When exploring feelings with children that we care for, one important step in that journey is to name those feelings. Depending on the age of a child, this has a range of positive effects. If we first help them to understand what they’re feeling as they build their emotional vocabulary, much later in development comes being able to step back, pause and decide what to do with these feelings. By beginning early with emotional awareness, over time a child may eventually name how they are feeling rather than throw a toy.  

Like all the different areas of growth and learning, understanding and managing emotions is a skill that takes time and patience.

Play & Learn At Home
Here are some things to do at home encourage naming feelings:
- Look in the mirror together. Help the child describe him/herself, and you. Ask     wondering questions, like, I wonder how you are feeling right now?  How did you feel when we left the park?  Show me what that looks like.  
- Sing when you're happy and you know it with verses using happy, mad, sad, excited, scared etc. Include the actions you might do when you are feeling each emotion.
- Frequently take time to look at your holds face while they look at yours. Think about how they are feeling. Describe their face.  
- Throughout the day, help children learn to label their own emotions (e.g., it looks like you are feeling mad that we can't go outside; what can we do to help you feel better?)
- While reading stories to children, have children guess how the characters in the story are feeling (or offer some suggestions).  

• Looking for more inspiration at home? We love these resources:

  Social Emotional Development
  https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/development/preschoolers-social-emotional-development/understanding-managing-emotions-children-teenagers

Baby Play
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/play-learning/play-baby-       development/emotions-play-babies

Feelings and Emotions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGgC8i5dQHk