Copying Facial Expressions Teaches Emotions

Children learn by doing, and learning to recognize and understand feelings is no different.

The mimicking of other people's facial expression is something that we all do naturally. It oils the wheels of social interaction. We perceive the facial expression of others, then quickly and effortlessly flex corresponding muscles in our own faces to reflect the feeling back.

Copying facial expressions is a natural way to build emotion recognition skills in children.

Lisa Wilson, Preschool Director

Lisa Wilson is a preschool director who knows that social emotional learning is a key to academic success. Here she talks about how she uses the Flower Feelings to help the children she serves recognize, talk about and manage their emotions.

Emotional Intelligence In SCHOOL

What skills are the best predictors of academic and life success? Why is it that some children grow up to be fulfilled adults in challenging careers and satisfying relationships, while other children, from apparently similar backgrounds and academic performance, struggle in relationships, dead-end careers and depressions?As a matter of fact the NAEYC, National Association for the Education of Young Children chose Emotional Intelligence Skills as the focus of their National Conference this past year. With 10,000 attendees it's safe to say that a growing number of educators recognize that students who receive an exclusively academic education may be ill-equipped for future challenges, both as individuals and members of society. It's just not enough to feed only the mind. Teaching children's emotional intelligence skills gives them an enormous edge in their personal and professional futures.

In fact studies show that schools raise test scores an average of 11% when they offer social/emotional programs to their students.


    
  

Emotions In The Classroom

Okay To Feel Emotions

     During my experience in the preschool room, whenever the Flower Feelings were presented as an activity during group time, it was always successful.  The children explored with each flower feeling and shared how they felt for each emotion.  I found that this activity helped increase the children’s attention span, their focus, language skills, and their ability to listen to others and relate to other children.   

     I can’t express enough how important it is for early educators to have an activity like this in their classroom.  It gives children the opportunity to explore all sorts of feelings, understand and learn that it’s okay to feel these emotions, and most importantly discuss ways to appropriately express these feelings.  It’s important to teach children to handle their emotions early on before they go on to grade school. 

Thank you for this wonderful activity,

Marife Vitug, Teacher

Happy To Have Flower Feelings in the Classroom

Having this set of flower feelings plush pillows has offered our preschool children a great chance to express their feelings in various ways. We use it during circle time so that the children would get a chance to express their feelings.  This tool has been effective because the children have been expressing how they feel whether they are sad, happy,angry, anxious, excited, etc., as well as building self confidence, and talking to others of how they feel.  This tool is available for the children throughout the day so they can use whenever they need them.  We are very happy to have this activity in our classroom.

Adriana Maldonado, Preschool Teacher

Savoring Happy Memories

 

My dad took me to the Farmer's Market and I got to pet a lot of bunnies. 

Classroom Activity: We can help teach our students to savor happy memories by turning a hallway into our "Happy Photo Gallery." Ask students to bring a photo from home of a happy moment in their lives. Have the children write a caption about what is happening in the photo. You can also have the students draw. Hang the pictures for parents and children to see and explain the exhibit with a nicely matted printout like this:

I Remember...

Savoring happy memories is a scientifically proven skill that helps people lead happier more satisfying lives. We are committed to helping our families raise happy healthy children. That means teaching our students important Social and Emotional Skills. Every one experiences uncomfortable feelings, and we don't ever deny that. But we love to celebrate the happy moments of life and this photo exhibit is all about savoring our happy memories. Please join us by using the car ride to school or the dinner table conversation to practice reminiscing about happy memories with your child.  Enjoy!

Thank You!

Having Flower Feelings in my preschool classroom has been very helpful to children with their language, social skills and emotions. It helped the children how to show their emotions when they are feeling sad because they had to say good-bye or because their friend made them sad. When children felt anger it gave them comfort. During our preschool circle time each child got to pass around all the flowers and share how they were feeling, it helped the children to express how they are feeling. After group time, they would walk to the art center and draw a happy face or sad face. 

 

Flower Feelings is always in our reading area and it gives the opportunity for children to comfort them self’s when they feel sad, happy or angry. It was amazing to have them in our classroom especially during a time where children were having baby siblings and did not know how to show their emotions and the flowers made them easy to come out and talk about their emotions.

Nara Keheyan, Preschool Teacher 

Gallery

Thanks for the artwork! We love to see children express their feelings in a healthy positive way.

How Do I Tell You "I'm Angry"

Children often don’t recognize anger. Many times they act out before they realize what happened. Identifying early warning signs helps children become more aware of their feelings, which in turn gives them more opportunity to control their responses to these feelings. How can you tell when you’re getting frustrated? How can your children identify frustration before it gets out of control?

Here are some common cues in children which indicate that they are becoming angry and may be about to lose control:

• tensed body

• clenched teeth

• increased intensity of speech or behavior

• unkind words or the tone of voice changes to whining or yelling

• restlessness, withdrawal, unresponsiveness, or being easily provoked

• noises with the mouth like growls or deep breathing

• pouting

• squinting, rolling the eyes, or other facial expressions

Learn to recognize the cues that your child is beginning to get frustrated. Look for signs that come before the eruption. Once you know the cues, begin to point them out to your child. Make observations and teach your child to recognize those signs. Eventually children will be able to see their own frustration and anger and choose appropriate responses before it’s too late. They’ll be able to move from the emotion to the right actions, but first they must be able to recognize the cues that anger is intensifying.

Teach your child to take a break from the difficult situation and to get alone for a few minutes. The size of the break is determined by the intensity of the emotion.

After the child has stepped back and settled down, then it’s time to decide on an appropriate response to the situation.

There are three positive choices: talk about it, get help, or slow down and persevere. Simplifying the choices makes the decision process easier. Even young children can learn to respond constructively to frustration when they know there are three choices. These choices are actually skills to be learned. Children often misuse them or overly rely on just one. Take time to teach your children these skills and practice them as responses to angry feelings.