Feelings Faces
Parent names emotions using facial expressions, pictures, or a mirror. The agent coaches the parent to observe the toddler's ability to recognise, name, and connect emotions to experiences — building early emotional literacy and contemplative self-awareness.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Mirror or reflective surface. Optional: pictures of faces showing happy, sad, angry, surprised. Parent and child facing each other.
How it works
- 1~25s
Make a big happy face — huge smile, bright eyes — and say 'Happy! I'm happy!' Hold it for a moment. Then make a sad face — pouty lip, drooping eyes — and say 'Sad. I'm sad.' Do both a couple of times. you, does your child react differently to each face? Does they smile at your happy face or look concerned at your sad face?
Watch for: Child shows differential responses to happy and sad faces, indicating emotion recognition.
- 2~25s
Now try connecting feelings to your child's own experiences. Ask: 'your child, when you get a cuddle, how do you feel?' Make a happy face. 'When your toy breaks, how do you feel?' Make a sad face. Does your child point to or name the feeling? Can they connect the emotion to the experience?
Watch for: Child connects emotions to personal experiences, showing contemplative self-awareness.
- 3~25s
For our last activity, use the mirror. Hold it up so your child can see their own face. Ask your child to make a happy face, then a sad face, then a surprised face ('big eyes, big mouth!'). Can your child change their own expression on purpose? This is emotional self-regulation through awareness.
Watch for: Child can produce different facial expressions on request, showing emotional vocabulary and body awareness.