Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
My Feelings Thermometer: Free Printable Chart for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
My Feelings Thermometer is a free printable chart for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children point to how big their feeling is today. They choose from feeling cards such as a little bit happy, very sad or calm, and talk about their choice with a grown-up. It takes about 5 minutes and needs only paper and a pencil.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children meet four feelings in two sizes each: happy, sad, cross and worried, each as a little bit and a very version. Calm is there too. They use cards to cut out and use, look at each one and point to show how big their feeling is today. A grown-up listens and talks about each choice. Children look, choose, point and talk.
- A little bit happy
- Very happy
- A little bit sad
- Very sad
- A little bit cross
- Very cross
- A little bit worried
- Very worried
- Calm
Ways to use the feeling cards
Check in at the start of the day
Sit together and ask your child to point to the card that fits right now. Say what you see and thank them for showing you. Keep it light and quick.
Check in at the end of the day
Ask your child to pick a card for how the day felt. Listen first. You can ask what happened, but let them choose whether to say.
Match the face
Pick a card and make the face that goes with it together. Then try the same feeling again, a little bit and then very. Notice how the face changes.
Come back when feelings are big
When your child is upset, wait until they are calmer. Then bring out the chart and let them point. The cards give them words when words are hard to find.
Why talk about how big a feeling is?
Young children often have one word for a feeling, or no word at all. Saying "cross" can cover a small grumble and a huge rage. A thermometer idea helps because it adds size. A feeling can be a little bit big or very big. That gives children a simple way to tell a grown-up what is going on inside.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, learning about feelings sits within Personal, Social and Emotional Development. Children begin to name their feelings and talk about them. Noticing that feelings change size, and that every feeling is allowed, is an early step towards managing them. Calm is included so children can see that feelings can settle too.
Skills and curriculum link
- Naming feelings
- Talking about feelings
- Self awareness
- Sizes of feelings
- Listening to others
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Years Foundation Stage | Personal, Social and Emotional Development | Self-Regulation | Reception |
What children will be able to do
- I can name how I am feeling.
- I can show how big or small the feeling is.
- I can talk about what helps me feel calmer.
Helping children talk about feelings
- Name it, do not judge itUse words like happy, sad, cross and worried without saying a feeling is good or bad. All feelings are normal. What we do next is what we can learn.
- Show your own feelingsSay things like, "I feel a little bit worried about the shop being busy." Children learn feeling words by hearing grown-ups use them.
- Give time to answerSome children need a moment before they point. Wait quietly. Pointing counts as an answer, and words can come later.
- Notice the bodyAsk where a feeling lives, such as tummy, face or hands. Children often feel big feelings in their bodies before they can name them.
Key words
- FeelingWhat you feel inside, like happy, sad, cross or worried.
- ThermometerA tool that shows how hot or cold something is. On this sheet it shows how big a feeling is.
- A little bitA small amount. A little bit cross is a small cross feeling.
- VeryA big amount. Very happy is a big happy feeling.
- CalmQuiet and settled inside, with a slow, easy body.
- WorriedA feeling when you think something might go wrong.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you. A grown-up can cut out the cards, or older helpers can use safety scissors.
- Sit together and look at the cards. Say each feeling out loud and make the face that goes with it.
- Ask your child to point to how they are feeling today. Talk about why they chose that card.
- Check against the notes on page 2. Listen to your child's thinking. There are no wrong feelings.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence. Use it at the start or end of the day.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Make the face that goes with each card together. Look in a mirror if it helps. Start with just two cards, such as very happy and very sad. Add more once your child feels sure. Let them point if words are hard.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to say what made them feel that way and what could help. Listen to their ideas without fixing things straight away. Then ask what they could try next time a feeling is very big.
Make it a game
Take turns to pick a card in secret. Show the feeling with your face and body, without speaking. The other player guesses which card it is and points to it. Swap over and play again.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child points to the same card every time.
Try thisTry another way in. Make a face together, or ask where the feeling sits in their body. Some children need time to notice differences.
Watch forA child says they are fine and will not choose a card.
Try thisDo not push. Offer to point to your own card first, then ask again later. Choosing is easier when it feels safe.
Watch forA child says a feeling is wrong, such as being cross.
Try thisSay that all feelings are allowed. Explain that it is fine to feel cross, and that we can find safe ways to show it.
Talk about it
- How are you feeling right now?
- Where on the thermometer is that feeling?
- What helps you when a feeling is very big?
- Can you show me a very happy face?
- What makes you feel calm?
- Who could you tell when you feel worried?
Take it off the page
Mirror faces
Stand at a mirror and make each feeling face in turn. Try a little bit and then very. Guess what each face is showing.
Story feelings
Read a picture book together. Pause and ask how a character is feeling, and how big the feeling might be.
Chalk thermometer
Draw a tall thermometer outside with chalk. Let your child stand on it where their feeling fits, from small to big.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child and let them lead. About 5 minutes is plenty. Listen more than you talk. Accept the card they choose, even if it surprises you. Use it at bedtime or after school.
Teachers
Use it as a circle time starter, a morning check in or a calm corner resource. It supports Personal, Social and Emotional Development, in the Self Regulation strand of the EYFS. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting. Please check it against your own school plan.
Home educators
Pair it with picture books, outdoor play and everyday chat about feelings. Short, regular check ins work better than one long session. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, and use it with each child separately.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children hear feeling words in stories, songs and everyday play. They may show feelings through faces, sounds and actions long before they can name them. Talking about faces and feelings with a trusted adult is a good first step.
After this sheet, children can begin to talk about what helps when a feeling is big, such as taking a slow breath or asking an adult for help. Over time they learn to share feelings, listen to friends and follow shared rules. These skills build through Reception and into Key Stage 1.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How are you feeling right now?
- Where on the thermometer is that feeling?
- What helps you when a feeling is very big?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is My Feelings Thermometer for?
It is written for Reception, which is ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger or older children can enjoy it too, with a grown-up helping them choose cards and talk about their feelings.
- What will children practise?
Children practise naming feelings and saying how big or small they are. They also practise talking about feelings with a grown-up and starting to notice what helps them feel calmer. It builds early self awareness.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 5 minutes. Use it at the start or end of the day. Work through it together the first time and talk about each choice. You can come back to it as often as you like.
- What if it feels too hard?
Make the face that goes with each card together. Start with just two or three cards, then add more. Let your child point instead of speaking. There are no wrong answers, so keep it relaxed.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or use it with a whole class. Black and white printing works well on plain A4 paper.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, circle time activity or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting out the cards. It links to Personal, Social and Emotional Development in the EYFS.
- Is it a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper, a pencil and a grown-up to talk with. That makes it good for quiet time, rainy days, school holidays or a calm moment before bed.
More like this
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.