Nurture emotional intelligence with this innovative My Feelings Sorting Mat. Designed using Montessori-inspired principles, this thoughtful sorting activity helps children identify their emotional responses to everyday items while building vocabulary, self-awareness, and perspective-taking skills.
Crafted by blending social-emotional development research with practical learning experiences, these materials create meaningful opportunities for children to explore and express their feelings in a structured, supportive way.
What’s Included:
- Colourful sorting mat with three distinct categories (Makes Me Happy, Makes Me Feel Cosy, Might Not Like)
- Diverse vocabulary cards featuring common objects and experiences
- Comprehensive teaching guide with implementation strategies
- Extension activities for continued emotional learning
- Instant digital download (PDF format)
Key Features:
- Emotional Vocabulary: Helps children connect feelings to everyday items and experiences
- Personal Preferences: Encourages recognition and expression of individual likes and dislikes
- Self-Correcting Design: Materials allow children to independently explore their feelings
- Practical Approach: Focuses on real-world items children encounter in daily life
- EQ Development: Builds emotional intelligence through concrete, hands-on activities
- Teacher/Carer Friendly: Includes detailed instructions and implementation guidance
- Complementary Resource: Works seamlessly with our ‘Level 1: Foundation’ materials
Benefits for Children:
- Develops emotional vocabulary through hands-on engagement
- Builds self-awareness and personal identity
- Enhances ability to recognise and express feelings
- Strengthens decision-making and preference formation
- Encourages understanding that feelings can differ between people
- Creates connections between emotions and everyday experiences
- Prepares for more complex emotional literacy development
Easy to Use:
- Download and print the PDF
- Cut out the sorting mat and cards
- Laminate for durability (optional, but recommended)
- Introduce the three category zones to the child
- Demonstrate sorting a few examples based on your own feelings
- Guide the child to sort the remaining cards according to their feelings
- Discuss their choices and emotional responses
- Use extension activities to reinforce learning
How to Maximise Learning:
- Keep sessions short and enjoyable (5-10 minutes)
- Begin with fewer cards and gradually increase
- Accept all emotional responses without judgment
- Celebrate self-expression and personal preferences
- Use consistent language when discussing feelings
- Discuss how feelings about items might change on different days
- Connect sorting activities to real-life emotional experiences
Ideal For Children Who:
- Are developing emotional awareness
- Are learning to identify and express preferences
- Enjoy hands-on, discussion-based activities
- Are building vocabulary around feelings
- Are beginning to understand that others may have different feelings
Perfect for the Following Learning Settings:
- Home learning environments
- Early years classrooms
- Social-emotional learning sessions
- Independent exploration
- Small group discussions
Part of a Comprehensive System:
This Feelings Sorting Mat works perfectly as a standalone resource or as an essential component in our broader learning materials. For a complete foundation in early literacy and language skills, explore our Level 1 English Language Discovery Pack which provides comprehensive resources for developing foundational skills.
