How to Teach Emotions
Understanding and recognising emotions is key to getting emotions under control and responding to how we feel in a socially acceptable manner.
If we can’t recognise how we are feeling, then we don’t know how to fix it or avoid it next time.
If we can’t recognise what triggers (sensory stimuli) cause certain feelings, then we won’t know how to fix it or avoid it next time.
If we can’t recognise how someone else is feeling, particularly someone who is vulnerable and/or feeling out of control, then we won’t be able to effectively use tools & strategies to help them calm down and feel safe.
This is why it is so important to teach our young kids about emotions
Teaching our little ones about emotions
- empowers them to communicate how they are feeling (in time) and
- enables them to better recognise how others around them are feeling (build empathy).
Kids needs to be taught to recognise and understand that
- how we are feeling impacts our behaviours
- certain behaviours are appropriate for some settings but not others
- our behaviour affects how others around us feel
We can start by teaching kids to
- recognise emotions from different printed facial expressions
- recognise emotions of characters in their favourite TV shows and books
- recognise emotions of faces of people around them
- explicitly discussing how things make you and them feel
- explicitly discussing how you choose to behave despite how you feel
Our Understanding & Recognising Emotions pack will help get you started:
Find this printable in Little Wooden Toybox’s Understanding & Recognising Emotions Pack
Autism Parenting Podcast:
Join Tash as she talks about day-to-day life with Autism; the sucky bits and the wins, plus tips for enjoying life despite the challenges.
Understanding & Recognising Emotions Pack
59 pages | Digital Download | $19AU
✅ stay calm & well regulated
✅ get organised
✅ gain independence
✅ make home life calmer and happier 💖
Training Bites Library:
Advocating for kids who see, process and experience the world differently with ‘bite size’ pieces of information to help teach and understand a variety of behaviour, education and life skills topics.
