What Feelings Are In Your Heart: An Art Therapy Exercise for Kids

Art therapy offers a powerful extension to traditional talk therapy by enabling individuals to express and explore their emotions through visual means. This approach is particularly effective for children, who might find it challenging to articulate their feelings with words alone. One of my favorite tools for working with children is the “Feelings Heart” worksheet. This exercise not only helps kids develop a richer emotional vocabulary but also encourages healthy emotional expression and self-awareness. In this blog post, I’ll delve into how the “Feelings Heart” worksheet can be used effectively, including its benefits, implementation, and ways to track progress.

The Concept Behind the “Feelings Heart”

The “Feelings Heart” worksheet is designed to help children identify and articulate their emotions visually. It consists of a simple heart-shaped diagram that the child fills in using different colors to represent various feelings. The main objectives of this exercise are to:

1. Enhance Emotional Vocabulary: By identifying and naming emotions, children can expand their emotional vocabulary, which is crucial for effective communication and self-understanding.
2. Promote Healthy Emotional Expression: Art allows children to express their feelings in a non-verbal way, which can be especially helpful for those who find it difficult to talk about their emotions.
3. Facilitate Self-Reflection: The exercise encourages children to reflect on their emotional states and how they perceive their world at the moment.
4. Serve as an Assessment Tool: Repeating the exercise over time can provide valuable insights into a child’s emotional development and progress.

Implementing the “Feelings Heart”

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how I typically use the “Feelings Heart” worksheet with children:

1. Introduction to Emotions: Begin by explaining that everyone experiences a range of emotions and that it is perfectly normal to have these feelings. Emphasize that there are no right or wrong ways to complete the exercise. This helps to create a safe and non-judgmental space for expression.
2. Brainstorming Emotions: Collaborate with the child to brainstorm a list of emotions they can identify. Encourage them to think about various feelings, from happiness and excitement to sadness and anger. To help broaden their emotional vocabulary, introduce additional emotions that might not immediately come to mind, such as frustration, jealousy, or relief.
3. Modeling the Exercise: If a child is particularly hesitant or unsure about how to begin, consider doing a “Feelings Heart” alongside them. You can also involve a parent or guardian to model the process. Seeing an example can make the activity feel more approachable and less intimidating.
4. Color Selection: Provide the child with crayons, colored pencils, or markers. Ask them to choose colors that they associate with different emotions. For example, they might use red for anger, blue for sadness, or yellow for happiness. Explain that they should color in portions of the heart according to how much they are feeling each emotion at that moment.
5. Filling Out the Worksheet: Once the child has chosen their colors, they should fill in their heart diagram to reflect the intensity of their feelings. They might color in a larger portion of the heart with one color if they are feeling that emotion strongly or use a smaller amount if it is less prominent.
6. Discussion and Reflection: After the worksheet is completed, use it as a conversation starter. Ask the child to explain their choices and what they represent. This dialogue can provide insights into their current emotional state and help them articulate their feelings more clearly.

According to Artherapyjournal.org which states, “While children can often benefit from therapy, especially if they have mental health problems or disabilities, they may find it scary or difficult to properly express themselves in a clinical setting. This is particularly true for young children who generally have limited vocabularies and those that don’t speak the primary language in the country where they live. In addition to or in lieu of standard therapy methods, kids can use art to communicating their thoughts and feelings to the adults who want to help them deal with their life challenges.

Art therapy is a psychotherapy wherein patients use art in varying ways. The most common way is to escape from the stress of illness or disability. It is also used as a symbolic language. With the help of the therapist, the child deciphers the meaning of the picture and discusses the underlying issues that inspired the artwork. No matter how it is used, art therapy can be a creative outlet for children struggling with the circumstances of their lives.”

Using the “Feelings Heart” in Family Sessions

The “Feelings Heart” worksheet can also be a valuable tool in family therapy sessions. It provides a visual way for family members to share and understand each other’s emotions. Here’s how it can be incorporated:

1. Family Reflection: Have each family member complete their own “Feelings Heart” worksheet. This allows everyone to see how different emotions are experienced within the family unit and can foster greater empathy and understanding.
2. Facilitating Communication: Use the completed worksheets as a basis for discussion. Each family member can share their feelings and the reasons behind their color choices, which can help open up lines of communication and address any underlying issues.
3. Tracking Progress: Repeating the “Feelings Heart” exercise periodically can help track emotional changes and progress over time. This can be particularly useful in assessing how family dynamics and individual emotional states evolve.

Benefits and Insights

The “Feelings Heart” worksheet offers several benefits for both individual and family therapy. For children, it can:

• Reduce Anxiety: Art-based activities can be less intimidating than verbal discussions, making it easier for children to express difficult emotions.
• Build Emotional Awareness: By identifying and labeling their feelings, children can develop a better understanding of their emotional landscape.
• Strengthen Relationships: In family settings, it promotes open communication and can improve relationships by increasing empathy and understanding.

The “Feelings Heart” worksheet is a versatile and effective tool in art therapy that supports emotional development and communication. By helping children and families explore and articulate their emotions visually, it fosters a deeper understanding of oneself and others, paving the way for healthier emotional expression and stronger relationships.