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Feelings Friends

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Lesson Plan

Feelings Friends Lesson Plan

In this 10-minute lesson, students will learn to identify and express basic emotions like happy, sad, angry, and calm—and see a short SEL video that reinforces these feelings.

Early SEL fosters empathy, emotional regulation, and a supportive classroom community by giving kids a shared vocabulary for their feelings.

Audience

Kindergarten Students

Time

10 minutes

Approach

Interactive slides, a brief SEL video, and emotion cards.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Lesson Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Emotion Check-In

2 minutes

  • Gather students into a circle.
  • Show “How Are You Feeling Today?” slide on Feelings Friends Slide Deck.
  • Ask: “How are you feeling right now?”
  • Invite a few volunteers to share with a thumbs up/down or a word.

Step 2

SEL Video: Feelings Introduction

2 minutes

  • Play SEL Intro Video: I Am (2:21).
  • Ask: “Which emotions did you notice in the video?”
  • Have students call out or show their emotion cards.

Step 3

Main Activity: Emotions Introduction

5 minutes

  • Introduce Feelings Friends characters via slides on Feelings Friends Slide Deck: Happy Hippo, Sad Snake, Angry Alligator, Calm Cat.
  • Show each character and ask students to name the emotion.
  • Students hold up the matching Feelings Friends Emotion Cards.
  • Reinforce vocabulary: happy, sad, angry, calm.

Step 4

Cool-Down: Breathing and Reflection

1 minute

  • Lead a quick breathing exercise: breathe in for 3 counts, out for 3 counts.
  • Ask one student to share one thing they learned today.
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Slide Deck

Feelings Friends

Welcome! Meet our Feelings Friends and learn how they feel.

Welcome, friends! Today we’re going to meet our Feelings Friends and learn about different emotions.

How Are You Feeling Today?

👍 Happy 👎 Sad

Warm‐up: Ask students “How are you feeling today?” Show thumbs up for happy, thumbs down for sad.

Meet Happy Hippo

😊 Happy Hippo

Introduce Happy Hippo. Explain that Happy Hippo feels cheerful when things go well. Ask students to make a happy face.

Meet Sad Snake

😢 Sad Snake

Introduce Sad Snake. Talk about times we feel sad. Ask students to make a sad face like Sad Snake.

Meet Angry Alligator

😠 Angry Alligator

Introduce Angry Alligator. Explain anger and ask when students feel angry. Have them show a mad face.

Meet Calm Cat

😌 Calm Cat

Introduce Calm Cat. Discuss calm feelings. Ask students to sit quietly and take a calm Cat’s breath.

Which Feeling Is This?

Show me the Friend who is… Happy / Sad / Angry / Calm

Quick check: Point to each Feelings Friend and ask students to hold up the matching emotion card.

Breathe with Calm Cat

Breathe In… 1-2-3 Breathe Out… 1-2-3

Lead students in breathing: “Breathe in for 1-2-3, breathe out for 1-2-3.” Encourage slow, gentle breaths.

Great Job, Feelings Friends!

You did it! Remember your Feelings Friends.

Praise students for participating. Ask one or two to share one thing they learned today.

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Reading

SEL Intro Video: I Am

Type: Video (Reading Resource)
Duration: 2:21
Link: https://www.lennylearning.org/view/social-emotional-learning-for-kids-i-am

Description:
This engaging video introduces children to a variety of emotions—happy, sad, angry, calm—and helps them recognize that all feelings are valid. Through simple animation and kid-friendly narration, students learn to accept and express their emotions with confidence.

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