My Feelings Finder

A kid-friendly guide to naming emotions

GeneralInfographicFree ResourceLast reviewed April 2026

My Feelings Finder

A kid-friendly guide to naming emotions

My Feelings Finder

A kid-friendly guide to naming emotions

Everyone has feelings, and every feeling has a name. When you can name exactly how you feel, it becomes easier to talk about it and figure out what to do next. This guide shows big feelings on the outside and smaller, more specific feelings on the inside -- like zooming in on a map to find exactly where you are.

Happy

That warm, good feeling inside. You might feel excited (like before a birthday party), proud (like when you finish something hard), grateful (like when someone does something nice for you), calm (like when you feel safe and relaxed), or silly (like when you are laughing with friends).

Sad

That heavy, slow feeling. You might feel lonely (like when you have no one to play with), disappointed (like when something you hoped for does not happen), hurt (like when someone says something mean), or left out (like when others do not include you).

Angry

That hot, tight feeling. You might feel frustrated (like when something is really hard and is not working), annoyed (like when someone keeps bothering you), jealous (like when someone else gets what you wanted), or grumpy (like when everything seems to go wrong).

Scared

That jumpy, shaky feeling. You might feel worried (like when you think about something bad that might happen), nervous (like before a test), shy (like when you meet new people), or unsure (like when you do not know what to expect).

Surprised

That sudden, unexpected feeling. You might feel amazed (like when you see something really cool), confused (like when you do not understand something), or shocked (like when something you never expected happens).

Disgusted

That yucky, push-away feeling. You might feel grossed out (like when you see or smell something bad), or bothered (like when something just does not feel right to you).

Tip for kids: There are no bad feelings! Every feeling is trying to tell you something important.

Try this: When you notice a feeling, point to the big feeling first, then see if one of the smaller feelings fits even better.