Universal · Kids
Feelings Worksheet for Kids
16 feelings to circle, name, locate in the body, and draw
About this worksheet
Naming a feeling is the first regulation skill — and the research is unusually clean on this: affect labeling (Lieberman et al., 2007) dampens amygdala activity and recruits the prefrontal cortex. This worksheet is the kid-sized delivery mechanism. A 16-word feelings grid (happy, sad, mad, scared, surprised, disgusted, excited, tired, lonely, proud, embarrassed, calm, worried, jealous, bored, loved) gives children language wider than the four-word default of fine / bad / mad / sad. The child circles the words that match, picks the biggest, sizes it 0–10, locates it in the body, names what happened, asks what the feeling wants them to do, and identifies one kind thing they can do for themselves. The page closes with a drawing space — many kids will draw a feeling before they can describe it. Use as a daily check-in, a session warm-up, or a post-meltdown debrief. Pairs with our Feelings & Needs Wheel for older children.
When to use it
- Ages 5–10, daily check-ins or weekly emotion-vocabulary practice.
- Session warm-ups for play therapy and child-CBT.
- After a hard moment, as part of a calm-down routine.
- Classroom morning meetings and SEL block.
- Pair with body-mapping for kinesthetic learners.
How to use it
- 1Read the words aloud the first time
Reading is the bottleneck for many kids. Reading the words aloud removes it.
- 2Let them circle more than one
Feelings come in bouquets. 'You can feel proud AND sad about the same thing' is a meaningful insight.
- 3Help with body location
Ask 'show me where' and let them point. Words follow.
- 4Ask what the feeling needs
This is the regulation pivot — the question shifts from being overwhelmed to making a small choice.
- 5Save the drawings
A folder of feeling-drawings is a record of emotional growth most parents treasure later.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best feelings worksheet for kids?+
The best ones do three things: provide wider feelings vocabulary than the four-word default, ask the child to locate the feeling in the body, and connect the feeling to a small choice or action. This worksheet does all three on one page.
How do you teach feelings to kids?+
Through naming and noticing — in yourself, in them, and in stories. Books, movies, and the feelings vocabulary in this worksheet all build the same skill: more precise feeling words lead to better regulation.
What age is the feelings worksheet for?+
Ages 5–10. For 3–5 year olds, use feelings face cards instead and have the adult write down what the child says.
How is this different from a feelings wheel?+
A feelings wheel layers core emotions with nuanced sub-words (around 50+). This worksheet uses a 16-word grid scoped to the kid range — easier for young children, and adds body location, trigger, and a what-do-I-need step a wheel alone doesn't.
Can teachers use this in class?+
Yes — it's designed for SEL morning meetings, classroom check-ins, and counselor visits. The drawing space makes it accessible for kids who don't yet write fluently.
Related worksheets
Worksheet — Feelings Worksheet for Kids — provided by TherapistAssist for clinical use. Not a substitute for assessment or treatment.