20+ Toys, Games, and Stuffed Plushies That Help Kids Identify and Express Feelings
There are so many resources to help kids learn to identify and regulate their own feelings — as well as other people's, which is the first step to building empathy! — from books and shows to toys and games. We've rounded up some of the best stuffed plushies, toys, board games, and other playthings to help your child build critical social-emotional skills surrounding emotions and self-expression.
Keep scrolling to see and shop them all!
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Manhattan Toy Making Faces
Kids can learn to identify and express feelings through the Manhattan Toy Making Faces ($27) game.
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Slumberkins Alpaca and Board Book
The Slumberkins Alpaca and Board Book ($48) teaches kids to identify and manage stress, worry, and anxiety.
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Miniland Emotiblocks
These cute Miniland Emotiblocks ($20) can be arranged and rearranged however your child likes, but ultimately help to teach kids to understand facial cues and identify emotions.
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Janod Magnetic Game of Emotions and Feelings
The Janod Magnetic Game of Emotions and Feelings ($25) explores ten different feelings — happiness, fear, sadness, shyness, love, disgust, laughter, jealousy, anger, and surprise.
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Lego Build Me "Emotions" Set
This Lego Build Me "Emotions" Set ($70) has 188 pieces that encourage kids ages 2 through 5 to construct characters with various facial expressions.
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Peaceable Kingdom Friends and Neighbors: The Helping Game
Peaceable Kingdom's Friends and Neighbors: The Helping Game ($18) helps kids identify the feelings and needs of others, and teaches them ways they could be of help to build empathy skills.
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hand2mind Learn About Feelings Activity Set
With this hand2mind Learn About Feelings Activity Set ($20), kids ages 3 will learn how to identify different emotions and manage feelings.
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Emotional Rollercoaster Anger Management Board Game
This Emotional Rollercoaster Anger Management Board Game ($25) teaches kids that getting mad is OK, but how we cope and calm down when we're angry is important.
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Hape Eggspressions Wooden Learning Toy with Illustrative Book
The six expressive wooden eggs that come with the Hape Eggspressions Toy and Illustrative Book Set ($25) help promote emotional maturity in kids ages 2 and up.
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Learning Resources Soft Foam Emoji Conversation Cubes
Toddlers and little kids can use these Learning Resources Soft Foam Emoji Conversation Cubes ($9) to relate words to feelings.
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Feelings and Emotions Memory Game
The Feelings and Emotions Memory Game ($20) teaches kids 2 and up emotional intelligence and empathy skills through its colorful feelings cards.
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Kimochis Mixed Feelings Pouch
This Kimochis Mixed Feelings Pouch ($19) includes five feelings plushies — loved, grateful, shy, scared, and jealous — as well as one blank plushie that can be drawn on with a washable marker to express a custom feeling.
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hand2mind See My Feelings Mirror
With the hand2mind See My Feelings Mirror ($19), kids can practice their facial expressions and will learn to recognize and identify other people's feelings.
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Learning Resources Big Feelings Pineapple
Preschoolers can use the 26 pieces of the Learning Resources Big Feelings Pineapple ($10) to create a bunch of expressions.
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Peaceable Kingdom Guess It, Get It, Gumballs: A Game of Faces and Feelings
The Peaceable Kingdom Guess It, Get It, Gumballs: A Game of Faces and Feelings ($18) is a memory game that helps kids to idenitfy and emulate feelings.
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Learning Resources Emoji Dice
With this set of 200 Learning Resources Emoji Dice ($23), kids can use the various faces to illustrate emotions.
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Chalk and Chuckles Monkey Expressions Preschool Feelings Puzzle
Kids ages 3 through 5 will learn to identify feelings and communicate emotions with this Chalk and Chuckles Monkey Expressions Preschool Feelings Puzzle ($15).
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Whatsitsface Stuffed Animal
Flip the faces or twist the knob on the head of this Whatsitsface Stuffed Animal ($25) to see its six different facial expressions.
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TeeTurtle The Original Reversible Cat Plushie
The TeeTurtle The Original Reversible Cat Plushie ($15) has two different emotions to help kids express themselves.
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Miniland Educational Emotions Detective Learning Playset
The Miniland Educational Emotions Detective Learning Playset ($22) helps kids learn about their own feelings, but also those of other people.
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How I'm Feeling Sentence Completion Cards
This kit of How I'm Feeling Sentence Completion Cards ($15) come with 54 different cards taht contain prompts to get kids sharing and talking about their emotions.
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Mad Smartz
Mad Smartz ($18) is a card game similar to Uno, but it explores social skills, empathy, anger management, confidence, and more.