Assign an activity where children create masks with different types of emotions. Use construction paper and ask the children to decorate the masks with crayons. Cut out eye holes and glue craft sticks to the bottom of the mask so it can be held up to their faces. Create scenarios for the children to act out, such as a child taking a toy someone else was playing with. Ask the children to choose masks to wear and ask why some children may wear a "mask" rather than showing their true feelings. Suggest ways for the children to deal with situations rather than wearing a "mask."
Introduce the idea of "I" statements to kindergartners. Ask them to use the statements to express their feelings, such as "I feel sad because you took my crayon." Play a role-playing game to reinforce the use of these kinds of statements. Write different scenarios in a box and ask the children to choose. Read it to them and ask them to play it out. An example is, "Everyone forgot your birthday." Ask two children to act it out. One child has the birthday forgotten while the other asks him what is wrong. The child with the birthday should say, "I feel sad because everyone forgot my birthday." Stress the importance of using "I" in expressing emotions and feelings.
Sit the kindergartners in a circle for a name game to teach the importance of gaining someone's attention before speaking to her. Children roll the ball to another student but first they announce the child's name before rolling it. After the child receives the ball, she calls out another person's name and then rolls it to him. Each child should have a turn giving and receiving the ball.
Understanding how to read facial expressions is important for developing socially aware children. Take photographs of students with different expressions, such as happy and surprised. Print out the pictures and write what each expression is on the back. Group the kindergartners in a circle and have them guess the emotion. After all the emotions are seen by the children, ask them to choose a facial expression for different scenarios, such as winning an award.