Emotions Charades

Discussion about Expressing Feelings

You might begin the activity by talking with children about the importance of expressing our feelings in a constructive way – and of understanding others’ feelings. Expressing and acknowledging feelings is an important tool for resolving conflicts. And trying to understand another person’s feelings can help de-escalate conflict.

When someone doesn’t use words to say what they’re feeling we often try to guess what they feel by interpreting their facial expression or their body language.

In Feelings Charades, students will have a chance to demonstrate one emotion. The rest of the family or class will guess what the emotion is. The person who is doing the charade cannot speak – they must use facial expressions or body language to get classmates to guess the emotion.

Write down different feelings/emotions on slips of paper. Place them in a bowl and take turns pulling them and acting them out. Once the correct feeling/ emotion is chosen the person that guessed correctly gets a turn.

*This activity can help expand vocabulary as there are many similar emotions. (See emotions wheel below.)