This emotions and body sensations exploration resource is an engaging resource designed to support young children in learning how to identify and understand their emotions, as well as recognise how their bodies respond to different feelings. Nurturing this self-awareness can help children to develop improved communication and self-regulation skills, essential for navigating emotional experiences throughout their lives.

About this resource:

Our emotions and body sensations resource includes a printable activity mat featuring a body outline and designated spaces for sticking emotions and sensations. Plus a printable sheet of emotion squares and sensation squares to cut and stick.

How to Use:

Begin by cutting out the provided emotions and sensations. Encourage your young child to explore and identify the emotion they are feeling, then place it on the mat. Next, prompt them to recognise and articulate any bodily sensations they may be experiencing, such as tingling or sweating, and place the corresponding sensation on the mat. Encourage the child to show you where they feel each sensation on their body, by pointing to the body part on the activity mat. Through this interactive activity, children can gain valuable insight into their emotional experiences and develop greater self-awareness.

Benefits

• Enhanced Emotional Awareness: By engaging with this interactive emotional literacy activity, children learn to recognise and communicate their emotions, leading to greater emotional intelligence and awareness.
• Improved Communication Skills: Understanding and articulating emotions and bodily sensations helps children communicate their feelings more effectively to caregivers, peers, and teachers.
• Enhanced Self-Regulation: Learning to identify bodily sensations associated with emotions empowers children to regulate their reactions and responses, promoting self-control and emotional regulation.
• Development of Empathy: Through recognising their own emotions and bodily sensations, children can develop empathy and understanding towards others' emotional experiences.
• Promotion of Body Awareness: The activity encourages children to connect their emotional experiences with physical sensations, promoting body awareness and mindfulness.
• Strengthened Trust and Relationships: Engaging in discussions about emotions and body sensations builds a supportive and open environment between children, professionals and caregivers, strengthening their relationship and promoting trust and understanding.

Ready to unlock your child's emotional intelligence? Download our Emotions and Body Sensations Exploration Resource now and start building their emotional awareness and self-regulation skills today!