Identifying & Understanding Feelings

Identifying and Naming Feelings

At this age, children don’t have the vocabulary to tell you how they feel, so get comfortable guessing! Just like you, your kids have a range of emotions and now is the time to start helping them to connect their behaviors to their feelings.

Talk about how you are feeling and why.   

• Narrating your own experiences and the experiences of your toddler will help teach your child about emotions early on, laying the foundation for them to express their own feelings once they begin talking.    

• Incorporate “feeling words” to help your little one learn about emotions. Use simple words such as “happy,” “sad,” and “mad.”

Model how to express feelings.

Each and every day you are dealing with a number of different emotions while managing the ups and downs of life. Your little one is watching you and learning ways to express their feelings.  Here are some ways to do this: 

1. Copy your toddler’s facial expression to show them what their feelings look like.

2. Use different facial expressions during interactions with your child.

• Flash a smile when you are happy
• Hold your nose and wrinkle your face if you are disgusted when changing when you change a stinky diaper
• Frown or slump your shoulders when you are sad
• Yawn and stretch your arms when you are tired.

3. Make connections between your child’s body language or facial expression and feelings.