Feelings/emotions are our emotional state or our response to something. Understanding feelings helps us manage different situations and look after ourselves. Feelings and emotions are in our thoughts and our bodies.

Warning signs are indicators that something may be unsafe. They can manifest physically, emotionally or in the external environment.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise, understand, manage, and effectively navigate emotions of self and others.

It is important for students to understand their feelings, recognise warning signs and know how to seek help when needed to support their safety.

Feelings with a child safety focus – feelings are explored across the KS:CPC with an emphasis on child safety and recognising potentially unsafe situations. In addition, emotional literacy supports students learning to build respectful relationships.

How warning signs work together – learning about physical and emotional indicators must be combined with external indicators, to counter the misconception that ‘if something feels good, it must be good’.

Examples of warning signs include:

• emotional indicators – nervous, scared, worried, afraid, shaking, crying, confused, helpless, panicked, tense, sad and threatened
• physical indicators – racing heart, feeling hot or cold, shaking, upset tummy or butterflies, goosebumps, sweaty palms, feeling sick and frozen
• external indicators – people running, flashing signs, sirens, body language, facial expressions, safety barriers and smoke.

Seeking support – recognising and expressing feelings supports effective help-seeking from a trusted source.

Categorise feelings – as comfortable or uncomfortable, rather than good or bad as it helps students:

• accept that all feelings are valid and natural experiences
• understand that all feelings have purpose and listening to them can help support their safety
• remove judgment from various feelings and emotions
• build emotional resilience.

Strengths based approach – encourage strength-based language such as, ‘I feel…’ rather than ‘You make me feel…’ this supports healthy communication, reduces blame and conflict and promotes empathy and understanding.

Educator tips

• Students need to understand their feelings and how they relate to warning signs and potentially unsafe situations. Use vocabulary and images to enhance emotional literacy and encourage students to discuss their feelings.
• Some students, such as those with disability, experiencing trauma, or who have been abused, may not experience warning signs, or may experience them in different ways. Provide opportunities for learning about indicators of external warning signs, such as observing the behaviour of others, body language and movement, sounds (eg sirens, loud voices), or signs.
• Disability and additional needs – Identifying and expressing feelings for some children with disability may be extremely difficult. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder often have difficulty recognising and expressing their feelings appropriately. Children with severe communication difficulties may find it difficult to tell others what they have experienced, are thinking and feeling.
• Aboriginal children and young people – Aboriginal definitions of shame or ‘shame job’ may differ from Western definitions (based mainly on negative aspects). Elders may utilise shame as a means of discipline or teaching humility. Aboriginal children and young people may not feel comfortable discussing shame with non-Aboriginal people. Consult with Aboriginal support workers and/or community Elders for further information.

Educator tips – Early years

• Support children to understand the common qualities of a trusted person, recognise their feelings and warning signs when trust is broken and know what to do about it. The common qualities of a trusted person can change and should only be used as a guide, not a checklist. The common qualities of an untrustworthy person can be quite powerful in assessing when trust is broken.
• Build trusting relationships with children through their interactions, achievements, feelings and emotions, conversations, social and physical environments and play.
• Children need to understand their feelings and how they relate to warning signs and potentially unsafe situations. Use vocabulary and images to enhance emotional literacy and encourage children to discuss their feelings.
• Some children, such as those with disability, experiencing trauma, or who have been abused, may not experience warning signs, or may experience them in different ways. Provide opportunities for learning about indicators of external warning signs, such as observing the behaviour of others, body language and movement, sounds (eg sirens, loud voices), or signs.
• Feelings and emotions can be explored through play and communication using facial expressions and body language, laughing, frowning, crying and more. Focus on the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language developmental milestones to observe and foster feelings and emotions.
• Feelings, emotions, body signals and messages contribute to children understanding and recognising their warning signs when they feel unsafe. This is through self-awareness, intuition or knowing when something doesn’t feel right, body cues or physical indicators and behavioural changes or actions.
• Some children don’t present the same warning signs as others and some children don’t have warning signs. Children who have been neglected or traumatised by abuse, war or domestic and family violence may be desensitised to warning signs. Some children are unable to read facial expressions, body language or understand the intentions of others. Using other strategies such as external indicators, visuals and communication devices may support their understanding.
• Children may have difficulty understanding and reading body language and may need explicit teaching about how facial expressions and body language convey feelings and emotions.
• Teaching children to recognise body language helps them to understand feelings further and practise nonverbal communication.
• For very young children who feel unsafe, scared or distressed, look for warning signs such as a change in their behaviour, emotions or appearance.
• Body language cues how the child feels, what they may need and if they are tired or uncomfortable.

Using non-verbal communication, such as smiling, eye contact, facial expressions, body language and tone of voice, fosters positive relationships.

• Co-regulation is a transitional process between being regulated by others and self-regulation (Robson and Zachariou 2022). ‘Self-regulation is the ability to manage energy states, emotions, behaviour and attention; the ability to return to a balanced, calm and constant state of being. Self-regulation is a key factor for mental health, wellbeing and learning.’ (AGDE 2022:68) Provide opportunities for children to recognise various emotions in themselves and others. Encourage them to talk about negative emotions or potentially unsafe behaviours (AGDE 2022).

Al-Ghani KI (2022) The Red Beast: Helping children on the Autism Spectrum to cope with angry feelings, 2nd edition, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London

Andreae G (2019) Giraffes can’t dance, 20th anniversary edition, Orchard Books

Coping with emotions – ages 13-17 (Kids Helpline)

Developmental milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards (Australian Government 2015).

Difference between emotions and feelings (Epediaa)

Emotions and play: babies (Raising Children Network)

Feelings & Emotions Cards

Fox M (1994) Tough Boris, Harcourt Brace & Co, New York

Girls Can Boys Can: Feelings cards

Hills T (2009) Duck & Goose: How are you feeling? Schwartz & Wade, New York

In focus: Understanding children’s emotions and behaviour (Emerging minds)

Innovative Resources: Card sets

KS:CPC Feelings vocabulary (Department for Education SA)

Maguire N (2020) My body sends a signal: Helping kids recognize emotions and express feelings, Natalia Magvayr

Parker L (2022) Wiggles, stomps and squeezes calm my jitters down, Boutique of Quality Books

Sanders J (2018) Talking about feelings: A book to assist adults in helping children unpack, understand, and manage their feelings and emotions, Educate2Empower Publishing

Sanders J (2021) Feelings: Understanding different feelings and emotions, UpLoad Publishing Pty Ltd

Sanders J (2024) My body safety rules: Educating and empowering children with disability about body boundaries, consent and body safety skills, UpLoad Publishing Pty Ltd

Talking about feelings – ages 5-12 (Kids Helpline)

Vail R (2002) Sometimes I’m Bombaloo, Scholastic Press, Singapore

What happens inside our bodies when we feel things? (Australian Childhood Foundation)

Willis J (2003) Misery Moo, Henry Holt & Co, New York.

Witek J (2014) In my heart: A book of feelings, Abrams Appleseed

Australian Government Department of Education (AGDE) (2022) Belonging, being and becoming: the early years learning framework for Australia (V2.0), Australian Government

Department of Education for the Ministerial Council Robson S and Zachariou A (2022) Self-regulation in the early years, Learning Matters Ltd