Preschool Emotions Role-Playing Game

By Charlene Haukom

Based on the book Let’s Be Happy by P. K. Hallinan, the Preschool Emotions Role-Playing Game encourages empathy in preschoolers. This Educational Preschool Game requires preschoolers to figure out how to “give out happiness” based on various situations.

What You Will Need

Paper Bag
Construction Paper 
Marker
Let's Be Happy by P. K. Hallinan (optional)

How To Play

1.  Read Let's Be Happy with your preschooler.  This step is helpful, but not required. For more information on this book, read the review on PreschoolRock.

2. Using your marker and construction paper, write a one-line description of a situation that might lead to unhappiness. Some examples are listed below:

     a. I lost my favorite ball.
     b. Someone knocked down my block tower.
     c. I’m bored.
     d. I have a cold.

3. Cut out the situations and put them in the bag.

4. Have one preschooler pull a situation from the bag and role-play. Which emotions would the preschooler feel in that situation? What behaviors does the preschooler associate with those emotions?

5. Have a different preschooler role-play happiness. How would the second preschooler give some of that happiness to the first preschooler?  For example, if the first preschooler drew “I lost my ball,” then s/he would be either sad or angry. S/he may pretend to cry or stomp his or her feet. 

The second preschooler will have to role-play a happy solution – like offering his or her ball as a replacement or finding a round rock that they can paint to look like the favorite ball. Just don't play catch with it!

Variations of the Preschool Emotions Role-Playing Game

This Educational Preschool Game can be played with one preschooler, 2 preschoolers, or a whole classroom. With one preschooler, simply read the situation aloud and have the preschooler role-play the solution. If two preschoolers are playing, switch roles between rounds so each has a chance to explore emotions and find happy solutions. Split groups into pairs and let each preschooler have a chance to play both roles.