Learning about Feelings with Toddlers

By: Debbie Hasbrook, M.Ed.

This group of children needs to experience learning with their senses.

Toddlers will:

• Show pleasure in seeing a friend
• Shows concern about the feelings of others
• Responds to emotional cues

During this developmental period we help children understand and explore their feelings by our interactions with them. Provide opportunities to explore materials by themselves or with one other person.

• Use puppets to talk about different situations having and the emotions involved. Problem solve with the children about what to do when a friend is sad, a friend is happy, a friend is angry, a friend is tired.

• Let the children role play different scenarios, and ask the children about how the characters involved might feel about the situation. Allow the children to come up with their own scenarios to work through.

• Tell stories with felt boards (similar to reading stories, and role playing scenarios)

• While reading a story, stop when an emotion is presented and ask the children, do you think he/she is sad, happy, angry, tired, etc.

• Use feeling chart to discuss children's emotions. Have a picture of each child, and have them place their picture on the emotion they think they are feeling.

• Make an attendance chart using the children's faces. If you have an emotion face of each child, they can put that face in the attendance chart.

Give them words for the feelings they are expressing through body language and behavior.

happy, angry, sad, hungry, cold, hot, warm, chilly, thirsty, sick, tired, weak, strong, disgruntled, terrible, dreadful, well, okay, very well, clean, excited, attracted, defeated, embarrassed, empowered, silly, hurt, nervous, scared, agreeable, brave, calm, delightful, eager, gentle, jolly, joyful, kind, nice, sweet, proud, bashful, relieved, hopeful, optimistic, pessimistic, loving, hating, open, understanding, reliable, amazed, great, lucky, fortunate, festive, cheerful, moody, playful, animated, wonderful, thrilled, supportive, serene, free, taken aback, engrossed, involved.

About the author: Debbie Hasbrook is a full time trainer with Successful Solutions Training in Child Development.  Debbie has worked with children and families for 37 years. In that time she has been a home provider, teacher, director, Regional and State conference presenter and Adjunct faculty at a number of colleges in Washington State. Her education includes a Master of Education, Montessori Preschool Degree and several certifications. Debbie is independently approved through the Washington Dept. of Early Learning as an advanced trainer, which qualifies her to provide Washington STARS and CDA Training.  In addition, Debbie is an approved Master Trainer in Oregon for the Core Body of Knowledge training.