How to Play: Start or end each day with a family check-in. Ask each family member to choose a card from the Feelings Deck that represents how they are feeling at that moment.

 

Reflection: Encourage each person to explain why they chose that feeling. For younger children, you can ask questions like, "What happened today that made you feel this way?" or "What can we do together to feel better?"

 

Benefit: This creates a safe space for daily emotional expression, fostering a habit of self-awareness and family communication.Remember there are no right or wrong answers and to validate their experience. 

How to Play: Shuffle the cards and deal each family member one Feelings Card and one Needs Card. Take turns creating a short story or scenario where a character experiences that feeling and has that need.

 

Reflection: Ask follow-up questions like, "How can others help the character meet their needs?" or "What could the character do to feel better?"

Benefit: This activity stimulates creativity and helps children practice empathy by thinking about emotions and needs from different perspectives

How to Play: Spread the Needs Cards out on a table or floor. Ask each family member to think about a recent situation where they felt strong emotions. Then, select one or more Needs Cards that describe what they were needing during that moment.

 

Reflection: After selecting, discuss how understanding this need might have changed how they responded to the situation. For example, "If I had known I needed rest, I might not have been so upset.”

 

Benefit: This activity develops self-reflection skills and helps children and adults recognize the root cause of emotional reactions.

How to Play: When a conflict or disagreement arises, use the cards to facilitate resolution. Ask each person involved to pick a Feelings Card that describes how they felt during the conflict and a Needs Card that represents what they were needing.

 

Reflection: Discuss the feelings and needs on both sides of the conflict. Then, work together to find solutions that address those needs.

 

Benefit: This approach promotes empathy and cooperation by helping family members see the underlying feelings and needs driving conflicts, paving the way for peaceful resolution.

How to Play: Pick a Feelings Card and ask each family member to draw, paint, or create a piece of art that represents that emotion. Alternatively, use clay, recycled materials, or any craft supplies available at home.

 

Reflection: After creating the artwork, each person explains their creation and how it connects to the feeling.

 

Benefit: This activity provides a creative outlet for emotional expression, especially helpful for children who may find it difficult to verbalize their feelings.

How to Play: Once a feeling has been chosen, each family member can explore the Needs Deck and pick a card that reflects a need related to that feeling. For example, a child who picks "frustrated" might need "understanding" or "space."

 

Reflection: Discuss how meeting this need might help address the feeling. For example, "What could help you feel less frustrated right now?" Encourage problem-solving and brainstorming as a family. 

 

Benefit: This activity builds emotional intelligence by linking feelings to needs, helping children recognize that emotions often signal unmet needs.Remember there are no right or wrong answers and to validate their experience. 

How to Play: Each family member draws a Feelings Card without showing it to others. They then act out the feeling using facial expressions, gestures, or body language, while the others try to guess which feeling is being portrayed.

 

Reflection: After the charade, discuss the feeling. "What are some situations where you have felt this way?" For younger children, encourage them to describe the feeling and what might cause it.

 

Benefit: This playful activity helps children recognize and understand feelings through non-verbal communication, reinforcing their emotional vocabulary.

How to Play: Gather in a circle and shuffle both decks. Take turns drawing one Feelings Card and one Needs Card, then share a moment in your life when you felt that way and needed that particular thing. Encourage openness and support.

 

Reflection: Each person can ask questions or offer suggestions to help meet the shared need. For example, "What can we do as a family to support your need for rest?”

Benefit: This activity deepens emotional intimacy within the family by sharing personal experiences and needs in a supportive environment.

How to Play: Each day, select one random card from the Feelings Deck or Needs Deck and place it somewhere visible, like the fridge or family bulletin board. Throughout the day, encourage family members to notice if they or others experience that feeling or need.

 

Reflection: At the end of the day, gather to share any observations or stories related to the card.

 

Benefit: This subtle but consistent practice builds emotional literacy and awareness in daily life.

How to Play: Select a few cards from the Feelings Deck that represent difficult emotions your family sometimes experiences (e.g., anger, sadness, fear). Then, as a family, assemble a "calm down kit" with items or activities (like breathing exercises, music, or favorite books) that can help when someone feels that way.

 

Reflection: When someone picks a difficult Feelings Card, refer to the calm down kit for tools to manage the emotion.

Benefit: This helps children understand that difficult emotions are natural and provides a practical, supportive way to manage them