Childhood Feelings

Young children often do not understand their changing feelings. You can help them cope with childhood fears and anxiety or worries by helping them learn to talk about and express their feelings.

Purpose

To help students explore and share their feelings.

Materials

• "I Feel Many Different Ways"
• Chart paper
• Markers or crayons

Preparation

Print out the lyrics to “I Feel Many Different Ways” on chart paper, one verse per page.

Procedure

Gather the class together and play “I Feel Many Different Ways,” asking the students to sing along with the chorus and act out the different feelings—happy, sad, silly, mad.

Next, have the students come up with a list of other “feeling” words. For example:

Work together to write verses for selected “feeling” words, including sound effects for repetitive choruses. Add these to the chart paper lyrics for “I Feel Many Different Ways.”

Teaching Note: With older students, you may divide the class into small groups. Have each group work out words and actions for specific “feeling” words and perform these verses for the class.

Distribute the completed chart paper lyrics to small groups of students. Have each group use the markers to illustrate the feeling in the lyrics—such as facial expressions or events that might cause the feeling.

Post the illustrated lyrics around the room. Over time, have the children select and perform the verses that best describe their moods each day. Continue to add to the lyrics as new emotions are discussed.

Optional Procedure: Have the children create paper plate masks to show the feelings in their song—such as smiling faces, frowning faces, tearful faces, and silly faces. Staple craft sticks to the paper plates and have the children hold the appropriate masks in front of their faces as they perform “I Feel Many Different Ways.”

Related Family Article: Coping With Sadness

Resources:

• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers information to help parents and caregivers understand and deal with child traumatic stress


• “In the Aftermath” from the American Red Cross provides family and educator activities to help children cope with feelings of loss and sadness in the aftermath of a disaster.


• “Tips for Talking to Children After a Disaster: A Guide for Parents and Teachers,” available from the SAMHSA Store, guides parents and caregivers in helping children of all ages cope with loss and disaster.


• “Helping Children and Adolescents Cope With Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do” from the National Institute of Mental Health gives “dos” and “don’ts” for family support.


• Sesame Street Parents helps families deal with loss and death:
• “Tragic Times, Healing Words”
• “Grief”
• “How Preschoolers Mourn”