Emotion Detective
Parent and child look at pictures of people showing different emotions, discussing facial expressions and personal experiences. The agent coaches the parent to observe how the child identifies emotions in others, connects expressions to feelings, and shares personal emotional experiences — building emotional intelligence and empathy.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Parent and child sitting comfortably together with clear view of pictures. Need 4-6 pictures showing different emotions (happy, sad, angry, scared, surprised, etc.). Pictures should show faces clearly. No other materials needed.
How it works
- 1~30s
Start by showing your child the first picture — choose one with a strong, clear emotion like happiness or anger. Point to the person's face and ask, 'What is this person feeling?' Give your child time to look closely at the facial expression. Watch how they examines the picture — does your child focus on the eyes, mouth, or whole face? Does they name the emotion confidently or hesitantly? Tell me what you notice.
Watch for: Child correctly identifies basic emotions in pictures by naming them (happy, sad, angry, scared, etc.).
- 2~40s
Now show another picture — maybe one showing sadness or surprise. This time, ask more detailed questions: 'What in their face tells you they feel that way?' or 'Can you make that same face?' Encourage your child to mimic the expression. Watch how they connects the facial features to the emotion — does your child notice the eyebrows, mouth shape, or eye expression? Does their own facial imitation match the picture?
Watch for: Child connects specific facial features to emotions and can imitate expressions accurately.
- 3~45s
Now choose a picture that might connect to your child's own life — maybe excitement or frustration. Ask, 'Have you ever felt like this? When? What happened?' Give your child time to recall a memory. Listen for whether they shares a specific incident or general feeling. Does your child understand that the same emotion can happen in different situations? This builds emotional self-awareness and empathy.
Watch for: Child shares personal experiences connected to the emotion in the picture, showing emotional self-awareness.