Even before preschoolers can put a name to their feelings, they experience many emotions based on their surrounding environment. Introduce preschoolers to the idea that even simple factors can affect their mood by compiling several different songs with different emotional triggers. Play each song and invite preschoolers to use crayons or paint to illustrate their feelings as they listen. Preschoolers will enjoy comparing their drawings with each other to see how even the same music can cause different feelings in different people.
Help preschoolers begin to identify emotions on other people as they search old magazines for examples of facial expressions that convey different feelings. As a class, prepare large pieces of paper or posters with different emotion headings, and ask students to glue their cut-outs to the appropriate board based on facial expression. Discuss the different faces as a class, perhaps discussing how some students view the same expression differently or how students can tell emotion simply based on facial expression.
Preschoolers can sometimes have difficulty expressing their emotions verbally, so help them show parents and caregivers how they feel with a simple poster. On a large piece of stiff cardboard or poster board, write "Today, I Feel...." Cut out six large circles from colored paper and ask preschoolers to draw a different emotion face on each one, including happy, sad, angry. Glue Velcro pieces to the backs of the circle and add a corresponding Velcro strip to the board. Preschoolers can now hang their poster on their door at home to give parents a headsup on how they are feeling.
Most preschoolers are familiar with the favorite song, "If You're Happy and You Know It," so build on that basic knowledge to create new verses with the class. Discuss common emotions that preschoolers feel and come up with corresponding body motions to demonstrate the emotions, like stomping for feeling angry or pretend crying for feeling sad.
Create large flash cards illustrating different emotions with a simple picture scenario, such as a child winning a game, losing a favorite toy, or getting lost. Discuss the emotions that each child in the picture may be feeling and invite students to share how they have felt in similar situations. Invite preschoolers to draw or suggest their own scenario cards depicting more emotions, like surprised, nervous, or lonely.