50+ Emotional Vocabulary Words Every Child Should Know (By Age)
Children who can name their emotions can better manage them. But many kids are stuck with just "happy," "sad," and "mad" to describe their entire emotional world. Expanding your child's emotional vocabulary gives them the tools to express themselves more precisely—and feel more understood.
This guide provides age-appropriate feeling words to teach your child, along with tips for introducing each one effectively.
Why Emotional Vocabulary Matters
Research in developmental psychology shows that children with larger emotional vocabularies:
- Experience less frustration - They can express what they need
- Have fewer tantrums - They can communicate instead of acting out
- Build better relationships - They can express empathy more effectively
- Develop stronger emotional regulation - Naming emotions helps calm the brain
Emotional Words by Age Group
Ages 2-3: Foundation Feelings (8-10 words)
Start with basic, easily observable emotions that toddlers experience daily.
Teaching tip: Use picture books and make exaggerated facial expressions. Point out emotions in real-time: "You're smiling so big! You look happy!"
Ages 4-5: Expanding the Basics (15-20 words)
Preschoolers can understand more nuanced versions of basic emotions.
Teaching tip: Ask "How did that make you feel?" after events. Offer choices: "Are you feeling frustrated or disappointed?"
Ages 6-8: Developing Nuance (25-30 words)
Early elementary kids can distinguish between similar emotions and understand context.
Teaching tip: Discuss characters' feelings in books and movies. Help them identify physical sensations: "Where do you feel that worry in your body?"
Ages 9-12: Complex Emotions (40+ words)
Pre-teens can handle complex, abstract emotions and mixed feelings.
Teaching tip: Discuss mixed emotions—feeling happy and sad at the same time. Encourage journaling about feelings.
How to Introduce New Feeling Words
1. Catch Them in the Moment
The best time to teach a feeling word is when your child is experiencing it. "I notice you're pacing and can't sit still. That feeling might be called 'anxious' or 'restless.'"
2. Share Your Own Feelings
Model using specific emotional vocabulary yourself: "I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now because I have so much to do. I'm going to take a short break."
3. Use Books and Stories
Children's books are excellent for introducing emotions in a safe context. Pause during reading: "Look at her face. How do you think she feels? She might be feeling embarrassed."
4. Create an Emotion Word Wall
Keep a visual list of feeling words in your home. Add new words as your child learns them. Refer to it during conversations.
5. Play Emotion Games
- Emotion charades - Act out feelings for others to guess
- Feeling faces - Draw faces showing different emotions
- Story emotions - Make up scenarios and discuss how characters might feel
Learn Emotions Together
Hearthset provides curated emotional vocabulary tracks with guided activities to help your child learn to name and express their feelings.
Try Hearthset FreeEmotion Categories to Teach
Help children understand that emotions often fall into families:
The Happiness Family
Happy → Glad → Joyful → Excited → Thrilled → Ecstatic
Each word represents a stronger version of happiness
The Sadness Family
Disappointed → Sad → Unhappy → Gloomy → Miserable → Devastated
The Anger Family
Annoyed → Irritated → Frustrated → Angry → Furious → Enraged
The Fear Family
Unsure → Nervous → Worried → Anxious → Scared → Terrified
Quick Reference: 50 Essential Feeling Words
Here's a printable list of the most important emotional vocabulary words for children:
Start Small, Build Gradually
Don't try to teach all these words at once. Focus on one or two new emotion words per week. The goal is for your child to truly understand and use these words, not just memorize them.
When children can accurately name their emotions, they gain power over them. That's a gift that will serve them for life.