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Big Feelings, Little Hands

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Lesson Plan

Big Feelings, Little Hands

Help Pre-K children identify moments when their feelings feel overwhelming and learn gentle ways to calm themselves or ask for help.

Learning to manage big feelings is a crucial life skill that helps young children develop emotional intelligence and self-regulation. This lesson provides foundational strategies for emotional well-being.

Audience

Pre-K Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Storytelling, visual aids, and simple breathing exercises.

Materials

Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Big Feelings Slide Deck, Feeling Faces Activity Cards, and My Calming Tools Worksheet

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What are Big Feelings?

5 minutes

  • Display the first few slides of the Big Feelings Slide Deck.
    * Ask students: "What does it feel like when you have a big feeling?" (e.g., mad, sad, worried).
    * Introduce the idea that everyone has big feelings sometimes and that it's okay.

Step 2

Story Time & Discussion

10 minutes

  • Continue with the Big Feelings Slide Deck and share the story about a character with big feelings.
    * Discuss the character's feelings and what they did.
    * Ask: "What could (character's name) do to feel better?"

Step 3

Feeling Faces Activity

10 minutes

  • Distribute Feeling Faces Activity Cards.
    * Guide students through identifying different emotions using the cards.
    * Ask students to show a happy face, a sad face, a mad face, etc.
    * Discuss simple calming strategies like deep breaths or asking for a hug.

Step 4

Calming Tools Worksheet

5 minutes

  • Hand out the My Calming Tools Worksheet.
    * Explain to students that they will draw or color ways they can calm their big feelings.
    * Provide examples like
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Slide Deck

Big Feelings, Little Hands!

It's okay to have big feelings! Let's learn how to help our hearts and minds.

Welcome students and introduce the topic of feelings. Ask them to share a time they felt a big feeling (e.g., excited, a little frustrated). Keep it light and positive.

What Are Big Feelings?

Sometimes our feelings can feel really, really big inside.
Like when you're super excited, or really, really sad, or super, super mad!

Introduce the idea that feelings can be big or small. Give examples. Ask, "What does it feel like when you are happy? What about when you are mad?"

Meet Leo the Lion!

Leo the Lion loved to play. One day, his tower of blocks tumbled down!
He felt a big mad feeling grow inside him.

Introduce a simple story. Use a puppet or simple drawing to represent Leo. Emphasize Leo's feelings and what caused them.

What Can Leo Do?

When Leo's feelings got big, he took a deep breath.
He asked his friend for a hug.
Then he felt a little better.
What do you do when your feelings get big?

Ask students what Leo could do. Guide them towards simple actions. Explain that it's okay to ask for help.

Take a Dragon Breath!

When your feelings get big, you can take a big, slow dragon breath!
Breathe in slowly through your nose...
...and blow out slowly like a dragon!

Introduce a simple calming strategy: deep breaths. Model taking a big dragon breath.

Ask for a Hug!

Sometimes, a hug from a grown-up or a friend can help a big feeling feel smaller.
You can also ask for help!

Introduce another calming strategy: asking for help or a hug.

You Are a Feeling Friend!

Remember, it's okay to have big feelings.
You can take a deep breath, ask for a hug, or ask for help.
You are a feeling friend!

Review the strategies learned. Tell students they are now 'Feeling Friends'.

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Activity

Feeling Faces Activity Cards

Instructions for Teacher:

  1. Preparation: Print these cards and cut them out. You may want to laminate them for durability.
  2. Introduction: Hold up each card one by one.
  3. Discussion: Ask students to identify the feeling shown on each card.
    • "What feeling do you see on this face?"
    • "When have you felt this way?"
    • "What does your body do when you feel this?"
  4. Practice: Encourage students to make the face of each feeling. Then, guide them to practice a calming strategy (like a dragon breath) after a "big" feeling face.

Card 1: Happy

(Image: A smiling face with wide, joyful eyes and raised eyebrows)

Card 2: Sad

(Image: A face with a downturned mouth, teary eyes, and slightly furrowed brows)

Card 3: Mad/Angry

(Image: A face with furrowed eyebrows, a scrunched nose, and a firm, straight or slightly downturned mouth)

Card 4: Worried/Scared

(Image: A face with wide eyes, slightly raised eyebrows, and a slightly open mouth, looking a bit tense)

Card 5: Excited

(Image: A face with sparkling eyes, a big open smile, and rosy cheeks)

Card 6: Calm

(Image: A peaceful face with a gentle smile and relaxed eyes)

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Worksheet

My Calming Tools

Name: _________________________

Everyone has big feelings sometimes! It's okay. We can learn ways to feel calm again.

Draw or color a picture of something you can do when you have a big feeling to help yourself feel calm.











What is your calming tool?





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