The Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer is a visual aid for child care providers, early childhood educators, and families, to use with young children, ages 0 to 5, to help them begin naming emotions. Research shows the act of identifying and naming feelings can reduce the intensity of those emotions.
The thermometer features five zones. It starts at green – the calm zone – listing feelings and behaviors associated with that zone. The gauge goes up to red – the furious zone – with suggestions to help the child in the moment. Studies show that identifying an activity is another important step to self-regulation. Offering them choices like jumping jacks, belly breathing, wiggle dancing, or drawing can make a difference in the body as well as helping to shift moods.
Download and print the Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer
Accompanying Tools
Thermometer Gauge
This visual is a simplified gauge with emoji faces ranging from happy to
mad which the child can point to and communicate how they are feeling. Download and print the Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer Gauge below:
How To Use The Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer
This is a handy reference piece with
advice and details on how adults can use the tool with children. Download the informational flyer:
How You Can Use The Tools
Child Care Providers
- Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer – print and post the Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer in your classrooms. The left side lists children's emotions and behaviors teachers might observe. All behavior is a form of communication. If the child can identify their emotion, then take the next step of suggesting an activity from the right side of the Thermometer. It will be a helpful reference in the moment, when young children have big feelings. If the child cannot name their emotion, notice their behaviors and ask if they are feeling one of these emotions. This will help the child learn how to name their feelings.
- Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer Temperature Gauge – post this at the children’s eye level in classrooms so teachers/adults can ask children to point to the face that represents how they are feeling in the moment. If the child can identify a face or word that describes their feeling, teachers/adults can work with the child when shifting moods would be helpful. For some children, the gauge will be helpful in learning a word that goes with their feeling.
- How to use the Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer – keep this piece in your staff area or breakroom where teachers can refer to it. It explains how to use the Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer. Staff might consider modeling the practice and giving colleagues time to practice using the thermometer in a staff meeting, to help embed emotional literacy into the center's culture.
Families & Caregivers
- Print both the Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer and Early Childhood Feelings Thermometer Gauge and post in a common area of your house where children are likely to see it on a regular basis, like the refrigerator. The Thermometer can be a guide for adults in recognizing emotions in young children and what to do to help big feelings shift to calmer, happier moods. And, use the Gauge with young children to have them begin to name the emotion they feel. Identifying feelings by word or picture is the first step to emotional regulation.
- Help
for Parents in Calming Big Feelings in Young Children – keep this in a handy
place and refer to it when your young child’s mood or feeling needs settling. This resource is also available in Spanish and Hmong!
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