The language of emotions

When children can identify and express their own emotions, they can begin to read social situations, develop empathy, and interact in positive ways. 

You can gift children the language of emotions by paying attention to: 

• naming emotions – “you are feeling frustrated” 
• describing emotions – “when I feel frustrated, my body feels tight” 
• explaining an emotion – “when you ask for a turn and you have to wait for a long time, it can make you feel frustrated”.