Using drawing to help children identify and understand their feelings

Superheroes- When students have a fear, ask them to create a superhero that can help fight that fear with them. Their superhero can have special powers, a super hero name and a special costume.

Worry Warrior- Create an imaginary creature or contraption to help gobble up their worries. You can use craft materials to make it, like boxes, to make it. Students can give it eyes, arms and legs and cut a mouth out of the box to put their worries in. Students feed their worry warrior with their worries. 

Colour my life- Give students a blank sheet of paper and a selection of coloured pencils or crayons. On one side of the paper, make a ‘key’ where students pick one colour to represent the different feelings they’ve had in their lifetimes (younger students may need a list of basic feelings to help them). The other side of the paper represents their life. Since we have feelings all the time, students have to fill up the entire paper, creating an abstract design using the colours they have chosen. They need to use all the colours from the key in whatever proportion they have felt in their life. 

Happy brain Worry brain- Draw two heads side by side onto a sheet of paper. Have students draw or collage the things that make them happy in the ‘happy brain’ and things they worry about in the ‘worry brain’.

Bubble Drawing- Ask students to draw a picture of themselves on a sheet of paper and then draw a bubble around their image. Ask them to write out all the things they feel they cannot control outside of the bubble. Then have them write all of the things they do have control over inside the bubble. Work with students to come up with a list of things they have some or full control of in their life. Their goal is to fill up the inside bubble and then ask students to focus on improving what’s in their control. Ask them what actions can take to influence the things inside the bubble. 

Mindfulness drawing- Gather blank paper, drawing materials and any favourite craft materials. Tape the paper to the desk. Students need to close their eyes. Ask students to check in with themselves and notice how their feelings feel in their body. Next, ask students to open their eyes and choose a coloured pencil. Close your eyes again and draw a continuous squiggle without lifting the pencil from the paper. Ask students to imagine the feeling expressing itself on the page. Students stop when the movement or expression feels complete. Students can also use their non-dominant hand if they want. Next, ask students to look at the squiggle they made and turn the paper side to side until they see an image emerge. Using other colours or materials, ask students to create the image they saw from the squiggle.