Early Pride Matters

Step 1: Gather materials.

• This activity does not require any special materials. Consider adding books to your classroom library that explain and illustrate emotions. Start with those in the Suggested Books section below.

Step 2: Introduce activity.

• If we want children to learn to demonstrate empathy, we must first help them build their emotional understanding and provide them with healthy and acceptable outlets for expressing a wide range of feelings. These skills develop during early childhood.
• This activity involves practicing sensitivity and providing children with information and feedback about their emotions. We have opportunities to do this throughout the day in 0–3 and preschool settings.
• In order to introduce these skills to children, we must first believe and demonstrate that their feelings are important to us. Small things are very important to young children—and we must show respect and empathy when they experience intense feelings about issues that might seem trivial to an adult.

Step 3: Engage children in activity.

• Your first step in this activity is to become a sensitive interpreter of feelings. You can do this by noticing, labeling and expressing empathy as young children experience the full range of emotions.
• Remember that our goal as educators is to do more than label emotions and resolve situations in which children become emotional. We must lay the groundwork for children to learn how to identify, express, name, and regulate their emotions.
• Experience, share and talk about emotions along with the children to support and encourage them as they develop their social-emotional skills.
• Try to serve as a supportive guide as the children navigate their emotional landscapes rather than adopting the role of emotional expert, censor or fixer.
• Use book shares or role-plays with puppets—and take advantage of naturally occurring opportunities throughout the day—to help the children learn about feelings.

Adaptations by age

Infants and toddlers

• Using simple language, name the feelings that the youngest children are experiencing.
• Respond to the children’s emotional needs promptly.
• Mirror their expressions and share in their joy and excitement.
• Model how various feelings look, keeping in mind that different cultures and families experience and express emotions differently.

Two-year-olds

• Interpret the emotions that the children see others expressing.
• For example, you might say:
  • "Look! She’s smiling! She’s so happy!”
  • “Do you see that they are upset? They are telling you they don’t like that.”
• Support the children as they experience intense emotions.
• Avoid negating the children’s emotions or failing to show empathy by saying: “I know you’re upset, but . . . .”
• Give the children time to experience their feelings and calm down before intervening to solve their problems or placate them.
• Once the intensity has dissipated, ask questions to help the children process their feelings.
• In the aftermath of an emotional incident, ensure that all of the children involved experience positive attention and empathy.

Preschoolers

• During the preschool years, you can focus more directly on helping children understand their own emotions and the emotions of others. This is a good time to introduce picture books that depict children experiencing strong emotions. After your book share, ask the children to relate those stories to their everyday experiences and generate ideas about how to respond to the emotions of others.
• Through discussions and role-plays with dolls, puppets and action figures, depict different emotions and the situations that might give rise to those emotions.
• Initiate conversations about what different emotions feel like in the body.
• Ask the children what it feels like to become tense or limp (and perhaps ask them to act out these two contrasting states).
• Ask the children if they have ever felt shaky or gotten hot all over when they were upset. Give them time to describe their experiences, and respond in a supportive and empathetic way.
• Discuss ways to respond to what our bodies are telling us that they need, such as a quiet space, a soft blanket, a hug, a rub on the back, or maybe just some deep breaths!!