Building an Emotional Vocabulary with an Emotions Wheel

Helping children express how they feel can be one of the toughest parts of parenting. Even as adults, we sometimes struggle to find the right words for our emotions. Emotion wheels are s simple but powerful tool that helps children recognize, name, and talk about their feelings with more clarity and confidence.

Why an Emotions Wheel?

The emotions wheel breaks down feelings into a set of core emotions—broad categories like:

• Joy and Sadness
• Anger and Fear
• Trust and Disgust
• Anticipation and Surprise

These core emotions sit at the centre of the wheel and represent basic human feelings most children are familiar with. As you move outward on the wheel, each emotion becomes more specific. For example:

• Sadness might lead to disappointment or loneliness
• Joy might lead to pride or contentment
• Anger might lead to frustration or annoyance

This layered approach helps children identify not just what they’re feeling, but why they’re feeling it—giving them the language to explain their emotional state in more detail.

How to Use It at Home

1. Learn the Wheel First
Before introducing the tool to your child, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with it. Notice how each emotion branches into more specific ones, and think about which words your child might already know and which might be new.

2. Introduce It With Positivity
Present the emotions wheel as something fun and helpful. Let your child know:

“This wheel can help us understand our feelings better. It’s totally okay to feel anything—even the big, tricky emotions. They’re all part of being human!”

3. Explore the Wheel Together
Go through the wheel one section at a time. Try making it playful:

• Ask your child to make a face that matches each emotion.
• Talk about times when they may have felt that way.
• Use stories, movies, or books to point out characters who show different emotions.

4. Check In With Today’s Feelings
Once they’re familiar with the wheel, ask:

“Can you find how you’re feeling today on the wheel?”
Or:
“Start in the middle—are you feeling more happy, sad, or something else?”

If they’re unsure, that’s okay. Gently guide them through a few options or talk about your own emotions first to model the process.

5. Create Their Own Wheel
To really bring the concept to life, invite your child to make their own emotions wheel. They can draw faces or symbols to match each feeling. This creative activity helps deepen their connection with the vocabulary and makes the wheel feel personal.

Reinforce the Message: All Emotions Are Valid

Remind your child that every feeling is valid—even the hard ones like anger, fear, or sadness. These emotions give us information about what we need and what matters to us. The goal isn’t to avoid them but to understand them.

Why This Matters

Building an emotional vocabulary isn’t just about self-expression—it’s a foundational skill for emotional regulation, empathy, conflict resolution, and healthy relationships. By using an emotions wheel, you’re helping your child grow into someone who can recognize what they feel, ask for support when needed, and offer compassion to others.

And that’s a life skill worth nurturing.

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