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Teaching Kids to Identify Their Emotions with ABA

teaching kids to identify emotions

Everyone experiences emotions, and teaching kids to identify their emotions and regulate their feelings is essential for their growth. But how do we teach them about something they can’t see or touch?

Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in a child’s development. From better communication to enhanced self-regulation and improved relationships, there are plenty of benefits to teaching children to identify their emotions. Today, we’re diving into practical strategies for teaching kids to identify their emotions – with tips for both parents and educators.

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Understanding Emotions

Emotions are integral to our daily lives. They influence our behavior, interactions, and learning experiences.

Emotions are internal, and we often judge them by facial expressions or reactions. Since everyone expresses emotions differently, it can be tough to make them observable or measurable for kids. For children, understanding common emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, and fear is a significant step in their growth.

So, how do we bridge this gap? By using visual aids and real-life examples to make these abstract concepts more tangible.

 

4 Practical Strategies for Teaching Kids to Identify Emotions

Teaching kids to identify their emotions can be both fun and educational. Here are some effective strategies.

1. Get Started with Pictures

We start by introducing emotions through pictures. Select a few basic emotions like happy, sad, and angry, and use images of diverse faces to help kids categorize these feelings.  We like these ones, or these ones, but taking pictures of familiar people is also a great way to teach!

This visual approach enables them to identify emotions in others and relate them to their own experiences. Over time, they learn to express feelings like frustration or excitement rather than just acting them out.

2. Labeling Emotions

Labeling emotions is key. When kids recognize feelings in themselves, they can begin to manage them. Use everyday situations to help children identify and label their feelings.

For example, if a child is upset because they can’t have a toy, acknowledge their frustration and name the emotion.

3. Emotion Cards and Charts

Visual aids like emotion cards and charts can help children recognize and name their feelings. These tools can be used in both home and classroom settings.

4. Role-Playing

Engage children in role-playing scenarios where they practice identifying and expressing emotions. This can be done through games or structured activities.

Create an Emotion-Rich Environment

To foster emotional intelligence, it’s essential to create an environment where emotions are openly discussed and explored. Here are some ways to do this:

  • Encourage Open Discussions: Talk about feelings regularly and make it a normal part of conversations.
  • Use Emotion Vocabulary: Integrate words like happy, sad, frustrated, anxious, and excited into daily interactions.
  • Incorporate Books and Media: Use stories and shows that focus on emotions to help children see and understand different feelings.

Real-Life Applications

Applying these strategies in real-life settings can reinforce emotional learning.

In the Classroom

Teachers can integrate emotional learning into daily routines by creating a safe space for students to express their feelings and using group activities to promote emotional awareness.

At Home

Parents can reinforce emotional identification through daily interactions, such as discussing feelings during family time or using bedtime stories to explore emotions.

Community Activities

Group activities, like playdates or community events, can provide opportunities for children to practice emotional skills and gain peer support.

Foster Emotional Regulation

Helping children manage strong emotions is an essential part of emotional learning. Here are some helpful techniques:

  • Breathing Exercises and Mindfulness: Teach children simple breathing exercises and mindfulness practices to help them calm down when they feel overwhelmed.
  • Positive Coping Mechanisms: Encourage activities that promote positive coping, such as drawing, playing, or talking about their feelings.

Continue Teaching Emotions

Once kids grasp the basics, it’s time to dive into more nuanced feelings. Discuss emotions like anxiety, frustration, confusion, and excitement, and teach them to recognize these in varying intensities.

By discussing more difficult feelings, we help children recognize and articulate their nuanced emotional experiences. This deeper exploration fosters a more comprehensive emotional intelligence, enabling kids to better understand themselves and others.

For children with more advanced language skills, encourage conversations about personal experiences. Ask them why a person in a photo might feel a certain way. This not only builds empathy but also strengthens their ability to articulate their own emotions.

Parents and educators play a crucial role in guiding these discussions, creating an environment where all emotions are acknowledged and validated.  After students have learned to recognize and identify their emotions, it is time to teach even more emotional regulation strategies.


Teaching kids to identify their emotions is a critical step in their emotional and social development. By implementing the strategies discussed in this post and seeking community support, parents and educators can help children navigate their feelings more effectively.

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