Children on the autism spectrum often experience intense emotions but may struggle to label, express, or regulate them. Visual tools like emotion charts provide a concrete, predictable structure to help children recognize and communicate their inner feelings.

By pairing art with emotional vocabulary, this exercise encourages:

• Self-awareness and emotional literacy
• Sensory regulation through drawing and coloring
• Parent-child bonding through shared reflection
• A safe space for children to communicate feelings they might not have words for yet

• Print the Chart
  Use the downloadable PDF. You may want to laminate it or place it in a clear sleeve for reuse with dry-erase markers.
• Introduce the Chart
  Sit with your child and explain:
  “These faces show different feelings. Sometimes we feel happy, sometimes mad, sometimes worried. Let’s explore what each feeling looks and feels like.”
• Label Together
  Go through each emotion on the chart. Say the word aloud, make the face together, and encourage your child to mimic or describe a time they felt that way.
• Color or Draw Feelings
  Invite your child to color the emotion faces or draw their own versions in the blank circles. Allow them to choose colors that match how they feel.
• Daily Check-In
  Use the chart regularly (e.g., morning or bedtime) to help your child point to or circle how they’re feeling that day. Over time, this builds emotional vocabulary and self-expression.
• Optional Extension
  Encourage your child to use stickers, emojis, or short sentences in the blank spaces to further personalize their chart.