---
title: "Naming basic emotions"
description: "Name common feelings, including happy, sad, angry, scared, excited and surprised. Use facial expressions, body movements and what happened as clues, while recognising that asking the person helps us u"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/naming-basic-emotions-mt_LhkP_KKIRS
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/naming-basic-emotions-mt_LhkP_KKIRS.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Naming basic emotions

Name common feelings, including happy, sad, angry, scared, excited and surprised. Use facial expressions, body movements and what happened as clues, while recognising that asking the person helps us understand their feeling.

Subject: Personal & Social Development · Area: Emotional Literacy · Ages 5 to 7
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/naming-basic-emotions-mt_LhkP_KKIRS

## Ready when they can

- Label at least five basic emotions from pictures or real situations
- Match facial expressions to emotion words in a sorting activity
- Say 'I feel ___' using a feeling word to describe their own day

## Lesson: Naming how you feel

Happy means feeling good or pleased. Sad can mean feeling upset about a loss. Angry can mean feeling upset about something unfair. Scared means feeling afraid. Excited means looking forward to something. Surprised means something happened that you did not expect.

A smile or laugh can be a happy clue. Tight fists and a frown can be angry clues. Tears can be a sad clue, but people can cry with other feelings too. Faces and bodies give clues. They do not tell us for sure how someone feels.

*(drawing: Use the clues and the story. You can ask, 'How do you feel?')*

**Example.** Mia cannot find her toy. Her eyes are wet. You ask how she feels. Mia says, 'I feel sad. I miss my toy.' Her words help you understand the feeling.

To name your own feeling, say, 'I feel happy' or 'I feel scared.' Happy and scared are feeling words. Jump is an action word. A chair is a thing. Use a feeling word after 'I feel.'

**Recap.** Name your feeling with 'I feel ___.' Use clues to understand others, and ask how they feel.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Opens up

- [Hidden and Masked Feelings](https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/hidden-and-masked-feelings-mt_E5ju6kQSu3)
- [Feelings Change and Differ](https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/feelings-change-and-differ-mt_ggcamLzXAy)
- [Simple Calming Strategies](https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/simple-calming-strategies-mt_Iwg2diBSyW)
- [Everyday Kindness and Care](https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/everyday-kindness-and-care-mt_lAvS72LOUO)
- [Emotion Vocabulary](https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/emotion-vocabulary-mt_MOY_2Cqalz)
- [Mild to Strong Emotions](https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/mild-to-strong-emotions-mt_rymBfJmvFl)
- [How emotions feel in your body](https://lightmysky.com/learn/personal-and-social-development/how-emotions-feel-in-your-body-mt_Ytd8XC3eQr)