EmoMonster

Create your own “monster card” to explore feelings -- grow emotion vocabulary to increase insight into self and others.

Goal

Increasing awareness of emotions / using more accurate emotion words helps communicate feelings and increase sense of self-mastery... “name it to tame it”

Resources

Pens/Pencils/Crayons for coloring and writing
Feeling Words Handout (Letter Size) click to download
EmoMonster Cards (Letter Size) click to download
Feeling Words Handout (A4 Size) click to download
EmoMonster Cards (A4 Size) click to download
Activity Instruction Sheet (optional) click to download

Instructions

Review EmoCards and talk with a partner about what emotion the card is expressing. What do you notice about the cards? What parts of a monster show emotion? (shape and sizes of head, eyes, eyebrows, mouth, tongue, teeth) What categories do the EmoCards have? Do you notice similar emotions in the color categories (Mad, Sad, Happy, Surprised)?
Now make your own EmoMonster card. Draw on a blank piece of paper your monster to express a brand new emotion . This emotion could be a blend of emotions in a specific intensity (for example anger + sadness + fear) Name the emotion and write the name on the bottom of the page. Color your emotion to fit in with the color categories of the EmoCards or make up your own new color that best fits the EmoMonster.
Share your EmoMonster with a partner and post to display your EmoMonster with others.

Discussion

What blend of emotions does your EmoMonster share? Name or describe these feelings to your partner.
What does it tell you that there are so many different EmoMonsters in our collection?
What are some of the ways the EmoMonsters are similar? What does that tell us?
How might it be helpful for us to have more words for feelings and to accurately communicate feelings? (Better understanding. More careful/precise about feelings. I feel better when I can say exactly what I’m feeling).
Challenge yourself to make a second EmoMonster, to display an emotion not yet seen by the group. What are some of the other feelings you used in making the second EmoMonster?

Extensions

Invite participants to write a story, letter, or a journal entry using a wide range of feeling words showing how feelings can become more or less intense in small steps.

Activity Source

Patty Freedman