Simple Ways to Teach a Child to Express Their Emotions

Why Emotional Expression Matters for Children Aged 6 to 12

As a parent, you’ve likely experienced those moments when your child shuts down after a tough day at school or lashes out over something seemingly small. It’s not always easy to decode what’s really behind your child’s behavior, especially when they can’t quite put their feelings into words. But helping children recognize and express emotions isn’t just about improving communication — it’s an essential part of their emotional development, academic performance, and overall mental well-being.

This is especially true for school-aged children (6 to 12 years old), who are developing more complex feelings but may not yet have the tools to talk about them. When kids express what’s going on inside, they’re better equipped to manage stress, navigate friendships, and concentrate in class. They’re also less prone to emotional outbursts that disrupt learning or family life.

Building the Language of Emotions at Home

Children don’t automatically know how to identify emotions like frustration, disappointment, guilt, or embarrassment. It’s something they learn — by seeing it modeled, having chances to practice, and being guided gently through it. One powerful way to do this is by building an emotional vocabulary together.

Start by using the names of emotions in your everyday conversations. Instead of reacting to behavior with labels — like saying “You’re being rude” — try saying, “You seem really frustrated. Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” Over time, this subtle shift teaches your child to recognize and label their own feelings, without shame or confusion.

Stories can also be incredibly effective in developing this emotional awareness. Listening to characters who experience a full range of feelings helps children make personal connections. Apps like iOS and Android's LISN Kids offer age-appropriate audiobooks and audio adventures where emotions are explored gently and accessibly through storytelling.

Carving Out Time to Talk — Without Forcing It

If your child seems reluctant to open up about their feelings, try shifting the conditions rather than pushing harder for answers. After-school or bedtime might not always be the best opportunities for deep emotional conversations. Instead, find pockets of time when your child is naturally more relaxed—like during a walk, building LEGO, or driving in the car.

Some children share more easily when the spotlight isn’t directly on them. For instance, you might find they open up more while you’re both engaged in an activity side by side. If you’ve ever wanted your child to tell you more about their day, check out this guide to helping your child share about their day.

Tuning into the Behavior Behind the Silence

When children don’t or can’t express emotions in words, those feelings still come out — often through behavior. School refusal, tantrums over homework, or sudden moodiness can all be signs that a child is overwhelmed or anxious but lacks the vocabulary or safety to talk about it.

Instead of focusing solely on the behavior (like the homework meltdown), pause first to wonder what emotions might be bubbling beneath the surface. Is your child worried about falling behind? Embarrassed about asking for help? Ashamed after comparing themselves to classmates?

You don’t have to solve the emotion, just create a safe space for it. Responding with curiosity — “I noticed you seem tense when we start homework. Do you think something about it is making you nervous today?” — helps children feel seen and supported rather than judged or punished.

Creating an Emotionally Supportive Home Environment

Is your home a place where feelings are welcomed and expressed freely — or shut down in the name of efficiency or calm? Children thrive when they know that all feelings (not just the happy ones) are valid, and that their emotional world matters.

Here are a few ways to make your home a space that nurtures emotional fluency:

• Model emotional expression: Share your own feelings calmly and constructively — whether it’s anger, stress, or joy. This gives children a framework for doing the same.
• Use books, music, and stories: Shared experiences through narratives help kids see emotions in action and connect them to their own lives. LISN Kids offers audio content that facilitates these moments naturally.
• Create emotional check-in rituals: At dinner or bedtime, ask “What was one feeling you had today?” Helping your child pause and reflect normalizes emotional awareness.

To go deeper on this approach, take a look at our article on creating a home environment that encourages open communication.

Making Emotional Learning a Daily Practice

Just like reading or multiplication, learning to express emotions takes daily practice. It doesn’t have to feel like another task on your plate. Instead, think of it as part of the heartbeat of your parenting — a way to connect more deeply with your child and help them know: “How you feel is important, and I’m here for you.”

Even turning everyday moments into small games — like naming emotions with facial expressions or guessing what a character in a story is feeling — can build this skill overtime. For inspiration, this article on making learning new words a fun game shows how language and emotion go hand-in-hand.

In the end, teaching emotional expression isn’t about fixing your child’s feelings or avoiding difficult moments. It's about giving them the lifelong tool of self-awareness. And that tool? It starts with a simple habit: listening, with compassion.