Empowering Little Hearts

A Feelings Journal for Kids, Ages 3-5

*Release Date: October 7, 2025

A young girl exploring her emotions with a vibrant and welcoming "Feelings Journal" created for children aged 3-5.

It's always inspiring to witness young children who are articulate and empathetic, casually identifying their emotions and advocating for themselves and others. It's a powerful reminder of the potential we all have to build a more emotionally aware world.

The other day I stubbed my toe and yelped so loud, imagining my toe growing into the size of a sweet potato. It throbbed, sending pulses through my limbs and since there were kids around, I held back my deep rooted instinct to curse at the top of my lungs. As tears formed and I descended into misery, a little voice said, "That looks like it really hurt." It was my friend's four-year old daughter who was sitting at the kitchen table. She witnessed the whole thing and instantly validated my pain, guilding me toward emotional regulation. She reminded me to breathe deeply and led me on a meditation, encouraging me to imagine the pain leaving my body, like waves of the ocean going out to sea. Suddenly, I'm out of my body, in complete gratitude for this little girl and I'm also in awe of how this young girl knew how to help me overcome pain.

Now, I've known this girl her whole life. She certainly wasn't born that way. And side note, within five minutes of that exchange, this emotionally advanced little human had a full blown melt down when her mom insisted that she finish her lunch prior to joining her friends who were headed outside to play. I literally ducked as she nearly chucked her last piece of roasted eggplant at the wall.

Developing emotional regulation, like most things worthwhile and critical for our growth, takes time and energy. It's a skill that requires practice and intention and it's in constant development.

This is where journaling with Annie & Rocco comes in handy. It's designed to make this developmental process fun and engaging, providing a multi-sensory experience that leaves a lasting impression on young children. By incorporating music, illustration, and poetry, the journal helps kids build emotional literacy and creative expression.

More Than a Journal: A Multi-Sensory Approach

Part picture book, part guided journal, this resource includes:

Visual cues: Illustrations from the Feelings video help children identify and recognize different emotions.

Creative expression prompts: Space for kids to scribble, draw, and doodle their own ideas and emotional responses.

Writing practice: Tracing words associated with each emotion builds foundation literacy skills.

Identifying big feelings empowers children to express themselves and manage challenging moments. This practice builds self-acceptance and helps them develop empathy for others.

How to use the Feelings Journal with Your Preschool Child

Step 1: Discover basic emotions with Annie & Rocco.

Engage with the companion Feelings song and video. Through music and illustrations, children explore how their bodies respond to feelings like happiness, sadness, fear, and anger.

Step 2: Explore One Emotion at a Time.

Choose an emotion, like happiness, and read through the journal pages together. Follow the child's lead--the process is what matters. Encourage them to draw or scribble their feelings.

Step 3: Encourage Creative Expression

When tracing the word, praise the child's effort. Even a simple scribble is a valuable act of expression. If the child is struggling, suggest using a specific color to connect with the emotion.

Step 4: Talk About All Feelings

As you explore other emotions like sadness and fear, normalize these feelings. Talk about what scares or makes someone sad to show that all feelings are a normal part of the human experience.

Step 5: Process Post-Meltdown

After a child has calmed down from an emotional moment, use the prompts at the back of the journal. This gives a safe, non-judgmental space to identify the big feeling experienced and draw about it. This practice teaches how to process emotions constructively.