Today I'm sharing my easy The Color Monster Craft for preschool-aged kiddos!
I'm back with another entry in my book and craft series, featuring the beloved book Book + Craft Series: The Color Monster by Anna Llenas. You can find this adorable and feelings-filled children's book in bookstores or on Amazon. And today, I am sharing a simple, fun, conversation-sparking activity you can do with your child after reading the book.
I actually wasn't sure if this activity would be TOO simple, but it wasn't! She loved it and actually uses the bottles just as I had intended. We have them on display in our playroom for easy grabbing when needed. Let's get to it!
Exploring Feelings Through Creativity
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas is a fantastic children’s book that helps kids understand and express their emotions. The book uses colors to represent different feelings: happiness is yellow, sadness is blue, anger is red, fear is black, calm is green, and love is pink. It’s such a clever and visual way to introduce the concept of emotions / feelings to young children, making it easier for them to articulate how they feel.
As I read this book with my daughter, I noticed how engaged she was with the idea of associating colors with emotions. And to be honest, this sometimes OCD, organizing-makes-me-happy-and-calm mama loved the ideas of organizing emotions via color coordination!
Then when I found out The Color Monster book was the first book that her preschool class is reading this year, I knew I wanted to create an at-home activity using it. So this Color Monster craft was born... Feelings Jars.
Color Monster Craft: Making Emotion (Feelings) Jars
The idea behind the Emotion Jars is to create a physical representation of feelings using colors, similar to the book. By filling jars with different colored items, we can explore emotions in a hands-on way that makes it fun and educational. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to open up a dialogue with your child about their feelings, which is so important for emotional development.
What You’ll Need
To create your Feelings Jars, gather the following supplies:
- Six clear jars or containers (one for each emotion) - I had plastic craft jars on hand but you could easily use glass jars, reuse jam or sauce jars or even SPICE JARS are such a great size for this craft.)
- Colored poms, beads, or pieces of paper (red, blue, yellow, black, green, pink)
- Labels or stickers to write the name of each emotion
- Markers, stickers, or other decorative items for decorating the outside of the jars
- Optional: Glitter or sequins for a little extra sparkle!
How to Make Your Emotion Jars
- Prepare Your Jars: Start by washing and drying your jars thoroughly. Once they’re ready, label each jar with an emotion: happy, sad, fear, love, calm, and anger. You can use pre-made labels, or let your child write the words themselves for some added handwriting practice.
- Sort Your Colors: Next, lay out your colored items. Explain to your child that each color represents a different emotion, just like in The Color Monster. This is a great opportunity to revisit the book and discuss what each emotion means and how it feels.
- Fill the Jars: Now, the fun part! Begin filling each jar with the corresponding colored items. For every pom, bead, or piece of colored paper that goes into the jar, encourage your child to share something that makes them feel that emotion. For example, if they’re filling the yellow jar for happiness, they might say, “Playing with my dog makes me happy!” or “I feel happy when I eat ice cream.” This not only reinforces the association between color and emotion but also helps them think critically about their feelings.
- Decorate the Jars: Once all the jars are filled, it’s time to decorate! This is where creativity comes into play. Let your child use markers, stickers, glitter, or whatever they like to personalize each jar. This step is all about making the jars their own and giving them a sense of ownership over their emotions.
- Display Your Emotion Jars: Finally, find a special place in your home to display the Emotion Jars. We put ours in the playroom where they’re easy to grab whenever we need to talk about feelings. Having them visible and accessible serves as a reminder to check in with our emotions regularly.
Shopping Links:
- Book - The Color Monster Book - Amazon
- Plastic Craft Jars - Amazon
- Poms - Amazon - Amazon
- Letter Stickers - Amazon
- Stickers, Assorted - Amazon
Using the Emotion Jars
The great thing about the Emotion Jars is that they’re not just a one-time craft—they’re a tool that can be used again and again.
How We Used Them Last Night..
My husband was about to hop on an airplane for a work trip. So obviously Rosalie saw him feeling quite sad about leaving. I told her to go give daddy whatever feeling jar he was feeling and she waltzed right up to the blue sad jar and ran into the other room, "Here daddy!" And he said, "Thanks, Rosalie. I am feeling sad!" It was such a beautiful and simple representation of acknowledging someone's feelings, having clarity on what and why someone is feeling something and really being able to move on from that feeling because it was spoken out loud. Even though these feelings are in bottles, It is important to never keep the feeling of having different feelings inside! Unbottle them by sharing the jar with someone!
Anyways, it's a great craft to use again and again. Especially around the start of a new school year when a lot of big feelings can come up!
Expressing Kid's Emotions via Jars!
Whenever your child is feeling a strong emotion, encourage them to pick up the corresponding jar. Ask them to add another item to the jar and talk about why they’re feeling that way. It’s a simple yet effective way to help kids process their emotions in a healthy manner.
For example, if your child is feeling angry, they can grab the red jar and add a red pom or bead while saying, “I’m angry because my friend wouldn’t share with me.” This act of identifying and expressing their emotions can be incredibly validating for a child. It helps them understand that all feelings are okay, and it’s normal to experience a range of emotions.
This such a fun Color Monster craft for kiddos of all ages! Maybe even the adults in the room.
The Power of Emotions
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a parent is the importance of acknowledging and validating emotions, both for myself and my child. Emotions are a natural part of being human, and it’s crucial to teach our children that it’s okay to feel a wide range of emotions. By creating these Emotion Jars, we’re giving our kids the tools they need to express themselves in a healthy way.
Books like The Color Monster are fantastic resources for initiating conversations about emotions with our children. They provide a framework for understanding feelings and a jumping-off point for deeper discussions. The craft adds a tactile element that reinforces the lessons from the book, making the learning experience more memorable and impactful.
Making Emotions Fun and Accessible
What I love most about this Color Monster craft is that it takes something as complex as emotions and makes it fun and accessible for kids. It’s a playful way to explore feelings without making it feel like a chore or something scary. Emotions can be overwhelming for children, especially when they don’t have the words to express what they’re feeling. By giving them a visual and tactile way to explore these concepts, we’re making it easier for them to understand and communicate their feelings.
Tips for Encouraging Emotional Awareness
While the Emotion Jars are a fantastic tool for promoting emotional awareness, there are other ways to encourage this in your children. Here are a few tips that have worked well for us:
- Model Emotional Awareness: Kids learn a lot by observing the adults in their lives. If you’re feeling a certain way, don’t be afraid to express it in front of your child. For example, “I’m feeling a little sad today because I miss my friend.” This shows them that it’s okay to talk about feelings.
- Create a Safe Space: Make sure your child knows that it’s safe to express their emotions at home. Encourage them to share how they’re feeling without fear of judgment or punishment.
- Use Emotion Words: Incorporate emotion words into your everyday language. The more children hear these words, the more likely they are to use them to describe their own feelings.
- Read Books About Emotions: Just like The Color Monster, there are many great children’s books that address emotions. Reading these books together can help normalize feelings and spark important conversations.
- Practice Mindfulness: Simple mindfulness activities, like deep breathing or guided meditation, can help children calm down and connect with their emotions. It’s a great way to teach them self-regulation and emotional resilience.
Continuing the Journey
As I continue exploring non-recipe content, I’m excited to dive deeper into topics like emotional awareness, creativity, and parenting. There’s so much joy in discovering new ways to engage with our kids and foster their growth. I hope this post inspires you to create your own Color Monster craft - maybe even these Emotion Jars -- and have meaningful conversations with your children about their feelings.
Remember, it’s all about making learning fun and memorable. I’d love to hear how the Emotion Jars work for you and any other creative ideas you have for exploring emotions with your little ones. Let’s keep sharing and supporting each other on this journey of parenthood!
Happy crafting, everyone!
Kathy's Book + Craft Series:
- The Red Lemon by Bob Stokke - Craft: Decorating Lemon Trees
- The Color Monster by Anna Llenas - Craft: Feelings Jars
- The Color Monster by Anna Llenas - Recipe: Color Monster Cake
