group- emotions kids group final*

Inside Out Of Your EmotionsKids Group Curriculum – 6 WeeksActivities for each group have been gathered from Pinterest.com. Elements based off of Disney Pixar “Inside Out” movie. Title: Kids Group

Targeted Group: ages 6-9, all genders – Impacted in some manner by interpersonal violence.

Purpose:The purpose of this curriculum is to engage and partner with participants (ages 6-9) to understand and learn healthy ways to express their emotions.Identifying, understanding and responding to the emotions of others are very important social skills for all of us to have. These skills help us to understand and develop relationships with other people.Emotion regulation means being able to think constructively about how to cope with feelings. We want children to have their feelings, but not be overwhelmed by them. We want children to understand that it is always okay to have their feelings, but to learn healthy ways to express themselves. We want children to understand how they feel about themselves and learn to have good self-esteem.This curriculum focuses more on negative emotions that one would have because the participant has been somehow impacted by interpersonal violence. These negative emotions are shown more by the people around them, in their home, and within themselves. A good understanding on these more negative emotions is crucial in their development to build resilience.

Goals:· Participants will learn to identify a variety of emotions. · Promote emotional and social competence.· Foster resilient development.

Tips For Best Use: Have the participants be familiar with the movie Inside Out. (Maybe watch on a free

day.) Have a co-leader and other helpers during group, if available.

Schedule:Week 1: What are Emotions/Feelings?Week 2: Joy/Sad. Is it okay for me to feel this way?Week 3: Anger/Disgust. What are Healthy Ways for me to express myself? Week 4: Fear/Worried. How do I feel about myself?Week 5: Anxiety/Stress. How can I empower myself? Week 6: How to Control My Emotions.

Week OneTitle: What are Emotions?Summary:Discuss with the participants a general overview of a wide range of emotions. What do they think emotions are? Is it okay for them to have different emotions? They will be introduced to a variety of emotions such as: joy, sad, anger, disgust, fear, worried, anxiety, and stress throughout all of the group sessions. This is an introductory group to emotions will get the participants open and comfortable with exploring different emotions they experience. An introductory time will take place, a discussion time, and along with an activity exploring emotions. Group participants will walk away with an understanding of the group and emotions they have. Goals/Objectives:· Define what emotions are.· Discuss the characteristics of different emotions.Materials/Supplies Needed:Glue Construction PaperEmotions Flashcards MarkersScissorsAgenda:

1. Get to know the Group2. Group Rules3. Confidentiality4. Summary of Kids Group5. Check-in6. Discussion Questions7. Activity – Emotion Flash Cards8. Closing

Session Details: Introductions

o Introduce The Group Leader(s)o Get To Know The Group:

Go around and have each participant state their: Name Favorite ice cream flavor

o Establish Group Rules Ask participants what rules they want within group. Make sure some basic rules are established:

Respect, no talking when leader is talking, do not talk over other people, etc.

o Confidentiality Cover the importance of what is being shared during group is not to be

shared with anyone else outside of group. We want to create a safe place to share our thoughts, feelings, and stories.

o Summary of Kids Group Discuss why this group is meeting. A place to learn more about the

different feelings we have, why we have them, and how we can be in charge of our emotions.

Ask if the participants know what emotions are? Give examples if needed. Emotions are something your body does to show what is going on

inside of ourselves. Ask participants if they have seen the movie Inside Out.

Can they tell what happens in the movie? What are all the emotions?

Check-ino Have each participant take a turn to talk about what happened that day in school,

how things are at home, or how they are feeling today. This is a time to have them feel free to share whatever they may want to

in a safe and encouraging environment. Discussion

o What are emotions?o Are emotions good or bad to have? Why?o How many emotions can you name?o Discuss the characteristics of different emotions.o What emotions did you feel today?

Activityo Give the children each a large piece of construction paper and emotion flashcard

templates.o Have the children cut out the emotions flashcards and glue the emotions they like

to have on one side of the paper and emotions they don’t enjoy having on the other side of the paper.

o Have the children identify times when they may feel each of the emotions and write it down under the flashcard.

o Ask children if they would like to share. Closing

o Summarize the topic, discussion, and activity.o Answer any questions the children may have.o Ask the kids how they are feeling.

Week TwoTitle: Joy/Sad(ness). Is it okay to feel the way I feel?Summary:In this session the group will discuss the emotions Joy and Sad. When are times when you feel these emotions? Ask the kids if it’s okay for them to have the emotions they feel. Why? The participants will discuss what they believe joy and sadness is, what it looks like, and when they experience these emotions. Participants will also explore two extreme ends of emotions and recognize that both emotions are okay and normal to have. This session includes team activities of acting out joyful and sad skits and a coloring sheet of Joyful and Sadness.Goals/Objectives:· Understand the concepts of Joy and Sad· Identify times when you may have those feelings.· To understand that your feelings and emotions are always okay to have.Materials/Supplies Needed:Joyful & Sadness Color SheetColoring Utensils Agenda:

1. Get to Know the Group2. Review of Group Rules/Confidentiality3. Check-in4. Summary of Session5. Discussion6. Activity:

a. Skitsb. Color Sheets (If time allows)

7. ClosingSession Details:

Introductionso Get to Know the Group:

Go around and have each participant state their: Name Favorite animal

o Review Group Rules/Confidentiality Ask if anyone remembers from last week.

o Check-in Have each participant take a turn to talk about what happened that day in

school, how things are at home, or how they are feeling today. This is a time to have them feel free to share whatever they may

want to in a safe and encouraging environment. o Summary of Session

Ask if participants know what joy is? What is being sad? Give examples if needed.

Joy – something that makes you smile and feel warm inside.

Sad – something that might make you cry or have a frown. Remind the participants that we are meeting to have a safe place to share

our emotions and learn more about them. Discussion

o Discuss the characteristics of Joy and Sad. What is joy? What does it look like? When do you have it? What is sad? What does it look like? When do you have it?

o Discuss how it’s always okay to have feelings and feel both joy and being sad. Help participants realize that they are complete opposite emotions, yet

still okay and normal to have. Activities:

o Skits: Split the children up into small groups- groups of two participants would

be ideal. Have each group come up with 2 skits.

1 skit should show a situation where someone would feel joyful. 1 skit should show a situation where someone would feel sad.

Give the groups about 10 minutes to come up with both skits. Each group will preform their skits in front of the class.

After each group preforms have one student tell what elements in the skit where joyful or sad.

Ask the group as a whole if the emotions were okay to have? o Answer should always be yes! (:

o Joyful & Sadness Coloring Sheet (If time allows) Closing

o Summarize the topic, discussion, and activity.o Answer any questions the kids may have.o Ask the kids how they are feeling.

Week Three Title: Anger/Disgust. How do we handle our emotions? Summary:Discuss with the participants the emotions of anger and disgust. Identify situations that these emotions can arise. Talk about how to recognize when these emotions are coming and how to handle them. The participants will better understand when these emotions arise and how to release them in a healthy manner. Interactive discussion time will occur along with an activity of building Legos according to what makes us angry or disgusted. Participants will learn how different methods of dealing with these negative emotions in respectful and healthy ways. Goals/Objectives:· Learn how to recognize anger and disgust. · Discuss how to be in charge over these emotions and how to react. Materials/Supplies Needed:Balloons (draw face on before) Assorted Color Legos (red, yellow, black, blue, green, white)Agenda:

1. Review Name’s of the Participants2. Review Group Rules/Confidentiality 3. Check-in4. Summary of Session5. Discussion6. Activity:

a. Anger/Disgust Legob. Anger Pledge


Introductionso Quick Review of Participants Nameso Review Group Rules/Confidentiality

Ask if a participant can tell the group. o Check-in

Have each participant take a turn to talk about what happened that day in school, how things are at home, or how they are feeling today.

o Summary of Session Ask participants if they know what the emotions of anger and disgust are.

If needed, give examples of each. Anger – something that makes you “fire up”, not happy, mad,

upset. Disgust – You cannot believe something mixed with feelings of

anger. Remind the participants that we are meeting to have a safe place to share

our emotions and learn more about them.

Discussion:o Balloon Visual

Explain that each breath into blowing the balloon up represents something that made you angry or disgusted.

When the balloon is blown up for the first time: Let it go into the air. Ask participants what happened? Explain that when we do not know how to handle our anger or

disgust it can go out of control and that is not good. Blow the balloon up a second time:

Once fully blown, slowly let air out of it. Ask participants what happened? Explain to participants that when we see that we are getting

angry/disgusted it is import to have control and handle our emotions in a respectful way.

Then ask: What makes you upset? What makes you disgusted? What are some ways to let our anger or disgust out in a good way?

Have participants tell what they can do when they are feeling this way.

o Examples: listen to music, go outside, draw, talk to parents, etc.

Activityo Angry/Disgust Lego

Give each participant a handful of different color Legos. Instruct the participants to sort their Lego by color. Each participant takes a turn and provides a response for each Lego

color piece they have. Red: Name something that makes them angry. Yellow: Explain how the anger makes them feel inside of their

body (face turns red, get hot, heart beats fast, etc.). Black: List how they might act/behave if they are angry or

disgusted (yell, hit, say something mean, run away, etc.). Blue: Name one person who they think does a good job handling

and controlling their emotions when they are angry or disgusted (mom, dad, grandma/pa, etc.).

Green: Name something that makes them disgusted. White: Explain how being disgusted makes them feel (not happy,

mad/angry, want to run away, or yell, etc.). Once answered - start to build. Show how angry/disgust can start building up and show little to none

warning signs. Point out: Once it starts to build walls are formed and no one can be let in to

help with emotions that are happening.

The higher the wall is built, the easier and faster the wall can fall and break. This is not having control or a good handle on emotions.

Ask the participants what they have learned from this activity? Have them reflect.

Learn how to let go of anger/disgust in positive ways. Remind the participants that it is okay to have the emotions of

anger and disgust, but once we have these emotions it is very important what we do next.

Teach the importance of being able to know and feel when their body is giving them warning signs of anger/disgust (face turns red, want to hit/yell/run away, cannot believe something, etc.).

Once they start to feel these warning signs in their body explain that they need to do something that will not hurt other people’s feelings.

Give some examples of healthy/nice ways to let go of anger or disgust.

o Read a book, listen to music, talk to a friend/parent/teacher, think of something happy, take deep breaths, do their favorite activity, etc.

Have each participant say what they will do when they are feeling anger or disgust.

Help give ideas if participants need it. Closing

o Summarize the topic, discussion, and activity.o Answer any questions the children may have.o Ask the kids how they are feeling and encourage positive ways to handle

anger/when feeling disgust.

Week Four

Title: Fear/Worry. How do I feel about myself? Summary:Discuss with the participants the emotions of being full of fear and worried. Identify times when the participants may feel these emotions. Talk through how to cope and handle these emotions in a positive way. In this session, participants will discuss different fears or worries and how they act and what they say when they are feeling that way. Then the main activity is the Fear/Worry Milk. This visual will show the participants how fear and worry can impact our lives as a whole. Goals/Objectives:· How to identify emotions of being fearful and worried. · Discuss how participants may feel about themselves. Materials/Supplies Needed:Dish soap PencilsPaper/plastic Bowls MilkFood coloringAgenda:

1. Review Name’s of the Participants (if needed)2. Review Group Rules/Confidentiality 3. Check-in4. Summary of Session5. Discussion6. Activity

a. Fear/Worry Milk7. Closing


o Quick Review of Participants Names (if needed)o Review Group Rules/Confidentiality



o Summary of Session Ask participants if they know what the emotions of fear and worry. If

needed, give examples of each. Fear- When you are afraid of something/someone, you do not

want to do something, it makes you scared. Worry- You cannot stop thinking about something/someone,

wondering how it will go or be, want to know what will happen. Remind the participants that we are meeting to have a safe place to share

our emotions and learn more about them. ● Discussion

○ Ask each participant to name something that they are fearful of. Why does that make them full of fear? When they are fearful, what do they do or say?

○ Ask each participant to say something that they worry/think about all the time. Why do they worry about that? When they are worried, what do they do or say?

● Activity○ Fear/Worry Milk

■ Give every two students a paper/plastic bowl with enough milk to cover the bottom of the bowl a good amount.

■ Next, have the leader(s) go around to each bowl and put 2-3 different food-coloring colors in the bowl.

● ** It is KEY to explain that each drop represents a different area of their life. Give examples when putting each drop in such as: family, friends, school, homework, pets, etc.

■ Then, the leader(s) will walk around and put a few drops of dish soap. ● **It is also KEY to explain that the dish soap drops are “fears” or

“worries” that we have. Ask the participants to describe what happens when the “fear/worry” hits the different areas of their lives.

■ Help guide participants to the conclusions that fear/worry can “mess up” all areas of life, it can make us feel all mixed up inside, it is hard to tell what area of live is what. The coloring is not in the nice circle anymore. Explain the importance of not letting fear or worry touch and mix up different areas of our lives.

■ Have participants come up with different ideas of what they can do when they start to feel fear coming in or worried about something.

● Examples: Tell a friend/parent, think about something happy, take deep breaths, etc.

■ Ask participants if they have any questions.

● Closing○ Summarize the topic, discussion, and activity.○ Answer any questions the children may have.○ Ask the kids how they are feeling.

Week FiveTitle: Anxiety/Stress. How can I empower myself?Summary:Discuss with the participants the emotions of stress and anxiety. Identify times when the participants may feel these emotions. Talk through how to cope and handle these emotions in a positive way. This session will cover different things or situations that cause stress or anxiety in our lives. The spaghetti visual well help the participants visualize what their bodies are actually doing when they are stressed or feeling anxious compared to when they are relaxed. They will also do an activity to feel it within their own bodies and discuss what are some healthy manners for dealing with these emotions. Goals/Objectives:· How to identify emotions of being confused and surprised.· Discuss how participants may feel about themselves. Materials/Supplies Needed:Spaghetti- cooked/uncookedAgenda:

1. Quick Review of Names (if needed)2. Review Group Rules/Confidentiality3. Check-in4. Summary of Session5. Discussion6. Activity- Spaghetti Visual7. Closing


o Quick Review of Participants Names (if needed)o Review Group Rules/Confidentiality



o Summary of Session Ask participants if they know what the emotions of fear and worry. If

needed, give examples of each. Anxiety- When you feel really nervous and not calm about

something, and are constantly worrying. Stress- When you are really overwhelmed with something or

cannot stop thinking about it. Remind the participants that we are meeting to have a safe place to share

our emotions and learn more about them. o Discussion

Ask participants if they have ever experienced stress. Ask if a few participants can name anything they are stressed about right now or a stressful situation they have experienced in their life.

Help guide responses if participants are having difficulty. Ask participants if they have ever experienced anxiety. Explain that

anxious is another word for anxiety. Ask if anyone is anxious about anything in their life or has ever felt that way about something.

Help guide responses if participants are having difficulty.

● Activity:○ Spaghetti Visual

■ Show the concept of the uncooked spaghetti being when we are stressed or anxious about something. When we feel stressed or anxious, our body and muscles will get tense and not flexible, just like the uncooked spaghetti.

■ The cooked spaghetti is when we are relaxed and not stressed/anxious about something. When we are relaxed, our body feels more warm, soft, and flexible – like the cooked spaghetti.

■ Give participants a piece of cooked and uncooked spaghetti for them to feel and understand close up.

■ Have the participants pretend to be the spaghetti. Instruct them to tense up like the uncooked spaghetti to show when we are stressed or anxious about something. Have them hold this position for 10 seconds. Then instruct them to “let go” to have their muscles be lose and flexible just like the cooked spaghetti when we are relaxed. Have them do this back and forth a few times.

● Make sure to highlight to the participants the difference that they feel between when they are stressed or anxious and how it feels when they are relaxed.

■ Brainstorm with participants different ideas that they do or can do when they are feeling stressed out or anxious (Go outside, take deep breaths, talk to a friend or parent, etc.).


Week SixTitle: How To Control My Emotions.Summary:Discuss the meaning of this group series on Inside Out of Your Emotions. This session is a time to reflect on all the different emotions that were discussed throughout the weeks of group. During this session we will be exploring other ways to handle and control about the emotions that we feel. In this session the participants will be taught a breathing exercise and instructed to do so when emotions are feeling overwhelming. They will also make a stress pool noodle (acting as a stress ball) to have and decorate.Goals/Objectives:· Reflect on the previous sessions of emotions.· Discuss how participants can control their emotions in the future. Materials/Supplies Needed:Pool Noodle MarkersScissors Various StickersAgenda:

1. Review of Group Rules/Confidentiality2. Check-in3. Summary of Session4. Discussion5. Activity

a. Breathing Handb. Stress Pool Noodle


Introductionso Review Group Rules/Confidentiality



o Summary of Session Tell participants that for the final session we are going to learn how to

control our emotions. Remind the participants that we are meeting to have a safe place to share

our emotions and learn more about them. o Discussion

Ask participants to reflect on what has been taught over the past 5 sessions meeting. Ask what they have learned about their emotions? What has stuck out to them? What was their favorite part?

Ask if they have any ideas on how to control their emotions? What do they do to control their emotions? (Play a game, sing a

song, go to their room, take deep breaths, etc.)

● Activity:○ Breathing Hand

■ Stretch out your hand ■ Use your pointer finger on your other hand ready to trace your

hand/fingers up and down. ■ Move up each finger slowly and slide down slowly.■ Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Do at the

same time as tracing your every finger.■ Explain to the participants that this is a way that they can use when they

are starting to feel their emotions build up inside of them. This is a health manner to control emotions that we feel. Have the participants try on their own hands for a few minutes.

○ Stress Pool Noodle■ Take a pool noodle and cut as many pieces as there are participants. Cut

the noodle sideways leaving the piece that is cut off as a circle. ■ Explain that when they are feeling different emotions they can grab the

stress noodle and squeeze it in their hand. Leader(s) show by example and have the participants try on their own. Further explain that this is a healthy manner for them to express and let go of the bad emotions that they are feeling.

■ Let the participants decorate the noodle with markers and stickers to keep.


group- emotions kids group final*

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