Wellbeing and personal development
My feelings check-in
Give a child a quiet way to name a feeling, show its size, notice where it is felt and choose a possible source of support. The A4 pack includes a daily check-in, coping ideas, trusted-person prompts and a weekly reflection.
Circle a face, choose two for mixed feelings, or add your own word. There is no right or wrong answer.
Read the complete materialRead the material
Give a child a quiet way to name a feeling, show its size, notice where it is felt and choose a possible source of support. The A4 pack includes a daily check-in, coping ideas, trusted-person prompts and a weekly reflection.
Shared activity record. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
Page 1
NAME DATE LEARNING GOAL I can notice how I am feeling and find a way to show it. SUCCESS CRITERIA I can choose a word for my feeling. I can show how big my feeling is. I can pick something that helps me. 1 How am I feeling right now? Circle the face that is most like you. You can circle two if you have mixed feelings. happy calm excited worried sad angry Another word for my feeling: 2 How big is my feeling? Colour one circle. Small feelings are quiet. Big feelings fill you up. 1 tiny 2 small 3 medium 4 big 5 really big 3 Where do I feel it in my body? Colour the places where you notice your feeling. It might be your tummy, your chest, your head or your hands. IT MIGHT FEEL tight fizzy hot shaky heavy wobbly butterflies soft and still My feeling feels in my . Not sure? That is okay. Take a slow breath, close your eyes and notice. You can leave this part empty. Emotion and wellbeing check-in · A check-in, not a test PSHE AND WELLBEING AGES 5 TO 8 FEELINGS CHECK-IN My feelings check-in A quiet moment just for you. There are no right or wrong answers here. Page 1 of 3
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4 What happened? Draw or write what happened before you felt this way. It can be something big or something small. SENTENCE STARTER I feel because 5 What could help me? Tick one or two ideas you would like to try. Then try the breathing square together with your grown-up. BREATHING SQUARE Start at the dot and go up. Trace each side with your finger and count slowly to 3. Have a drink of water Small sips, slowly. Go to a quiet space Sit somewhere calm for a few minutes. Talk to a grown-up Tell someone I trust how I feel. Move my body Stretch tall, march or shake it out. Squeeze and let go Squeeze my hands tight, count to 3, then let go. My own idea 6 Who can I talk to? Write or draw people you trust. Everyone needs someone to talk to. AT SCHOOL AT HOME SOMEONE ELSE All feelings are okay. Feelings come and go, like the weather. Asking for help is a brave and clever thing to do. Emotion and wellbeing check-in · Draw, write or tell MY FEELINGS CHECK-IN PART 2 What happened, and what could help? You can draw, write, or tell a grown-up and they can write for you. MY PICTURE Breathe in Hold Breathe out Hold Page 2 of 3
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NAME WEEK BEGINNING Each day: circle a face, colour a number to show how big the feeling is, then write or draw one thing that helped. Monday happy calm excited worried sad angry HOW BIG? 1 2 3 4 5 WHAT HELPED? Tuesday happy calm excited worried sad angry HOW BIG? 1 2 3 4 5 WHAT HELPED? Wednesday happy calm excited worried sad angry HOW BIG? 1 2 3 4 5 WHAT HELPED? Thursday happy calm excited worried sad angry HOW BIG? 1 2 3 4 5 WHAT HELPED? Friday happy calm excited worried sad angry HOW BIG? 1 2 3 4 5 WHAT HELPED? 7 Looking back at my week This week I found out that helps me feel better. Emotion and wellbeing check-in · Weekly check-in, private to you and your grown-up MY FEELINGS CHECK-IN WEEKLY STRIP My week of feelings Check in once a day. Over a week you may spot what helps you most. SOMETHING THAT WENT WELL SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE HELP WITH Page 3 of 3
A teaching sequence
Name or show a feeling, choose a way it might help to respond and identify a trusted person to talk to.
Circle a face, choose two for mixed feelings, or add your own word. There is no right or wrong answer.
Read the complete materialChoose an optional feeling word
Choose one or two feeling words and a number that fits how the child feels now; skip any prompt they do not want to answer.
Would you like one word, two words or to skip this prompt?
Show or tell only if useful
Draw or write what happened, or tell a trusted adult who can write for them.
Would drawing, writing or talking privately feel comfortable?
Choose support without pressure
Choose an idea that may help and practise the breathing square together if wanted.
Which support option, if any, would you like to try?
Identify help and a private review
Identify someone the child can talk to, then use the weekly strip only if it feels helpful and private. Respect the child’s choice about talking or trying a support option and respond to any help request.
Would you like to talk or keep the weekly strip unused?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Notice whether the child can choose a feeling word or support option on their own terms. Ask: “Would you like to talk to someone or try something that may help?” Do not judge the size of a feeling or require disclosure; respond to any request for help.
Give a little support
Offer the page with a calm adult and let the child choose to point, draw, speak or leave a section blank. Use only a few coping options and ask before suggesting a breathing exercise or body-focused prompt.
Take the idea further
If the child chooses, revisit the weekly strip and identify which support they might use again. Agree a trusted-adult check-in plan without turning feelings into a score or reward.
Things to keep in mind
This is a feelings check-in, not a diagnostic or clinical tool. Keep it optional and private, explain who may see it and follow safeguarding procedures if a child needs help.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.
Ideas for using this resource
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet the creators whose teaching interests connect with this template. Find an approach to try with your class.
Grace Ong Sock Hoon
Families can face many questions during a transition, and I want conversations to keep the child’s needs at the centre.
Meet the creator
Pham Thi Linh
I look for what pupils already know, then consider which example, representation or prompt might help them take a next step.
Meet the creator
Helen Otway
I plan mixed-age cognition-and-learning support in small steps, agreeing an approach, observing the response and reviewing what to continue or adapt while keeping the shared skill visible.
Meet the creator
Julie Anstey
I prefer a concise plan that names a small number of strategies, gives staff something practical to try and leaves room to review how it went.
Meet the creatorSylvia Nkemelu
I adapt emotional-literacy activities to each referral’s purpose and share clear handovers across Key Stage 1 classrooms, helping colleagues know what was tried and what needs follow-up.
Meet the creator
Priya Patel
A predictable visual, calm instructions and clear steps can support a group, while adults adjust the activity to the purpose of the plan.
Meet the creatorMichael Ajayi
I look for ways to make a task understandable, give enough time for communication and share observations with the teacher responsible for planning.
Meet the creator
Planning List
The three-page check-in offers mixed feelings, a five-point size scale, body-location prompts and a later question about what happened. It explicitly allows the body section to remain blank and frames the activity as a check-in, not a test.
Glue Stick Club
For ages 5 to 8, the pages connect naming a feeling to choosing a possible help strategy and a trusted person. The breathing square and practical options provide a bridge from noticing to an ordinary next step.
Quietly Curious
A child may circle two feelings and leave uncertain body sensations blank; adults can preserve those options rather than demand an explanation. Read the prompts gently and let the child choose a word, drawing or other response when available.
The Curious Pencil
The five-step feeling scale and body map are reflection prompts, not clinical measures or diagnoses. Keep responses private, leave the body map optional as the page permits, and follow the school's process if a child raises a safety concern.