“Make a Face” Emotion Identification Activity

This hands-on activity helps children recognize and express emotions through play. By creating different facial expressions, kids develop emotional awareness and learn to identify feelings in themselves and others.

Instructions and PDF Printable Worksheet

Materials Needed:

• Printed Make a Face worksheet

• Printed facial feature cutouts (eyes, mouths, eyebrows, etc.)

• Scissors (optional: kid scissors to let kids practice cutting skills)

Preparation:

1. Print & Cut:

• Print the Make a Face worksheet and facial features.

• Pre-cut the facial features or allow children to cut them as a scissor skill activity.

2. Set Up:

• Scatter the facial features on the table or workspace, making them easy to grab.

How to Play:

Step 1: Free Play & Emotion Naming

• Let your child create a face without instructions.

• Once they finish, ask: “How does your Valentine feel?”

• Encourage them to explain their choices.

Step 2: Personal Connection

• Ask your child to create a face that shows how they feel today.

• Many kids will naturally make an expression that matches their emotions!

Step 3: Emotion Exploration

• Challenge them to make different emotions:

• “Can you make a happy face?”

• “What about a sad face? An angry face? A nervous face?”

• Discuss what situations might cause these feelings.

Step 4: Silly & Fun Wrap-Up

• Encourage creativity by making silly or mismatched faces!

• Play together while reinforcing the importance of recognizing emotions.

Alternative Versions:

• Matching Game: Hold up an emotion word and have your child create the matching face.

• Storytelling Challenge: Ask your child to create a face and make up a short story about why their Valentine feels that way.

This simple yet engaging activity helps kids build emotional intelligence + improves emotion identification. Enjoy the process and celebrate their creativity! ❤️😊