Find the Feeling Matching Game

Social-emotional learning (SEL) plays a vital role in a child’s development by fostering emotional awareness, empathy, self-regulation, and effective communication. When children learn to recognize and label emotions – both in themselves and others – they gain the tools to manage their feelings, relate to others with compassion, and express themselves in healthy, constructive ways.

The Find the Feeling Matching Game printable is a free, hands-on tool designed to support emotional development through play. By identifying and matching feelings, kids strengthen key SEL skills in a way that is engaging and age-appropriate. This activity opens the door to conversations about managing big feelings and encourages children to understand other people’s emotions.

Caregivers can support emotional development with this activity during everyday moments. Try these ideas:

• Use these cards to start conversations and ask your child questions like, “Have you ever felt this way?” or “What happened when you felt [emotion]?”
• After reading a book, use the cut-out cards to identify how characters might be feeling and why.
• Bring out the cards when your child needs to cool down or talk through a tough situation.
• Before school or a big event, use these cards to check in emotionally and talk about how to handle different feelings.

Educators can integrate this game into SEL routines or classroom activities. You can:

• Use the cards as part of a structured lesson on emotions, feelings vocabulary, or empathy. Check out our classroom unit on how to help kids manage their feelings and emotions to further enhance your lessons.
• Have students take turns drawing cards and sharing a time they experienced that feeling.
• Keep the cards accessible in a designated cozy spot to help students identify and process emotions when big feelings arise.
• Use the cards to have students act out or respond to different emotions.
• Choose one feeling card each morning and invite students to share a time they felt that way.