Crafting with Kenson Kids: DIY Feelings Chart Craft for Little Ones
Big feelings show up early — usually well before kids have the words to explain them. A DIY Feelings Chart is one of the simplest crafts you can do together, and it gives your child a tool they'll actually reach for the next time they're overwhelmed, frustrated, or just having a big day.
What You'll Need
- Poster board or heavy cardstock
- Markers, crayons, or paint
- Magazine cutouts or printed face examples (optional)
- Glue stick and scissors
How to Make It
Divide the board into 6-8 boxes. In each box, draw or glue a face showing a different feeling — happy, sad, angry, scared, excited, calm. Let your child do the drawing, even if the faces come out lopsided. Underneath each face, write the feeling word together. When it's done, hang it somewhere low enough for little hands to point to.
Our "How Do I Feel?" Free Printable printable is a great reference to have on hand while you craft — it shows twelve different emotions with kid-friendly faces your child can copy or trace. Pair it with our My Calm Down Corner Free Printable to give your child a next step once they've named the feeling: breathe, use their senses, choose a calming activity, and talk it out.
Why the Craft Matters As Much As the Chart
Jen and I were always crafting with our kids in our own families, and what we found over the years is that the time spent making something together mattered just as much as what we ended up with. It was fun for everyone, but it also fueled their creativity, gave us a low-pressure window to talk about whatever was going on in their lives that week, and quietly built their confidence — because they made it, start to finish.
One thing I had to be careful of: catching myself trying to "fix" something they were working on. It's tempting to straighten a crooked line or redraw a face that doesn't look quite right. But the growth happens in the letting-go — being helpful without taking over. A slightly wonky feelings chart that your child made themselves will get used far more than a perfect one you made for them.
Shop our reward and behavior charts for more tools that help kids build emotional awareness and self-confidence.