How to Teach Your Preschool Child to Identify and Express Their Emotions
- haguringlhen
- Oct 8, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 17
At Genesis Childcare 1989, we believe that emotional development is just as important as intellectual growth. From our Tampines infant care to our Tampines preschool and Tampines nursery programs, we place great emphasis on helping young children understand, identify, and express their emotions in healthy ways. Emotional intelligence forms the foundation of lifelong well-being — it helps children navigate relationships, manage stress, and approach challenges with resilience.
For many parents, understanding how to guide their child’s emotional development can feel overwhelming. However, the early years are the perfect time to start. Preschoolers, in particular, are at an age where they are learning to interpret their feelings and the emotions of those around them. With the right guidance and nurturing environment — such as the one offered at
Genesis Childcare 1989 — children can learn to manage emotions confidently and empathetically.
Below are five strategies that our educators use, and that parents can apply at home, to help preschoolers identify and express their emotions effectively.
1. Naming Feelings: Giving Emotions Words and Meaning
The first step toward emotional literacy is naming emotions. At our Tampines preschool, teachers frequently use everyday moments as opportunities to help children recognize and label their feelings. For instance, if a child looks disappointed after playtime ends, a teacher might say, “It looks like you’re feeling sad because it’s time to stop playing.”
By labeling emotions such as happy, angry, scared, or frustrated, children begin to associate words with their internal experiences. This helps them understand what they are feeling instead of being overwhelmed by those emotions. Over time, children who can name their emotions can also communicate their needs more effectively — a key skill for building strong friendships and resolving conflicts peacefully.
At Genesis Childcare 1989, this practice begins as early as our Tampines infant care program. Even for infants, caregivers use a warm and gentle tone to describe feelings: “You’re smiling, you must be happy!” or “You’re crying because you’re hungry.” As children progress through our Tampines nursery and preschool programs, this emotional vocabulary grows richer and more nuanced, allowing them to express themselves with confidence.
2. Expressing Feelings Through Play and Music
Children learn best through play — and music is one of the most powerful ways to teach them about emotions. At Genesis Childcare 1989, we often adapt familiar songs, such as “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” to explore a wider range of emotions.
For example, we might sing:
“If you’re angry and you know it, stomp your feet.”
“If you’re tired and you know it, stretch your arms.”
“If you’re sad and you know it, give a hug.”
Through these fun activities, children learn that emotions can be expressed in many ways — through body language, facial expressions, and actions. These musical games also teach children that emotions are natural and acceptable. Rather than suppressing their feelings, they learn positive ways to release them.
Play-based emotional learning is a cornerstone of our approach at the Tampines preschool branch of Genesis Childcare 1989. Teachers use dance, storytelling, art, and dramatic play to create safe spaces where children can explore different emotions, experiment with expression, and learn empathy in an enjoyable, age-appropriate way.
3. Using Stories to Understand Emotions
Children love listening to stories — especially when they recognize themselves in the characters. At Genesis Childcare 1989, our educators use storytelling to help children make sense of their experiences and emotions.
For instance, if a child was nervous during a class performance, a teacher might later say, “Remember when you felt nervous before going on stage? That’s completely normal! And afterward, you were so proud because you did it.” By reflecting on these moments, children learn that emotions are temporary and that it’s okay to feel multiple emotions in one situation.
Parents can continue this practice at home by talking about everyday experiences. Recounting stories from the child’s own life helps them process their feelings and recognize that emotions — whether joy, fear, anger, or sadness — are all part of being human.
Our Tampines child care and Tampines nursery programs are built on a similar philosophy. Teachers encourage children to talk about their day, share how they felt during certain activities, and celebrate the emotional growth that comes from these reflections. This practice not only builds emotional intelligence but also enhances language and communication skills.
4. Encouraging Empathy: Understanding the Feelings of Others
Empathy — the ability to understand and share the feelings of others — is one of the most valuable life skills a child can learn. At Genesis Childcare 1989, we integrate empathy-building exercises into everyday activities. When reading picture books, for instance, teachers ask questions like, “Why do you think the character looks sad?” or “How would you feel if that happened to you?”
By prompting children to think about others’ emotions, we help them develop perspective and kindness. These conversations are gentle introductions to the concept that everyone experiences emotions differently — and that our actions can affect how others feel.
This focus on empathy extends beyond structured lessons. During playtime, for example, if one child accidentally knocks over another’s block tower, teachers guide the situation by saying, “Look, your friend seems upset that their tower fell. What can we do to help?” These interactions encourage children to comfort others and practice compassion in real-life contexts.
Our Tampines preschool and Tampines child care educators are trained to nurture empathy naturally through daily interactions, helping every child build strong social and emotional bonds that support healthy relationships in the future.
5. Reading Books About Emotions Together
Books are a wonderful tool for helping children explore feelings in a safe and engaging way. At Genesis Childcare 1989, story time is more than just reading — it’s an interactive experience that encourages discussion about emotions.
We select stories such as The Feelings Book by Todd Parr or When Sophie Gets Angry — Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang, which portray characters dealing with different emotions. As we read, teachers pause to ask questions like, “How do you think Sophie feels right now?” or “What do you do when you feel angry?” These discussions help children connect the characters’ experiences to their own lives.
Parents can adopt this practice at home by reading with their children regularly. Discussing the emotions of characters not only boosts comprehension but also encourages children to express their own feelings openly and safely.
Our Tampines nursery and Tampines infant care programs also use picture books and sensory storytelling to introduce emotional concepts from an early age. Even simple board books with expressive faces can help infants and toddlers recognize emotions like happiness, sadness, or surprise.
Developing the Skills to Identify and Express Emotions for Lifelong Emotional Intelligence
At Genesis Childcare 1989, we understand that emotional growth underpins every other area of development. A child who can understand and express their emotions is better equipped to learn, communicate, and form positive relationships. That’s why our curriculum across all levels — from Tampines infant care and Tampines nursery to Tampines child care and Tampines preschool — integrates emotional learning into daily routines.
Our teachers use a nurturing, play-based approach that combines structured activities with organic opportunities for emotional exploration. Whether it’s through music, art, storytelling, or group play, every moment is designed to help children recognize their feelings and respond with empathy and self-awareness.
When children feel safe, understood, and supported — as they do at Genesis Childcare 1989 — they grow into confident, emotionally intelligent individuals who can navigate the world with compassion and resilience.
Why Choose Genesis Childcare 1989 in Tampines?
With decades of experience in early childhood education, Genesis Childcare 1989 has established itself as a trusted choice for families seeking quality Tampines child care, Tampines preschool, Tampines nursery, and Tampines infant care programs.
Our educators are passionate about nurturing the whole child — mind, body, and heart — ensuring that every child feels valued and understood.
By focusing on emotional development alongside academic learning, Genesis Childcare 1989 helps children build the confidence and empathy they need to thrive in school and beyond. Because when children understand their emotions, they understand themselves — and that’s the first step toward a happy, successful future.
What matters most to parents? Our most-read articles:
Reading & talking to infants
Playgrounds in Singapore
Must-have child products
Changing diapers
Unforgettable moments
Family-friendly things to do
Angry child
Stop baby from crying
Genesis Tampines Childcare 1989 is one of the best preschool and childcare in Tampines. Our Preschool Tampines have over 30 years of experience in nurturing thousands of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. At our Tampines Childcare, we advocate that every child is unique and precious who needs to be loved and cherished.
As a leading early childhood center in Singapore since 1989, we are committed to nurturing our early learners holistically through various learning areas and positive learning dispositions. We place a strong emphasis on the way our teachers facilitate and interact with the children.
Our Childcare Tampines believe that every child is unique and precious who needs to be loved and cherished. Hence, our holistic curriculum aims to create meaningful learning experiences for each and every one of them!
Our Playgroup Tampines provides parents with the confidence that their children are in the good hands of our trained and caring teachers.
Our professional team of preschool teachers has a good understanding of child development and learning principles. We apply them efficiently and set the stage to create a meaningful learning experience that supports your child's discovery.
We consistently create a positive and cozy environment that will give your child a sense of security which builds their self-confidence to explore the world around them.
If you are looking for a good Tampines infant care or Tampines preschool or Tampines childcare near Tampines Central, do consider Nurture Infant House or Genesis Childcare 1989.
Located alongside our childcare in Tampines is our Nurture Infant House. If you are looking for Tampines infant care or infant care in Tampines, do visit Nurture Infant House. It is for infants aged 2 months to 18 months old. You can learn more about our infant care Tampines here.
Lastly, would you like to visit our Genesis Childcare 1989 to find out more about our environment and setup as well as understand our operations by talking to our teachers and supervisor?
Genesis Childcare 1989 (Playgroup to Kindergarten 2)
Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-63/65 S(520433)
Nurture Infant House (2 to 18 months Infants)
Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-61 S(520433)
Opening hours: Monday to Friday (7am to 7pm) & Saturday (7am to 2pm)
Public Bus services: 8 / 21 / 28 / 29 / 293
Tel: 96664141
Comments