Search for activities on the Internet that introduce preschool children to the physiology of the face. For example, give each child a print-out of a clown face with blank bubbles that point to the eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, ears and hair. Ask the children to label each part of the face and then color that part.
Play the classic game, "Simon Says," to teach children about the human face. Direct children to tap their nose, smile with their mouths closed, pat their hair and even wiggle their ears. Replace Simon's name with your own name to personalize the game. Include two facial parts in one direction, such as rub your head and tap your chin, to make the game more challenging.
Look for activities that have to do with self-portraits on the Web. Have the children explore their own faces, which may help them to discover their evolving identities. Take a picture of each child's face with either a Polaroid or a digital camera. Give the children the photos of their faces, then ask them to draw their own faces after looking at the photos. Ask them questions about their own faces as they draw, such as "What color eyes do you have?" or "What color are your lips?" Give mirrors to the children and have them reproduce their face in a drawing. Gather the children in a circle and have them present their self-portrait to the rest of the class.
Do an Internet search for activities that teach children about emotions that are revealed through changes in the face. For example, create a face board. Use pieces of felt to make faces that show emotions, such as angry, happy, scared and sad. Tilt straight lines of felt at an angle above the eyes to create a mad face. Ask a child to make a face on the board, and then challenge other children to identify the emotion. Allow the children to take turns making felt faces.
Help children become aware of their own feelings in difficult situations by creating laminated cards of facial expressions. Hang the cards on the wall. Encourage children to observe these cards throughout the day. Direct the child to the cards when a conflict erupts. Ask the child what emotion he is feeling by having him point to the face card. Play a game by giving a face card to each child and asking them to mime the emotion. Take pictures of the children as they mime the emotions and create a collage on the wall.