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Describe two activities that could help young children become aware of their feelings and emotions. Include a description of each activity and an explanation of how the children might react and the outcome.

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The Focus Young children deal with many of the same emotions adults do. Children get angry, sad, frustrated, nervous, happy, or embarrassed, but they often do not have the words to talk about how they are feeling. Instead, they sometimes act out these emotions in very physical and inappropriate ways. For example, when Maggie's son was frustrated, he threw the puzzle piece and the puzzle. The Solution Parents can help their children understand and express their emotions. The following strategies are some of the ways you can help your child express his feelings: Help your children understand their emotions by first giving the feelings names and then encouraging them to talk about how they are feeling. For example, you might say to your child, "Daddy left on a trip, you are sad. You said you want your Daddy." By giving your child a label for her emotions, you enable your child to develop a vocabulary for talking about feelings. Give children lots of opportunities to identify feelings in themselves and others. For example, you might say to your child, "Riding your bike is so much fun. I see you smiling. Are you happy?" Or you might point out a situation and ask your child to reflect on what someone else may be feeling: "Joey bumped his head on the slide. How do you think Joey feels?" Teach your children the different ways they can respond to specific feelings, conflicts, or problems. Talk about your own feelings with your children. "Remember yesterday when the water in the bathtub would not go down the drain? Mommy got so mad and do you remember what my face looked like when I got mad? Can you make a mad face like Mommy's?" Talk with your children about different ways you deal with specific feelings. "When I get mad I take a deep breath, count to three, and then try to think of the best way to deal with my problem." Teach your child to identify and express their emotions in ways that your family and friends find acceptable. For example, you might tell your child "Sometimes Grandfather is angry when things don't go well at work. What does he do? He sits on the porch until he figures out what he wants to say about it. You should sit and think when you get angry." The Steps 1. Explain the feeling by using words your child can easily understand. Try to use pictures, books, or videos to help get your point across. "Look at Little Red Riding Hood's face: she is so scared when she sees the wolf in her Grandma's bed!" 2. Teach your child the different ways we can deal with feelings. Let your child come up with ways she can deal with her feelings. Talk about positive and not so positive ways to express feelings. There are many strategies you can use to teach new ways to appropriately express feelings: . Use real-life examples or teach in the moment. For example, "You are having a difficult time putting your trike in the carport. You look frustrated. What can you do? I think you could ask for help or take a deep breath and try again. What do you want to do?" Teach your child new ways to respond to feelings by discussing common situations that your child might remember or that happen frequently. For example, "Yesterday, you were angry because Joey would not let you play with his truck. You were so mad that you hit him. When you feel angry that Joey won't let you have a turn, what should you do?" . You can use children's books to talk about feelings. For example, ask your child when reading a book, "What is (character in book) feeling right now? How do you know? Have you ever felt that way? What do you do when you feel that way?" Keep it simple, use visuals or pictures to help get your point across, and always try to relate your lesson back to something that happens in your child's life. Teach your child new strategies to use when feeling emotions that may be expressed inappropriately (e.g., anger, frustration, sadness). Strategies to share with your child might include taking a deep breath when frustrated or angry, getting an adult to help resolve a conflict, asking for a turn when others won't share, asking for a hug when sad, and finding a quiet space to calm down when distressed. The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel The Focus Young children deal with many of the same emotions adults do. Children get angry, sad, frustrated, nervous, happy, or embarrassed, but they often do not have the words to talk about how they are feeling. Instead, they sometimes act out these emotions in very physical and inappropriate ways. For example, when Maggie's son was frustrated, he threw the puzzle piece and the puzzle. The Solution Parents can help their children understand and express their emotions. The following strategies are some of the ways you can help your child express his feelings: Help your children understand their emotions by first giving the feelings names and then encouraging them to talk about how they are feeling. For example, you might say to your child, "Daddy left on a trip, you are sad. You said you want your Daddy." By giving your child a label for her emotions, you enable your child to develop a vocabulary for talking about feelings. Give children lots of opportunities to identify feelings in themselves and others. For example, you might say to your child, "Riding your bike is so much fun. I see you smiling. Are you happy?" Or you might point out a situation and ask your child to reflect on what someone else may be feeling: "Joey bumped his head on the slide. How do you think Joey feels?" Teach your children the different ways they can respond to specific feelings, conflicts, or problems. Talk about your own feelings with your children. "Remember yesterday when the water in the bathtub would not go down the drain? Mommy got so mad and do you remember what my face looked like when I got mad? Can you make a mad face like Mommy's?" Talk with your children about different ways you deal with specific feelings. "When I get mad I take a deep breath, count to three, and then try to think of the best way to deal with my problem." Teach your child to identify and express their emotions in ways that your family and friends find acceptable. For example, you might tell your child "Sometimes Grandfather is angry when things don't go well at work. What does he do? He sits on the porch until he figures out what he wants to say about it. You should sit and think when you get angry." The Steps 1. Explain the feeling by using words your child can easily understand. Try to use pictures, books, or videos to help get your point across. "Look at Little Red Riding Hood's face: she is so scared when she sees the wolf in her Grandma's bed!" 2. Teach your child the different ways we can deal with feelings. Let your child come up with ways she can deal with her feelings. Talk about positive and not so positive ways to express feelings. There are many strategies you can use to teach new ways to appropriately express feelings: . Use real-life examples or teach in the moment. For example, "You are having a difficult time putting your trike in the carport. You look frustrated. What can you do? I think you could ask for help or take a deep breath and try again. What do you want to do?" Teach your child new ways to respond to feelings by discussing common situations that your child might remember or that happen frequently. For example, "Yesterday, you were angry because Joey would not let you play with his truck. You were so mad that you hit him. When you feel angry that Joey won't let you have a turn, what should you do?" . You can use children's books to talk about feelings. For example, ask your child when reading a book, "What is (character in book) feeling right now? How do you know? Have you ever felt that way? What do you do when you feel that way?" Keep it simple, use visuals or pictures to help get your point across, and always try to relate your lesson back to something that happens in your child's life. Teach your child new strategies to use when feeling emotions that may be expressed inappropriately (e.g., anger, frustration, sadness). Strategies to share with your child might include taking a deep breath when frustrated or angry, getting an adult to help resolve a conflict, asking for a turn when others won't share, asking for a hug when sad, and finding a quiet space to calm down when distressed. The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel