Activity Title: Feelings Charades |
Suggested Grade/Age Range: Grades 1-3 (ages 6-9) |
Activity Objective: The goal of this activity is to introduce children to the important role that non-verbal cues play in communication. Each individual displays unique non-verbal cues while communicating. It is important to be respectful of these differences and to ask for clarification when needed to ensure communication is clear and effective. This activity is also designed to help children access how different feelings may feel in their bodies to raise their awareness of the connection between emotions and the body. |
Materials Required: none |
Prep Time: 5 minutes Come up with words for 3-4 emotions that children can work with during the activity Task Time: 20-30 minutes Ensure there is time at the end for a short discussion about non-verbal communication |
Activity Description: Activity: 1. Gather whole class and tell them that they will be playing a game called the Feelings Charades. You will ask three representatives to come up to the front and whisper an emotion word in their ears. They are then asked to display that emotion and have the class guess what it is 2. Choose three children to come up to the front and whisper the first emotion word into their ears. Check in to make sure they understand the meaning of the word and have them whisper it back to you 3. Have the children express this emotion and have the class guess what it is. At the end, the word can be written on the board or chart paper. This can also be added to a word wall if applicable 4. After taking up the answer, have the whole class (silently) act out the emotion word in their own ways. Ask them afterwards where they feel the emotion in their bodies (e.g., my heart beats faster when I feel excited or surprised, etc.) 5. Continue the activity for 2-3 rounds and have a different group of students come up each time. Write down the word each time and have the whole class silently act it out afterwards Wrap-up Discussion: 6. After the last round, engage the children in a discussion about different forms of non-verbal communication (e.g., facial expressions, body language). Make sure to point out how each student may have showed the same emotion in different ways, which speaks to the uniqueness of individual non-verbal cues. 7. Emphasize the importance of respecting and accepting these differences. Also emphasize that when we do not know what another person is trying to communicate both verbally and/or non-verbally, we can ask for clarification |
Activity Extensions: Feelings Charades can be incorporated into routine activities such as Morning Circle or Community Circle and serve as an opportunity for children to explore emotional expression. It can serve as an opening activity for another activity around checking in with how one is feeling |
Additional Comments: The facilitator is encouraged to present a variety of emotion words (e.g., excited, surprised, frustrated, etc.) so that children can explore more mindfully how they express these using their facial expressions and body language. At the same time, it is important to keep developmental appropriateness in mind and to check in with children (especially in the younger grades) to ensure they understand the emotion word As needed, have a discussion around respectful classroom behaviour before the activity to ensure each individual feels safe and comfortable acting out the emotions in front of their peers |
Additional Resources: You may choose to review over the Communication Literature Review before implementing this activity. It can be found here. |