Every feeling has a name, and every feeling deserves to be understood.
Helping children recognize and talk about their emotions is one of the most important gifts we can give them. When children have the words to describe what they’re experiencing, they’re better able to communicate their needs, build healthy relationships, solve problems, and navigate life’s challenges with confidence.
The Feelings List is a simple yet powerful resource that helps children, teens, and adults expand their emotional vocabulary. Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, therapist, mentor, or anyone who supports children, this printable guide can help create more meaningful conversations at home, at school, and beyond.
Why Emotional Vocabulary Matters
Many of us grew up learning to hide or ignore our feelings rather than understand them. Children often experience emotions they don’t yet have the words to describe, which can lead to frustration, misunderstandings, or challenging behaviours.
Building emotional awareness helps children:
- Recognize and name what they’re feeling
- Express emotions in healthy ways
- Strengthen communication skills
- Develop empathy and emotional intelligence
- Build resilience and stronger relationships
Just as importantly, this resource reminds adults that emotional learning is lifelong. Growing our own emotional vocabulary helps us better support the children in our lives.
How to Use the Feelings List
Dr. Gloria Kay Vanderhorst recommends making this resource part of everyday family life.
Here are a few simple ideas:
Print multiple copies
- Keep one in the kitchen.
- Place another where your family spends time together, such as the living room or game area.
- Keep one in a bedroom for quiet conversations or bedtime check-ins.
Many families choose to laminate their copies so they can be used again and again.
Make Feelings Part of Everyday Conversation
Rather than asking only, “How was your day?”, try asking:
- “Which words describe how you’re feeling today?”
- “Did more than one feeling show up today?”
- “Can you tell me what made you feel that way?”
There are no “right” or “wrong” feelings. Every emotion provides valuable information about our experiences.
Your Brain Already Knows
As Dr. Gloria Kay Vanderhorst reminds us:
“Your brain can recognize every feeling. This is your superpower! You just have to help it out by letting it search through the list.”
Many children—and adults—have been taught to suppress emotions instead of expressing them. Creating safe opportunities to identify and talk about feelings helps strengthen emotional awareness and builds healthier relationships within families.
A Resource for the Whole Family
The Feelings List isn’t just for children.
Families often find it helpful to:
- Check in together at dinner.
- Use it after disagreements to talk through emotions.
- Explore different feelings during story time.
- Help siblings better understand one another.
- Encourage children to recognize that it’s okay to experience many different emotions throughout the day.
When adults model naming their own feelings, children learn that emotions are a normal and healthy part of being human.
About This Resource
The Feelings List was created by Dr. Gloria Kay Vanderhorst, Psychologist and Author, and is shared with permission as part of American SPCC’s Parenting Resource Center to help families strengthen emotional awareness and healthy communication.
Download Your Free Copy
Ready to start more meaningful conversations?
Download the Feelings List and keep it somewhere everyone in your family can see it. A few moments spent naming emotions today can help build stronger communication, deeper understanding, and lasting emotional resilience tomorrow.
