What Am I Feeling?
Invite the whole family into a feelings game. Your child watches the faces, movements, and little stories you act out, guesses how you feel, and then performs a feeling of their own.
- 2 years
- No prep needed
- At home
- About 15 minutes
Developmental benefits
- Social/Emotional：Watching another person’s face and body, connecting those clues with a familiar situation, and acting out a feeling helps your child recognize, understand, and express emotions.
Preparation
What You’ll Need
Step 1
I Make a Face, you Guess
Play a feelings guessing game. Mom and Dad take turns using a face and movement to act out sadness, anger, happiness, or excitement. Invite your child to watch closely and guess the feeling.
What to notice
- Says “sad” when you rub your eyes as if crying
Emotional Functioning - Describes your face or movement, such as “Mom has tears”
Communicating and Speaking
Tips
- If your child is unsure, add a movement as a clue. To act angry, for example, put your hands on your hips and stamp your feet.
- Begin with two or three familiar feelings, such as happy, angry, and sad. Add more after the game becomes familiar.
Step 2
Add a Story Clue
Add a familiar situation to your performance. To act angry, use a small everyday event that might cause that feeling. Ask your child to guess the emotion and make a matching face. Then switch to another feeling and try again.
What to notice
- Copies a frown, smile, or other action to act out a feeling Emotional Functioning
- Names a growing number of feelings after watching your performances
Attending and Understanding
Tips
- After a correct guess, ask, “What could you do if that happened to you?” Talk about one helpful response to the feeling.
- Connect feelings with real moments: “Were you angry when your toy broke?” or “Did that tasty snack make you happy?”
- Keep the acting playful. When showing anger, for example, make the feeling clear without becoming frightening or overwhelming.
Step 3
You Make a Face, I Guess
When the feelings are familiar, let your child perform one for Mom and Dad to guess. If the first expression is hard to read, make a few playful guesses and invite your child to add another face or movement.
What to notice
- Uses a movement or facial expression to show a feeling Emotional Functioning
- Changes their face or movement when you do not guess the feeling
Reasoning and Problem-Solving
Tips
- As your child performs, connect the feeling with experience: “When do you feel that happy?” or “What makes you a little angry?”
Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026