Emojis are digital icons or symbols that provide a visual representation of different emotions. They can be effective in helping young clients communicate how they’re feeling in the moment. Research supports the potential of emojis to provide nuanced insights into a person’s emotional experiences.
The Feelings Thermometer With Emojis is a tool that allows clients to identify their emotional states. It features a thermometer with a spectrum of emotions, such as peaceful, bored, lonely, worried, and furious. In a separate table, clients will see behaviors or actions that result from feeling a certain way. More importantly, the thermometer suggests self-help strategies such as deep breathing, coloring, or going for a run.
Using the feelings thermometer helps increase a child’s emotional literacy—and when used in therapeutic settings, it can spark meaningful discussions. We recommend starting by first explaining the purpose of the thermometer. You might need to spend some time familiarizing them with each emoji.
The feelings thermometer with emojis has emerged from the success of our original, best selling Feelings Thermometer. This handout pairs well with our Feelings Thermometer Worksheets bundle for those wanting to further apply this tool in written format.
*This item is an instant digital download. A link to download your files will be emailed to you once payment is confirmed.
Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of feelings worksheets and handouts.
References:
- Dam, L. V., Rietstra, S., M. Stams, J. J., Mahfoud, M., Popma, A., Schlossberg, E., Pentland, A., & Reid, T. G. (2019). Can an Emoji a Day Keep the Doctor Away? An Explorative Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study to Develop a Self-Help App for Youth With Mental Health Problems. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00593
- Grosse, G., Streubel, B., Gunzenhauser, C., & Saalbach, H. (2021). Let’s Talk About Emotions: The Development of Children’s Emotion Vocabulary from 4 to 11 Years of Age. Affective Science, 2(2), 150-162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42761-021-00040-2
