Understanding Feelings and Emotions
Kindergarten · Health · Study Guide
Learn to name your feelings, understand why we have them, and find healthy ways to express them.
Everyone has feelings! Feelings are also called emotions. Some feelings feel good inside, like happy, excited, and proud. Other feelings can feel hard or uncomfortable, like sad, angry, scared, or worried. All feelings are normal and okay to have.
Happy is how you feel when something good happens, like getting a hug or playing with a friend. Sad is how you feel when something upsets you, like losing a toy or missing someone. Angry is how you feel when something seems unfair or frustrating. Scared is how you feel when something seems dangerous or unknown.
Our faces show our feelings! When we are happy, we might smile. When we are sad, we might frown or cry. When we are surprised, our eyes get big. Our bodies show feelings too — when we are scared, our heart might beat faster.
It is important to talk about our feelings. When you feel sad or scared, you can tell a trusted adult like a parent or teacher. Talking about feelings helps us feel better. We can also take deep breaths when we feel angry or upset — this helps our body calm down.
Understanding other people's feelings is called empathy. When a friend looks sad, we can ask if they are okay and try to help. Being kind to others when they have big feelings is an important way to be a good friend.
Key terms
- emotion
- Another word for a feeling, like happy, sad, angry, or scared
- empathy
- Understanding and caring about how someone else is feeling
- expression
- Showing your feelings through your face, body, or words
- calm down
- What happens when a big feeling gets smaller — deep breathing can help
- trusted adult
- A grown-up you can safely talk to about your feelings, like a parent or teacher
Flashcards
- Happy
- A good feeling you get when something nice happens — you might smile or laugh
- Sad
- A feeling you get when something upsets you — it is okay to cry when you are sad
- Angry
- A strong feeling when something seems unfair — take deep breaths to help calm down
- Scared
- A feeling when something seems dangerous or unknown — tell a trusted adult
- Excited
- A happy, energetic feeling when you are looking forward to something fun
- Proud
- A good feeling when you accomplish something or do something well
- Worried
- A feeling when you are thinking about something that might go wrong
- Empathy
- Understanding and caring about how another person is feeling
Questions
Which of these is a feeling?
- Running
- Happy
- Jumping
- Eating
Show answer
Answer: Happy
Happy is a feeling — it describes how you feel inside, not something you do with your body.
It is okay to feel sad sometimes.
Show answer
Answer: True
All feelings are normal, including sad. Everyone feels sad sometimes and that is completely okay.
What can you do when you feel very angry or upset?
- Hit someone
- Take deep breaths
- Run away and never talk about it
- Yell as loud as you can
Show answer
Answer: Take deep breaths
Taking deep breaths helps your body slow down and feel calmer when you are very upset or angry.
Understanding how another person feels is called ______.
Show answer
Answer: empathy
Empathy means understanding and caring about another person's feelings — it helps us be kind friends.
Only some feelings are okay to have — you should never feel angry or scared.
Show answer
Answer: False
All feelings are okay to have, including angry and scared. What matters is how we handle those feelings.
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