This month I'd like to focus on Emotions. In today's world, children are not always learning how to identify emotions in themselves or in others. However, it is easy to put focus on this skill in daily interaction and activity. Here are some simple ideas I have put together.
Reading a Book and Watching TV: No, I'm not going to encourage TV watching, but if you are doing it, take the opportunity to discuss the emotions displayed by the on screen characters. Ask, "How do you think he is feeling right now?", "Is there something _________ (another character) can do to help her feel differently?", "How would you feel if you were in his place?", "What would you say to help her feel better?", "Have you ever felt that way?" Use the same approach to reading books. Take your time and discuss the emotions going on rather than rushing through the text. Use the pictures in your conversations as well.
Games: Bingo, Matching, Memory, Charades: Make some bingo cards with different facial expressions. Use photos, magazines, computer print outs, or drawings. As you call out the emotion be sure to make the corresponding face to help your child learn to assess other people's emotions by observation. You can also use pictures to make a set of matching or memory game cards. Then use that same set of cards to play a game of charades as well. As your child's vocabulary builds, use less common synonyms for the emotions; such as pleased, delighted, or content instead of happy.
Collage: Let your child go through old magazines and cut out several different faces. Then help them to sort them into emotional categories and glue them together in a collage.
'How I Feel' Book: Make a book about your child's emotions. You can make one where your child draws a corresponding picture for each emotion. You can use memories (I felt excited when it was my birthday), or simply encourage them to choose colors and shapes that match the feeling (blue is a sad color). You can also take one day and at several points during the day discuss and draw what feelings he or she had; IE: At 10:00 I felt frustrated because I had to sit in time out. At 12:00 I felt hungry because it was lunch time.
I didn't quite finish this project, but here are a few photos from an Emotion Lapbook I am making:
Memory game using sized down printouts from mrmen.com.
Word match for reading and vocabulary skills.
Pattern recognition lift-the-flap using emotion happy faces.
here are some resources for further activities:
Childfun Family Website: Angry Alex Apple activity and story. Perfect for apple season!
Everything Preschool : Feelings Games
Interactive Websites with Emotion Activities:
http://pbskids.org/arthur/
http://www.article19.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/
http://www.dotolearn.com/
http://www.mrmen.com
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1 comment:
I'll post more abot what I am doing for this month's theme, but I wanted to share this:
Each Week Wal-Mart has a free download.....I am not sure when the week starts/ends, but when I checked today it has a free download of Purple People Eater by Kidz Bop.
http://walmart.triaddigital.com/In-Stores-Now-music-downloads.aspx
I downloaded it. It's a fun song.
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