How to use it
Choose the feelings for the wheel. Four or six is plenty for little ones.
Print both pages, on cardstock if you have it, and cut out the arrow.
Poke a small hole through the two dots and join the arrow to the wheel with a paper fastener.
Use it at check-in times, like after school or at bedtime, and turn the arrow to your own feeling too.
Make it last: print on cardstock, laminate it or slip it into a sheet protector, and use a dry-erase marker or Velcro dots so you can use it again.
Questions parents ask
What do I need to make it?
A printer, scissors and one paper fastener, sometimes called a brad. Cardstock makes it sturdier. A grown-up should make the hole: push a sharp pencil through the dot into a ball of play dough.
How many feelings should go on the wheel?
Fewer is easier. Start with four to six everyday feelings, then make a new wheel with more once those feel familiar.
What if my child turns it to the same face every time?
That’s okay. Say what you see, ask a gentle question, and keep showing your own feelings on the wheel too. If you’re worried about how your child is feeling, talk with your pediatrician.
Is my child’s name saved anywhere?
No. A name you type stays in your browser so it can print on the sheet. It is never sent to us.
Is it really free?
Yes. One email unlocks this and every other tool in the library, and you can print as many as you like. Your email also brings one short story each Tuesday, and you can leave anytime.
Read it with a story
This is a simple visual support for everyday routines, not a therapy or a treatment. If your child works with a teacher or therapist, they can tell you how it fits with what they already do. Picture symbols: Mulberry Symbols, CC BY-SA 4.0.
