Teaching Emotional Vocabulary for Kids: Helping Kids Name Their Feelings

When a child melts down over a broken pencil or withdraws in the middle of a group activity, what’s really going on? Often, they’re experiencing big feelings—frustration, embarrassment, sadness—but they may not yet have the words to name those emotions. It is up to the adults to teach emotional vocabulary for kids

By helping children build emotional vocabulary, we’re giving them the tools they need to better understand themselves and others. This kind of language development isn’t just about words—it’s about self-regulation, empathy, and emotional resilience.

Why Emotional Vocabulary for kids Matters

For kids, feelings can be overwhelming. When they don’t know how to describe what they’re experiencing, emotions may come out in physical ways—yelling, hitting, shutting down—or even become internalized as stress or anxiety.

That’s why teaching emotions isn’t just for the counseling office. It belongs in every classroom and home. A rich emotional vocabulary helps students:

• Express themselves clearly and calmly
• Recognize how emotions influence behavior
• Identify needs and communicate them constructively
• Feel seen, understood, and safe

Emotional vocabulary is a cornerstone of Social Emotional Learning and a foundational element of programs like Soul Shoppe’s Tools of the Heart, which help children develop emotional awareness and interpersonal skills.

Naming Feelings Builds Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is one of the five SEL competencies. When we teach kids to identify feelings—like disappointment, pride, anxiety, or joy—they begin to understand their own emotional patterns. This awareness allows them to pause before reacting, reflect on their needs, and respond with more care.

And because emotions often hide under the surface of behavior, building vocabulary gives kids access to what’s really going on inside.

Fun and Engaging Ways to Build Emotional Vocabulary

1. Use a Feelings Chart Daily

Visual tools help kids bridge the gap between internal experience and language. Post a Feelings Chart near the classroom door or circle time rug. Make it a part of the routine:

• “Check in: Which feeling are you today?”
• “Choose one word from the chart that fits how you felt during math time.”

Soul Shoppe’s Feelings Poster is a great resource that invites kids to move beyond just “happy” and “sad” and expand their emotional vocabulary with dozens of nuanced terms.

2. Play Naming Feelings Games

Make emotional learning playful with quick games like:

• Feelings Charades – Act out a feeling and have classmates guess
• Emotion Detective – Read a short story and have students identify how characters might be feeling
• Matching Games – Match faces or emojis to emotion words

These naming feelings activities give kids safe ways to explore and experiment with emotional language.

3. Journal with Emotion Prompts

Writing or drawing helps kids process experiences. Try reflection prompts such as:

• “Today I felt __ because __.”
• “One time I was really proud of myself was when…”
• “A moment that felt tricky today was…”

Pair this activity with calming support from Tools of the Heart, which equips students to check in with their emotions and problem-solve from a grounded place.

4. Model the Language Yourself

Children learn best by example. Use emotional vocabulary in your own language, like:

• “I’m feeling frustrated because the schedule changed unexpectedly.”
• “I’m noticing I feel calm after our breathing time.”

This type of teaching emotions in real-time helps normalize feelings as part of the learning experience and builds emotional safety.

5. Create an Emotion Word Wall

Just like a sight word wall, build an SEL emotion words wall. Rotate words weekly and incorporate them into classroom discussions:

• “Has anyone ever felt overwhelmed?”
• “What do you do when you’re feeling proud?”

Celebrate when students use new emotional vocabulary in conversation—just like you would academic language.

Linking Emotional Language to Behavior

When students can name what they feel, they can begin to connect emotion to action:

• “I felt embarrassed, so I shut down.”
• “I was excited, so I couldn’t stop moving.”

These connections are essential for self-regulation and relationship building. When kids recognize that feelings drive behavior, they gain the power to pause, reframe, and choose how to respond.

This aligns directly with Soul Shoppe’s Elementary SEL Curriculum, which teaches students how to navigate conflict, manage stress, and lead with empathy.

The Bigger Picture: Emotional Literacy for Lifelong Success

Emotionally literate children:

• Build stronger friendships
• Experience less conflict and anxiety
• Focus better in class
• Show greater resilience during stress

By teaching emotional vocabulary for kids, we’re not just helping them manage the moment—we’re giving them a lifetime skill. Emotional language is the bridge between what’s felt and what’s understood, and it allows children to feel seen, safe, and supported.

Start with One Word

You don’t have to overhaul your whole classroom to begin. Choose one new feeling word per week. Reflect on it. Play with it. Use it in stories. Make it stick.

And remember: emotional learning doesn’t compete with academic success—it enhances it.

When we help students name what they feel, we help them navigate their world with greater empathy, confidence, and connection.