• Children listen to an emotion word (e.g. surprised, frustrated, joyful) called out by the teacher.

• Then, each child freezes in a “statue” posture and facial expression that matches that emotion.

• After everyone has made their statue, children describe what they see: “Why do you think this statue looks surprised?” or “What about eyes, mouth, body posture?”

How it supports development:

• Builds emotional vocabulary: connects words to visible cues (face, posture).

• Strengthens emotional awareness & recognition, noticing how emotions show up in themselves and in others.

• Supports social-emotional skills by letting children express feelings, respect others’ feelings, and talk about them.

Story telling

Emotion wheel

Follow the leader

Emotions wheel

Will try to say: it's good to feel happy/sad/angry/nervous..

🎭 “Emotion Charades with a Twist”

How it works:

1. Give students short scenarios (like Li Wei or Maya).

2. One student acts out the emotion shown outside (e.g., smiling/laughing).

3. The class guesses:

   • What emotion is being expressed?

   • What emotion might be felt inside?

4. Reveal the actual feeling and discuss.

Example:

• Student acts laughing → Class guesses “happy”

• Teacher asks: “Could they be feeling something else inside?” → “Embarrassed!”

Why this works:

• Helps children understand that feelings and expressions can be different

• Builds empathy and emotional awareness

• Makes learning fun and interactive

Activities like emotion charades and role-play are widely used in SEL to help students identify and understand emotions in themselves and others. (Collegenp)

If you want, I can turn this into a complete mini lesson plan with objective, materials, and exit ticket 😊