My Hands Can Say
Help your child express how they are feeling using hand gestures.
Watch:
My Hands Can Say
Setup
0 minutes
Time required
5-10 minutes
Materials
None
How to Play
Talk to your child about times she has felt different emotions or temperatures (i.e., hot, cold, angry, scared, or happy). Ask your child to show you, using only their hands, how they would express the following: Hello! - Come here - Go away - Naughty, naughty - I’m hot - I’m scared - Stop - I’m angry - I’m cold - Goodbye – Yay!
Some Tips
After your child does the movement, encourage them to then describe their movement for each emotion or expression: “I wave my hand to say goodbye.” “I wrap my arms around me when I’m cold.” Use this activity as an opportunity to discuss more challenging emotions, such as anger and fear. This can help your child to learn express a range of feelings.
Make it Easier
Start with simple emotions like happy, sad, sleepy, or hot.
Make it Harder
Use more complicated emotions such as confused, embarrassed, disgusted, or surprised.
Reference
Adapted from https://www.bestbeginningsalaska.org/wp-content/uploads/ela_myhandscansay.pdf
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