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SPROUTS ages 2-6. God created us to have feelings. Feelings help us connect with others. Children will learn to recognize their own feelings and the feelings of others.
Use this lesson as it fits for your family! Spend a cozy Saturday morning in discussion together using the whole lesson or use parts of this lesson for several conversations throughout the month! There are so many activities to apply and experience the lesson together. You're the parent and know your child best- enjoy making it your own!
PURPOSE
My child will be able to identify and recognize his or her core feelings.
MATERIALS
Mirror, Today I Feel Silly book
INSPIRATION
Read these scriptures together. Idea: use one as a memory verse!
“The face reveals much about your feeling. Whether a person is troubled and sad, or happy is revealed through his face. Where in the face can you see a person’s feelings reflected first? In Japanese, the sound “eye” means love. Truly, in the eyes a person’s heart is immediately reflected. Next in the mouth, then the nose, and finally ears. After the face, feeling is conveyed to your limbs. The hands are amazingly reflective of one’s emotions, whether making a fist in frustration, or gesturing in happiness. Your whole body also responds to your feelings. Ultimately you can read a person’s heart through his body.”
-Rev. Sun Myung Moon
SENSORY ACTIVITY
Give your child a mirror. Describe a situation and ask him to make a face that shows how he would feel in that situation. Example: “If your friend grabbed a toy out of your hand without asking you, how would you feel? What would your face look like?” (For those on the younger end, simply say “Show me what you look like when you’re angry.” or “Make a surprised face!”)
INTRODUCTION
God made you with a mind and heart that feel things. We have feelings that feel good like happiness and excitement, and feelings that feel bad like sadness and disappointment. Every feeling is important.
STORY TIME
Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day by Jamie Lee Curtis
*TEACHING MOMENT*
Read this script to your child like a story time.
FEELINGS
God gave you a heart that can feel many things. When things happen to you, they make you feel a certain way. If someone looked at you and gave you a big smile and a hug, how would that make you feel? If someone ignored you when you said hello, and ran away from you, how would that make you feel? Everyone has feelings. Even God has feelings!
Everyone’s feelings are important. We should pay attention to the people around us and their feelings. When we play with our friends, we should think about how they feel. Thinking about how our actions may make others feel is a very kind thing to do. We grow our heart bigger and stronger this way!
When we spend a lot of time with someone - we play dolls together many times, or we always sit next to each other at school, or we both love cars and we talk about them every day, we feel friendly and close with them. We connect to their heart; our heart and their heart feel something great! God made us to love and care and feel close to others. We are able to feel some very big, strong feelings. Connecting to a friend’s heart is such a nice feeling! It makes us feel warm and fuzzy. It makes us feel special and happy.
We will have many different types of feelings every day for the rest of our lives! It is a good idea for us to learn some ways to deal with our feelings, or emotions, so that we can protect our hearts and others’ hearts.
Let’s think about some situations.
Lara is trying to learn to tie her shoes. She keeps trying and trying and still can’t do it! She wants to tie her shoes so badly because her older sister knows how to tie her shoes. She can’t get the strings to stay together! Lara feels so frustrated!
Kenny may be excited about going to the park. His mother promised him this morning that when she had the time, she would take him to the park. First, she said, “Maybe after breakfast, Kenny.” After breakfast, she said, “Sorry, Kenny, now I have to do laundry. Maybe after lunch.” Kenny was disappointed! Kenny waited until after lunch, but then Mommy said, “I’m sorry Kenny, I am on an important phone call. Please wait some more.” Kenny is getting so anxious! He wants to go to the park! He’s been waiting and waiting! Kenny whines and cries and pulls on his Mommy’s dress while she’s on the phone. She gives him a stern look. Kenny wrinkles his forehead and eyebrows and says, “Mommy, I want to go now!!” Kenny is feeling impatient! He doesn’t want to wait anymore.
Isabella is feeling lonely. She just moved to a new house with her family. She has her own room for the first time, and Mommy gave her a kiss and left her in her room to sleep by herself. Isabella looks around and everything is still and dark. She wants to feel someone next to her and hear someone’s voice. She doesn’t like being alone, she is feeling lonely.
WHAT TO DO WITH FEELINGS:
Some suggestions for encouraging and empowering children to accept/embrace, and then control their uncomfortable, frustrating or overwhelming feelings:
Impatient: “Close your eyes and count to 3” or “Take a long, deep breath in, and a long, deep breath out”
Sad: “Think of something happy”, “Think of your favorite thing!”, or “Sing your favorite song!”
Mad: Suggest your child try screaming into a pillow, jumping up and down as fast as they can, or squishing some play dough with all their might!
Lonely or scared: Suggest your child give themselves a hug, find a well loved toy to hold or talk to, or imagine someone they love in their minds. They can also tell themselves, “God is with me. God loves me.”
Now, let’s talk about some positive feelings!
Cleo is going to bed and she can’t stop thinking about her birthday party tomorrow! She is imagining the pretty decorations and the beautiful unicorn cake her mom promised her. She knows all her friends from school are coming over and she just can’t WAIT to see them! Cleo is excited!!
Manny has been working really hard on learning to write the first letter of his name - M. He thought it was so hard at first, but after practicing for many days, it started to get easier. Today, he showed his teacher an “M” he wrote and she gave him a big smile and said, “Manny, that is a perfect M!” Manny smiled a big smile and felt warmth in his heart. Manny felt so proud!
Franco went to the playground with his father, but when they got there, there were so many people! The playground was very crowded and there was lots of noise. Franco didn’t like it. Franco and his Daddy decided to take a walk towards the nearby lake. As Franco walked with his father, he felt the soft, cool breeze on his face. He watched some ducks floating on the lake. It was quiet and calm. Franco felt relaxed and peaceful.
DISCUSSION
Today I Feel Silly book:
What were some of the feelings the little girl in the story felt?
What made the girl feel _______? What made her feel ______? (based on child’s answers)
Applying Feelings:
Have you ever felt any of the same feelings?
What kinds of things make you feel happy? What makes you feel sad?
When you’re feeling sad or upset, what can you do to feel better?
Why is it important to understand our feelings?
Why is it important to learn to control some of our emotions?
CONCLUSION
Every son and daughter of God was born with a heart and mind that feel many different emotions. Sometimes we feel happy and sometimes we feel sad. God loves us no matter what we feel and He hopes that we can learn to understand and properly deal with our emotions. Our mood and behavior can impact our day and those around us. Having feelings is normal, it’s what we do with them that counts!
PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for giving me a heart that feels. Please help me to care for my heart and the hearts of others. Help me to learn how to handle all of my different feelings in the right way.
Use these activities together with your child over the next month to create ongoing conversations on feelings!
SONGS
If You’re Happy and You Know It
Sing together:
If you’re happy and you know it, shout HOORAY! (Repeat)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, shout HOORAY!
If you’re sad and you know it, cry BOOHOO! ...
If you’re angry and you know it, shout GRRR! ….
If you’re excited and you know it, shout WOOHOO! …
(Add additional verses with different emotions as you like! For more fun, ensure that you make exaggerated faces together with your child based on each emotion listed)
VIDEOS
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Season 2 Episode 19 video: “Friends and Feelings”
EXPERIENCES
Go on a family outing (or a parent/child date, just the two of you). Explain to your child that today when you go to ____________, you will be paying close attention to how you feel throughout the day. Say something like,
“Jack, we’re going on a special trip to the zoo today! Are you excited? While we’re at the zoo, we’re going to pay attention to how we feel. I will ask you questions to help you think about what you’re feeling. And I’ll also tell you how I’m feeling. Let’s have fun and learn together!”
Every now and then, get down to the level of your child (stoop down next to her, sit across from her at a table, etc), look her in the eye and ask, “How are you feeling right now?”, “How did seeing those penguins make you feel?”, “How did me buying (or not buying) you that ice cream you asked me for make you feel?” Take it a step further by asking more probing questions such as, “Why do you think you feel that way?”, “What can you do when you feel that way?”, “How can I help you when you feel that way?” or, “What can you do to make yourself feel better?”
Take a few opportunities to also tell your child how YOU feel and why. For example, “When you pushed your sister, I felt sad.” and “When you held my hand tight while crossing the street like I asked you to, I felt proud.” Think aloud and model your emotions throughout the day.
Ideas for outings:
Zoo
Beach
Park with lots of space for running, trees, sticks, etc.
Children’s museum
Amusement Park
Fair or carnival
Farm (berry picking, apple picking etc.)
A quick trip: Grocery Store, Library, Local playground, Mall
Anywhere, really!
*Edit*
Due to our current circumstances, we may not be able to organize a trip anywhere outside! If that is the case, go ahead and designate a day to do this feeling studying experience right at home or in your own backyard! Give the same explanation and throughout your day at home, talk about your feelings. If you want to make the activity stand out more, you may choose to put up some interesting visual aids or decorations in the house to hold your child’s attention. You may enjoy setting up a photo booth of sorts where you can “interview” your child about his feelings throughout the day and/or take pictures (selfies are fun for the older ones!) as you talk about his feelings! Another idea is to have an imaginary “camping trip” as an activity! Set up a tent in your living room or backyard!
CRAFTS
EMOJIS: Create emojis to show feelings! Use paper plates (or coffee filters)and yellow and black crayons or markers. Color the plates yellow, then draw on smiling faces, frowning faces, angry eyes etc.
All Feelings Are Okay Worksheet Use this worksheet to help children express different types of feelings they may have, and then talk about good ways to deal with each feeling.