How Do I Feel Today? Emotion Cushions – Pack of 6

How Do I Feel Today? Emotion Cushions – Pack of 6

Make room for conversations about feelings with the How Do I Feel Today? Cushions, a pack of six soft, character-themed cushions for early years and primary settings. Each cushion measures 40 × 40 cm and features a different expressive character, giving children something they can point to, hold or choose while exploring emotions. The set brings a practical visual prompt into circle time, storytelling and individual conversations, alongside a comfortable addition to your learning space.

These emotion cushions offer an approachable starting point for adults who want to introduce feelings vocabulary through everyday interaction. A child might select a character that reminds them of a story, describe something they notice about its expression, or use a cushion to begin a conversation. Activities can be as brief or as detailed as your group needs, with plenty of space for children to interpret the pictures in their own way.

Explore expressions through observation

Start by placing two cushions where children can see them clearly. Invite the group to look closely at the characters and talk about the differences they notice. What does the mouth look like? What might the character be thinking? Which part of its expression gave them that idea? Questions like these turn the cushions into a shared focus for discussion, rather than expecting an immediate answer to a personal question.

You can return to the same characters across several sessions, introducing new descriptive words gradually. Children may offer different interpretations of an expression, creating an opportunity to listen to one another and explain their ideas. The activity need not have a single correct answer: the cushions are prompts for conversation, and an adult can help connect children's observations with the language they already use.

A gentle starting point for daily check-ins

Try setting out the cushions at the beginning of a small-group session and inviting children to choose a character they would like to talk about. Some may explain their choice; others may prefer to point or simply hold a cushion while listening. Keeping the activity optional allows practitioners to adapt it to each child's confidence and preferred way of participating.

A familiar routine might involve an adult modelling a short sentence before inviting contributions. For example, you could explain that a character reminds you of a moment in a story, then ask whether anyone has another idea. Children can explore fictional examples before deciding whether to discuss their own experiences. The resource gives the conversation a concrete visual focus without requiring every child to share something personal.

Bring feelings into story time

Use the cushions beside a familiar picture book to explore how a character's feelings might change as events unfold. Pause at a useful point and invite children to choose a cushion that could represent the character. Ask what happened in the story to influence their choice, then revisit it later to see whether they would choose differently.

This approach creates opportunities to practise making observations, explaining a reason and listening to a different opinion. A story can also provide a comfortable distance for discussing disappointment, anticipation or uncertainty. Books, puppets and other activity resources can be used alongside the cushions when you already have them in your setting; they are separate resources and are not included in this pack.

Small-group PSHE conversations

The six-cushion format gives practitioners several visual prompts to arrange for a group activity. Lay out the set, introduce a simple fictional situation and invite children to discuss which character they might choose. One example could involve arriving somewhere new, waiting for a turn or seeing a friend after an absence. Keep examples familiar and allow children time to respond.

You could also invite pairs to compare two characters and describe how their expressions differ. One child can offer an observation while the other listens, then they can swap roles. Adults can model helpful phrases such as “I noticed…” or “I think… because…”. These suggested activities offer ways to practise conversation and cooperation; they do not promise a particular learning outcome.

Soft furnishings with a conversational purpose

The cushions combine soft, durable construction with expressive visual designs. Alongside planned activities, they can form part of a reading area or a space used for quiet conversation. Their 40 cm square format gives you a clear size to consider when planning your room, whether you want to group the set together or bring out selected cushions for a focused activity.

A practitioner might keep the cushions near the books used for a regular feelings session, making it easier to bring the resources together. At home, a parent or carer could choose one cushion to accompany a short story and use the picture as an invitation to talk. These are suggested uses, which can be adapted to the child and the space available.

Make participation flexible

Offer different ways to join in: choosing, pointing, describing, listening or asking a question. For a child who is still becoming comfortable with a group, an adult can describe an expression first and invite a simple response. For a more talkative group, extend the discussion by asking how two people might react differently to the same situation.

Keep the focus on respectful curiosity. A child's interpretation can be a useful starting point, and there is no need to label a child's feelings on their behalf. Let children tell you what they mean where they wish to do so, and adapt the pace to the conversation. The cushions provide visual prompts within the relationships and routines you already establish.

What is included?

You receive six How Do I Feel Today? cushions, each with a different emotion character. Each cushion measures 40 × 40 cm. The pack is supplied as a set, with no individual character selection. Coordinating products from the wider range are available separately; a playmat, mirror, books and furniture are not included.

Features and benefits

• Six cushions in one pack: Provides several character prompts for a shared activity. Put out the full set for a group discussion, or select two cushions when you want a simpler comparison. This lets practitioners vary the presentation without introducing a different resource each time.
• Different expressive characters: Gives children details to observe and discuss. Ask them to notice a mouth, an eyebrow or another feature, then explain what that detail suggests. Adults can build on their observations with familiar feelings words and open questions.
• 40 × 40 cm per cushion: Offers a clearly specified square format for planning reading corners and activity areas. Check the available space before arranging the set, and position selected cushions where the pictures can be seen comfortably during a conversation.
• Soft, durable construction: Combines a furnishing resource with a visual conversation prompt for everyday classroom use. Children can hold a cushion during an adult-led activity, while practitioners keep the character picture available as a focus for discussion.
• Bright, engaging designs: Creates a visual starting point for noticing differences between characters. Invite children to describe what catches their attention, compare two expressions or select a picture that connects with an event in a familiar story.
• Opportunities for feelings vocabulary: Use the cushions to introduce, revisit and discuss descriptive words in context. An adult can model a sentence and invite children to contribute their own ideas, helping the activity develop at a pace appropriate to the group.
• Flexible individual and group activities: The set can accompany one-to-one conversations, paired comparisons or circle time. Offer choices about how to participate, including pointing, choosing a character, speaking or listening, so the activity can reflect different levels of confidence.
• A resource for storytelling: Ask children which character might match a moment in a book, then discuss their reasons. Returning to the cushions later in the story provides another opportunity to explore how a fictional character's feelings might change.
• Designed for early years and primary settings: Brings emotion-themed soft furnishings into educational spaces. Use the cushions within the routines you already have for reading, small-group discussion and PSHE, choosing activities that suit your setting and participants.