5 Fun and Free Printable Feelings Charts for Kids

A printable feeling chart is an awesome tool for little ones who need a little extra help identifying their feelings. The five feelings charts below include photos of common feelings as well as feeling names to help young children who are still learning about their feelings and bodies.

To make these simple feelings charts you will need to print off the free PDF of choice and keep it in an easy to find spot. You can choose to laminate them for durability or hang them on the wall. You can choose to use these feelings charts as a tool for when children are having strong feelings, a writing tool for children who are writing stories with feelings, a visual in a calm down corner, and more.

Scroll down for more ideas on how to use these charts as well as for the free feelings chart printable PDFs. For other fun printable PDFs that help young children learn new skills be sure to also check out these potty chart printables as well as these helpful behavior chart printables.

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How to Use a Printable Feelings Chart

Begin by learning about feelings with books and social lessons. Talk about situations with children like when they are mad, sad, happy, excited, and more. Talk about how they might feel and some outcomes that can be caused by these feelings. Talk about expectations and good ways to solve problems.

Pull out the feelings charts and look at and talk about each feeling together. That way when they actually are having one of these strong feelings they may recognize where it is and be able to point it out on the chart. 

• Print them off and keep a laminated one nearby. When children are having a hard time naming their feelings or using their words to tell how they are feeling they can point on the chart.
• Print it off and hang it on a designated spot on a wall. Children can come over and point to it when they need to articulate how they are feeling.
• Add one to a calm down corner along with some fidgets, a blanket, a stuffed animal, and various books about strong feelings. Children can go here and use the items when they have a strong feeling.

What are Some Ways to Teach about Feelings?

*Purchase and read books that teach young children about feelings. You can start with the as soon as children can sit and look at pictures in a book. There are tons of books out there for younger children as well as older children. Some of our favorites for babies include “Can You Make a Happy Face” and “The Feelings Book.”

As children get older the books will get more complex and the stories will really help children understand their feelings. Some of our favorites for older children include “The Way I Feel,” “The Color Monster,” and “Grumpy Monkey.”

*Search for TV shows and movies that talk about feelings or certain episodes that teach the feelings you are trying to teach children about. One of our favorite shows for learning about feelings is “Daniel Tiger.” There are cute sayings and phrases that help teach children about their feelings and what to do when they have strong feelings. Another awesome movie for learning feelings is “Inside Out.”

*Play a feelings game and have children guess the feelings. You can make faces and use your body language to express feelings and have children guess what you are feeling when you do this. You can also use the feelings charts to do this and point to each face and have children guess.

*Have children practice situations with their stuffed animals and act out feelings. IE what you might feel when someone hits you and what you might do, how you might feel when you have to go to the Dentist, how you might feel when a sibling is mean to you, etc…

Included below are multiple options for free printable feeling charts for kids of all ages. Some are geared towards younger children with few photos and matching words, some are for older children with more feelings/emotions included, and some are for older children yet and include faces as well as many different words to describe their feelings.

For additional tips on how to use each emotion chart as well as photos of them scroll down below.

Five Printable Feelings Charts Options for Kids of All Ages

Feelings Wheel

One of the included pages is a feelings wheel. This one works great when turned into a game with a spinner. Add a pepper clip and a brass fastener to the middle to make a feelings spinner. Have children spin the wheel and act out the emotion to practice. When they are feeling upset they can spin the spinner until it gets to how they are feeling.

Feelings Meter

This free printable feelings meter works great when you add on a paper clip. This would make a great visual so you can gage how children are feeling in the morning or at a certain time

Sometimes it helps to know how people are feeling so we know how to talk to and approach them in the best way possible. Children can use a clothespin with their name on it and clip it to where they are feeling. As their feelings change throughout the day they can move their clothespin up and down along the meter to indicate how they are feeling.

Feeling Words Chart

This feelings name chart has images and names to describe each image. There are multiple words to describe each emotion on this chart. Use these for teaching children other words to describe each feeling. These also make great resources for writing.

One way to calm down is to write about what happened. These make great resources as children can see the common feelings words and use this to write them. They can circle how they are feeling (if it is laminated) or use it to write stories and write about how the characters are feeling.

Emoji Feelings Chart

Two separate versions of these emotion charts are included. One is much simpler for younger children as it only includes 8 different common feelings for children to practice and pick out. The other is for slightly older children as it has 16 different feelings and emotions.

Additional Free Printables To Help Teach Children Skills

• Printable Potty Charts – 12 fun and free printable potty charts for children who are learning to go on the potty for the first time and need a little extra incentive.
• Behavior Charts – 16 great behavior chart options for children who need extra assistance following rules, listening, and more.
• Chore Charts – 16 awesome incentive-based chore charts that are perfect for teaching children to help around the house.