Understanding and naming one’s feelings at an early age is crucial. It’s important to give kids the words and practice putting names to their emotions from a young age. The improvement in resiliency and overall health that this brings about is substantial. As teachers, it’s also our job to reassure our students that feeling different emotions is normal and good. Teaching feelings is challenging because they are intangible. Feelings are subjective and might vary from person to person. This collection is a great place to start when introducing the topic of emotions to your students. Our best recommendations are listed below.
Disclaimer: Our team provides educators with classroom-beneficial ideas and products. Even though the items listed below have been chosen based on their superior qualities, each reader should evaluate each product to see whether it will benefit them prior to making a purchase. We believe in recommending the best product to you, but we ask that you choose a product that you think will be most beneficial to “your classroom.” This article contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best Books To Help Kids Understand Emotions and Feelings
We all experience a broad spectrum of emotions, and they are depicted vividly in The Feelings Book. This book is perfect for pre-readers since it presents complex emotions in a way that’s easy to understand and talk about, while still being entertaining and fun for young readers thanks to its vivid illustrations and engaging story.
The lessons in this book apply to children’s understanding of their own emotions as well as those of others. In A Little SPOT of Feelings: Emotion Detective, the main character, Scribble Spot, plays the role of an Emotion Detective. You’ll learn the names for a wide range of sentiments as he guides you through the science of facial expressions. Furthermore, he provides examples of actual kid testimony in which the youngster elaborates on his or her emotional state. This book is written in a manner that will help young children feel comfortable talking about and identifying their wide range of emotions.
Children who struggle with anxiety and intense emotions will particularly relate to The Boy with Big, Big Feelings. Introducing a young man whose heart is so full it leaps and thumps in his chest as his emotions flood out of his eyes and cheeks. He starts crying every time a big vehicle passes by. The mere sound of a joke causes him to erupt in laughter. Whenever his loved ones are going through a rough patch, he takes it personally and experiences it as if it were happening to him. As he struggles to deal with his emotions, the youngster attempts to bury them. However, with the support of his friends and some creative inspiration, he comes to the realization that his feelings are something to be treasured.
When one of your pupils has difficulty grasping a concept, how do you help them? You are the one who educates them. When Ruby’s robot has trouble comprehending, she does just that. Robot informs Ruby that he doesn’t know what love is in response to her question about whether or not he enjoyed the narrative as much as she did. What could it be if not anything in his line of sight? Ruby talks about feelings with her robot friend. She explains to him how she experiences each emotion and when she experiences it. A Box of Butterflies is full of vivid metaphors and vivid images that lead the reader on a voyage of self-discovery and emotional contemplation, helping them name not just love but also jealousy, rage, concern, and other feelings.
My Heart Fills With Happiness is a book that was written by Monique Gray Smith with the intention of promoting the health and well-being of Indigenous children and families as well as inspiring younger readers to think about what brings them joy. This lovely book may serve as a gentle reminder to both young children and adults to pause and appreciate the joyful moments that life has to offer them.
