Learning how to relate to one’s feelings and control your emotions is an important life skill. The emotion activities on this page will teach children concepts that will promote emotional intelligence, helping kids learn to better control their moods and relate to their feelings in a healthy, constructive way.

Classroom Emotions Flashcards 
Instructions for making emotional flash-cards that you can use for different activities. (Preschool – elementary)

Classroom Mood Chart
This ongoing classroom project helps kids learn about moods and emotions while developing empathy skills. (Preschool & early elementary)

Complex Emotions Vocabulary Words
A  list  of  vocabulary  words  and  related activities that will help children build their emotional  intelligence.  (Elementary  & junior high school)

Music & Emotions Activities
Teach children about emotions through these fun musical activities for kids of all ages.

Mood Hats (Pre-K – Grade 1) 
Gather an assortment of either baseball caps or ski caps (or if you prefer, use t-shirts instead), and label each one with a different mood or emotion:

  • Happy
  • Sleepy
  • Silly
  • Grumpy
  • Angry
  • Irritated

 

Set the items out in your dramatic play area, and have the kids act out that emotion while engaging in free play. Encourage them to switch hats periodically.

Emotion List
A simple classroom activity dealing with hopes and fears. Helps children share their feelings. Recommended for grades 2-6.

Emotional Skies (Art)
A fun art activity for all ages that teaches kids an important concept in emotional intelligence.

Emotional Timeline Group Time Activity 
An activity to teach children that emotions are fleeting and therefore that their feeling won’t last forever.

Emotional Identification Exercise.
This activity helps kids identify what they are feeling. This helps them to deal with their emotions.