Pumpkin Faces and Feelings

What you need

• a big sheet of paper
• a few crayons

How to do it

1. Draw four big pumpkin faces: a happy one, a surprised one, a sleepy one and a grumpy one.
2. Look at them together and ask "which one shall we be?"
3. Pick a face and copy it together, then give that pumpkin a voice.
4. Choose another face and copy that one too.

Why it matters

Looking at a face and copying it is how they start to name feelings, and doing it as a pumpkin keeps it light and funny.

What they're learning

Naming feelings

Putting words to a happy, surprised, sleepy or grumpy face helps them understand what they and others feel.

Copying faces

Making each face with their own face builds attention and imitation.

Storytelling

Giving a pumpkin a voice and a tiny problem gets them thinking about why someone might feel a certain way.

What to look for

Watch which face they choose and what voice they give it. There is no wrong answer, and a grumpy pumpkin is fine.

A tip

Keep the drawings simple. A circle, two eyes and a mouth is plenty.

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