as part of my Feelings Theme to use at the beginning of the school year.

Directions: It is suggested to print on card stock and laminate for durability. Then cut out each vocabulary card along the solid black line.

SUBSCRIBE to DOWNLOAD>>  Feelings Vocabulary Cards

Writing Activities

My Feelings Book

Materials: Pencils, crayons, several sheets of white construction paper fold hamburger  style forming a book. Printed on the cover page the following sentence: My Feelings Book

On each page write an emotional word: angry, happy, sad, scared, silly, and excited. Encourage the children to draw a picture of something that made them feel angry, happy, sad, scared, silly, and excited. Write down their story when they are done and display.

SUBSCRIBE to DOWNLOAD>>  My Feelings Book

Math Activities

Feelings Sorting Cards

The packet contains 9 feelings sorting cards perfect to use in circle time, small groups,

and math centers. I am using the Feelings Sorting Cards in my Safe Place area based on Conscious Discipline to encourage children to recognize facial expressions. I am also introducing the Feelings Sorting Cards as part of my Feelings Theme to use at the beginning of the school year.

Directions: It is suggested to print on card stock and laminate for durability. Then cut out each feelings sorting card along the solid black line. For a sorting game I suggest printing at least (5) sets. For a matching game like memory I suggest printing at least (4) sets. These cards can also be used like “Go Fish” cards.

SUBSCRIBE to DOWNLOAD>> Feelings Sorting Cards

Dramatic Play Activities

1. Flower Shop – Plastic flowers, non-breakable vases, play money, cash register or something to store money in, notepad for taking orders, wrapping paper, and gift bags can be placed in the dramatic play area. Make a sign that says “Flower Shop.” Also, make a sign that has prices for different types of flowers. You can use a digital camera and take pictures of the plastic flowers. Print them out, glue onto a poster board and write the amount. For small children I would also include a picture of the money for the children to match up. The children may want to arrange, sell, deliver, and receive flowers.

2. Card Shop – Include blank cards, thank you notes, paper, pencils, crayons, markers, construction paper, glue, scissors, stickers, envelopes, and self-inking stamps. Make a sign that says, “Card Shop.” You can also include pre-printed strips for children to copy on their cards such as: I hope you get well soon, Thinking of you, Miss you, Sorry that you do not feel good, Good Job, etc. Also include sentence strips with both each child’s name and picture. This way the children can find a child’s name and write it on the card.

3. Post Office – Include a bag to be used as the “mail bag,” a blue shirt for the mail carrier uniform. Use the cards created from the card shop. Make a sign that says, “Post Office.” The children can use stickers to stamp their cards and deliver them to their friends via their cubbies.

Songs

IF YOU’RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT

Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
~Traditional

(Make up additional verses with other feelings; such as; If you’re angry and you know it, stomp your feet, or If you’re scared and you know it, hide your eyes.)

FEELINGS
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”

I have feelings
You do too.
Let’s all sing about a few.

I am happy (smile)
I am sad (frown)
I get scared (wrap arms around self)
I get mad (make a fist and shake it)
I am proud of being me (hands on hips)
That’s a feeling too, you see.

I have feelings (point to self)
You do too. (point to a friend)
We just sang about a few.

THE MORE WE GET TOGETHER

The more we get together,
Together, together,
The more we get together,
The happier we'll be.

Because your friends are my friends,
And my friends are your friends.
The more we get together,
The happier we'll be!

Books

Below is a list of books to go with the Feelings Theme. I have a majority of the books in my collection or I check them out from my local library.

• It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr 
• The Feelings Book by Todd Parr 
• Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day! by Jamie Lee Curtis 
• My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss 
• Glad Monster Sad Monster by Ed Emberley 
• Cool Down and Work Through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners M.Ed

Feelings Links

• Feelings Preschool Lesson Plan
• Feelings Songs
• Glad Monster Sad Monster A great link to use with the book. The site has a lot of FREE printables to accompany the book. 
• FREE Printable Feelings Bingo

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