A Little Song for Feelings

1. 1

   Sing adapted lines to the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It: clap twice for happy, pretend to wipe tears for sad, and stomp for angry.

2. 2

   Sing and demonstrate each movement with a clear facial expression to catch your baby’s attention.

3. 3

   Repeat the same words and actions and invite your baby to clap or move with you.

4. 4

   If your baby does not respond yet, guide their hands through a clap and say, “Let’s clap together.” When a real feeling appears, sing the matching line and respond to the movement you see.

5. 5

   As the song becomes familiar, sing less and use the movement alone as a cue for your baby to express the feeling.

What to notice

• Claps during the happy verse Emotional Functioning
• Joins the song with one of the matching movements Cognitive Self-Regulation (Executive Functioning)

Tips

• Bring the song into everyday moments. When your baby smiles, say, “Happy—clap, clap,” and pair the familiar action with the feeling you observe.

Developmental benefits

• Social/Emotional: Pairing familiar feeling words with repeated facial expressions and movements gives your baby practice recognizing and expressing different emotions.