The Feeling Wheel

Helping Kids Name, Understand, and Express Their Emotions
A Free Resource from Mama & Harlem Co.

What Is the Feeling Wheel?

The Feeling Wheel is a beautifully simple emotional literacy tool that helps children move beyond vague answers like "I'm fine" or "I'm mad."
Created with intention for conscious families, this printable chart invites kids to identify their emotions with clarity and confidence—one feeling at a time.
It’s a gentle entry point into self-awareness, emotional regulation, and healing conversations at home.

How the Feeling Wheel Supports Your Child’s Growth

  • Self-Awareness

    Children begin to recognize and understand what’s happening inside their bodies and minds. This emotional self-awareness helps them make sense of their reactions, build confidence, and lay the foundation for lifelong self-trust.

  • Stronger Communication Skills

    When kids can clearly express their emotions, they’re less likely to act out or shut down. They can ask for what they need, explain how they’re feeling, and feel empowered in conversations—with peers, parents, and teachers.

  • Greater Empathy for Others

    As children name their own feelings, they become more attuned to the emotions of others. This emotional awareness encourages kindness, curiosity, and deeper relationships—building connection and compassion.

  • Emotional Regulation & Resilience

    Identifying feelings is the first step to emotional regulation. Instead of being overwhelmed, children learn to breathe, name what’s happening, and respond with intention. This builds resilience and inner stability over time.

How to Use the Feeling Wheel

Simple, meaningful ways to support emotional literacy every day:

1. Daily Check-Ins

Try this: “Which feeling are you closest to on the wheel right now?”
Let your child point to an emotion—or model it by sharing your own.
Supports: emotional awareness, daily emotion check-ins, mindful parenting routines

2. After Big Emotions

Try this: “Do you want help finding the feeling you were having?”
Let them know it’s okay to have big feelings—and that all emotions are welcome.
Supports: emotional regulation, trauma-informed parenting, naming big feelings

3. Bedtime Reflections

Try this: “What was the biggest feeling you had today?”
Use the wheel as a gentle guide for end-of-day connection and calm.
Supports: connection rituals, emotional vocabulary, bedtime routines for kids

4. Creative Expression

Invite your child to draw, color, or tell a story about their feeling.
Art becomes a way to process, release, and understand what’s going on inside.
Supports: emotional processing through art, expressive therapy tools for kids

5. Empathy-Building

While reading a book or watching a show, ask:
“What do you think that character was feeling?”
This builds emotional vocabulary and deepens understanding of others.
Supports: empathy skills, social-emotional learning, feelings vocabulary development

A woman hugging a young boy, both smiling and showing affection.

Supporting Your Child’s Emotional Growth

Supporting your child’s emotional development doesn’t require perfection—just presence, patience, and practice. Here are a few simple, powerful ways to make the Feeling Wheel a trusted emotional literacy tool in your home:

  1. Validate All Feelings—None Are Too Big

    Whether your child is feeling silly, sad, or overwhelmed, remind them: every emotion is welcome. Feelings are messages, not misbehaviors.
    Instead of fixing or distracting, try saying:
    “It’s okay to feel that way. I’m here with you.”
    This simple response builds emotional safety and helps your child feel seen, not shamed.

  2. Model It Yourself—Kids Learn By Watching You

    Let your child see you name your feelings too.
    Try:
    “I’m feeling a little frustrated right now, so I’m going to take a few deep breaths.”
    Your emotional honesty teaches them that feelings are normal—and manageable.

  3. Print It Out—Keep It Visible

    Place your Feeling Wheel in a visible spot:
    on the fridge, beside their journal, or in your calm-down corner.
    The more your child sees it, the more likely they’ll reach for it when they need support.

  4. Make It Playful—Creativity Builds Safety

    Let your child color the wheel, add stickers, or even design their own version.
    Turn check-ins into a game or bedtime story prompt.
    Emotional learning can be joyful, not heavy.

Maybe we didn’t grow up with tools like this—
but our children can.

Emotional literacy is legacy work.
It helps us raise children who are not only intelligent,
but intuitively attuned, emotionally resilient, and deeply kind.

This is our heartwork.
This is Mama & Harlem Co.