Emotions matching activities give young children a concrete way to talk about feelings. The most useful part is the conversation: “What do you notice?” “How might this person feel?” and “Could someone else feel differently?” A picture can begin the discussion, but it cannot tell us everything about a person’s feelings.
Try this short preschool or kindergarten activity with simple feelings drawings, picture cards you already own, or the 5 Cut & Paste Emotions Matching Worksheets. The printable resource pairs pictures of people with everyday scenarios.
Prepare a small set of choices
Begin with two or three familiar feelings, such as happy, sad, and worried. Draw simple faces or set out a few pictures. Have child-safe scissors and glue ready if you are using a cut-and-paste page. For children who need help cutting, prepare the pieces ahead of time or let them point to their choices.
Choose a calm moment for the activity. Keep the first conversation short, and add more feelings words as children become comfortable explaining their ideas.
Use a notice, name, and explain routine
- Notice. Look at one picture together. Ask, “What do you see?” Children might describe a smile, lowered eyes, or a person’s posture. Accept observations before asking for a feelings word.
- Name a possibility. Ask, “How might this person feel?” Model tentative language: “They might feel disappointed.” Explain that we can ask people how they feel rather than decide from their faces alone.
- Connect a situation. Read a simple scenario aloud. Let children choose a picture that could fit. Ask what part of the situation helped them make the match.
- Explain and compare. Invite a second possible answer. Two children can respond differently to the same situation, and one person can have more than one feeling.
Three discussion scenarios to try
These original prompts can be used without a worksheet. They are examples for this lesson, not a list of the scenarios included in the printable product.
- A block tower falls down. “How might the builder feel? Would it matter whether they wanted to rebuild it or were almost finished?”
- A child joins a new game. “Could they feel excited and worried at the same time? What could another child say to welcome them?”
- A friend chooses a different activity. “How might each child feel? What could they say to one another?”
Keep examples fictional. Children may choose to share a personal connection, but they do not need to disclose a private experience to participate.
Move from matching to a helpful response
After discussing a feeling, ask, “What could we do next?” Offer simple choices: ask for help, use words to explain, take a quiet moment, or invite someone to join. Avoid treating a particular feeling as a mistake that must be fixed. The goal is to practice noticing feelings and choosing a considerate action.
For example: “The builder might feel frustrated. We could ask, ‘Would you like help rebuilding?’” Let children practice the words with a partner or puppet.
Adapt for different learners
- For a shorter task: Offer two pictures and discuss one scenario. Stop while children are still engaged.
- For children learning English: Pair a spoken feelings word with a picture and gesture. Welcome a home-language response and model the English word without requiring a long sentence.
- For children who need less writing or cutting: Let them point, move a card, speak, or dictate. Fine-motor demands do not need to determine success in a feelings discussion.
- For a greater challenge: Ask for two plausible feelings and an explanation of each. Discuss what extra information would help.
Check understanding through conversation
Listen for whether children can name a possible feeling, connect it to a clue, and suggest a respectful response. Do not score an ambiguous face as having only one correct emotion. If a match surprises you, ask the child to explain before correcting it.
A printable option for your next lesson
The five-page emotions matching PDF offers ready-to-print cut-and-paste practice. View the watermarked preview on the product page to check the pictures, scenarios, and cutting demands for your group.
For another short classroom routine, try fall and Halloween reading comprehension activities.
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