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Heading back to school brings out a range of emotions, including excitement, nervousness, curiosity, and more. The Back-to-School Emotions Bin is a playful, hands-on way to help children recognize and express their emotions in a safe and supportive space. Using simple supplies like oats and emoji erasers, this activity encourages kids to explore how they feel about the new school year while developing emotional vocabulary, fine motor skills, and self-awareness.
Supplies for Back-to-School Emotions Bin:
- Oats (as the sensory base, non-food items suggested below)
- Emoji erasers (a variety of expressions: happy, nervous, excited, tired, etc.)
- Small cups or scoops
- Small mirror (optional, for practicing facial expressions)
Instructions:
- Set Up the Bin:
Pour a generous layer of oats into a sensory bin or shallow container. Gently mix in emoji erasers, spacing them out so kids can “discover” them while playing. You can substitute the oat base of the bin with non-food items such as shredded paper, colored pom-poms, paper confetti, crinkle cut paper, fabric strips, or ribbon pieces. - Introduce the Activity:
Let kids explore the oats using their hands and scoops. They can scoop, pour, and sift through the oats to find hidden emoji erasers. As they uncover each one, encourage them to name the emotion and talk about their feelings. The activity can be done one-on-one, in small groups, or even independently with prompts. - Talk About Feelings:
Encourage kids to share which emojis match how they’re feeling about the first day of school. They can pick up an emoji and say, “I feel excited!” or “I feel a little nervous.” - Add Dramatic Play:
You can add a mirror so kids can try making the emoji faces themselves, helping them connect feelings to facial expressions.
Key Benefits of This Activity:
- Supports emotional awareness and communication.
- Encourages social-emotional learning and vocabulary.
- Provides calming sensory input to ease first-day jitters.
- Strengthens fine motor skills through scooping and picking up emojis.
- Creates a safe space for kids to express themselves.
Here are some ways you can use this back-to-school emotion bin in a variety of settings.
At Home
- Morning Check-In: Use the bin as part of a morning routine to help your child name and express how they’re feeling about school.
- One-on-One Play: Sit with your child and talk through each emotion they find. Use the mirror to practice matching facial expressions.
- After-School Wind Down: Offer the bin as a calming activity after school to decompress and talk about their day.
In the Classroom
- SEL Center Activity: Set up the bin as part of a social-emotional learning (SEL) station where students can take turns identifying emotions.
- Morning Entry Activity: Have students explore the bin as a soft start to the day, choosing an emoji that matches their mood.
- Group Discussion Prompt: After using the bin, gather students to talk about common back-to-school feelings and how to support each other.
In Occupational Therapy Push-In or Pull-Out Sessions
- Push-In (Classroom Integration): Use the bin during classroom time to facilitate social interaction and emotional regulation with peers.
- Pull-Out (Individual or Small Group): Incorporate it into a session focused on emotional identification, expressive language, and fine motor skills.
- Sensory Regulation Tool: Use the bin to provide calming input while addressing self-awareness and communication goals through play.
Perfect for parents, teachers, and therapists, these easy-to-use cards make learning about emotions interactive and enjoyable. Whether you’re at home, in the classroom, or a therapy session, these visual aids provide a hands-on approach to emotional learning.
The emotions included: Happy, Bored, Confident, Embarrassed, Grumpy, Tired, Excited, Sad, Disappointed, Surprised, Worried, Grateful, Curious, Angry, Confused, Frustrated, Silly, Scared, Shy, and Proud.
It also includes playdough mat pages and cards to play an emotion-matching game.
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Heather Greutman, COTA
Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with experience in school-based OT services for preschool through high school. She uses her background to share child development tips, tools, and strategies for parents, educators, and therapists. She is the author of many ebooks including The Basics of Fine Motor Skills, and Basics of Pre-Writing Skills, and co-author of Sensory Processing Explained: A Handbook for Parents and Educators.
CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
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