Happiness

• Materials: Happy Images (click here for link).
• Emotion Wheel

Happiness Activity Instructions

These child-friendly illustrations, created using AI, are designed to show actions or social interactions that express happiness and its many shades. While the characters may appear simply joyful or excited, the goal of this activity is to help children explore the deeper context of those emotions and practice putting them into words.

Exploring Core Emotions Under Happiness
In this level, children are encouraged to identify and differ between basic feelings related to happiness, helping build comfort with emotional language.

• Playful – Feeling free and full of energy, like you’re ready to giggle or be silly.
• Content – A state of quiet happiness, when you feel peaceful and enough.
• Interested – Happiness that wakes up your mind and sparks curiosity.
• Proud – Standing tall inside, smiling because you did something brave or kind.
• Accepted – Feeling like you belong and are safe with others.
• Powerful – Feeling strong and able to do hard things.
• Peaceful – Calm and quiet inside, with no worries.
• Trusting – Believing others and feeling safe with them.
• Optimistic – Believing food things are going to happen, like future-happiness.

Granular Emotions Under Happiness
In this more advanced level, children are guided to use more specific and nuanced vocabulary to describe emotional experiences. Use the emotion wheel to help them explore and expand their vocabulary.

• Playful
  • Cheeky – Mischievous and being silly.
  • Ecstatic – Explosive and intense.
• Content
  • Free – Light, open, and independent.
  • Joyful – Bright and bubbly.
• Interested
  • Curious – Natural and spontaneous.
  • Inquisitive – Focused and thoughtful.
• Proud
  • Successful – “I did it!”
  • Confident – “I can do this!”
• Accepted
  • Respected – Admired for your character, strength, and wisdom.
  • Valued – Feeling loved, appreciated, or needed.
• Powerful
  • Courageous – Doing what’s right, even when it’s tough.
  • Creative – Using imagination and new ideas.
• Peaceful
  • Loving – Deep care and affection.
  • Thankful – Recognizing and appreciating kindness or help.
• Trusting
  • Sensitive – Being emotionally aware and gentle.
  • Intimate – Deep closeness and emotional safety.
• Optimistic
  • Hopeful – Believing something good can happen.
  • Inspired – Feeling moved to do something.

💬 How to Guide the Conversation

1. What emotions are the characters feeling?
   Encourage specific words that go beyond “happy.”

Example:

Girl: Proud, relieved, appreciated

Boy: Playful, cheerful, included

2. What do you think led them to feel this way? What “triggered” this emotion?
   Ask children to imagine what happened before the moment shown in the picture.

“Was there a celebration? Did someone do something kind for them?”

3. What thoughts do you think the characters are having?
   Encourage empathy and perspective-taking.

“What might they be thinking right now? How did they feel just before this?”
“What do you think they’ll feel or think after this moment?”

4. What would you do or say in this moment?
   Help children explore appropriate communication and connection.

“What could someone say to keep this happiness going?”
“What words might make this moment even more special?”

5. Don’t forget the background characters!
   Ask about people in the background. What are they doing? How are they feeling? Are they supporting the emotion or missing a chance to connect?