Emotional intelligence is one of the key skills for a child's harmonious development. Plutchik's wheel of emotions is a simple and visual tool that teaches children to recognize their own and others' feelings, to verbalize emotions, and to cope with intense feelings. We will discuss this in more detail in this article.
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What is the wheel of emotions
The wheel of emotions is a psychological model created by American psychologist Robert Plutchik in 1980. It visualizes 8 basic emotions, their combinations and intensity.
This tool helps you understand your own and others' emotions, developing emotional intelligence.
How the wheel works
#1. 8 basic emotions
The wheel of emotions works with basic feelings:
Joy ←→ Sorrow
Anger ←→ Fear
Trust ←→ Disgust
Surprise ←→ Expectation
Each pair is opposites (like hot/cold).
#2. Three levels of intensity (from center to edges)
The wheel of emotions is divided into three circles.
Inner circle: Weak emotions (for example, calm is an easy joy).
Middle circle: Standard emotions (joy, anger).
The outer circle: Strong emotions (excitement, rage).
#3. Combined emotions
When basic emotions are mixed, complex feelings arise, for example:
Joy+Trust = Love
Sadness + Disgust = Shame
Anger+Disgust = Disgust
Why do we need a wheel of emotions
No.1. For self-discovery
It allows you to name the emotion (“I'm not just angry — I feel irritated with a touch of resentment”) and track down the reasons for such reactions.
#2. For communication
It can help you learn to express feelings more accurately (“I'm sad, not scared”) and better understand others (“You're not angry, but rather disappointed”).
#3. To manage emotions
Being aware of a feeling is the first step towards regulating it. The wheel of emotions can help reduce “passion” (for example, turning intense anger into irritation).
How to use the wheel
Identify the dominant emotion (e.g. “anger”). Clarify the tone (annoyance, rage, indignation).
Ask yourself, “What is the need behind this emotion? What can I do to satisfy her?”
Example:
Feeling: Anxiety (fear+expectation).
Reason: Fear of failing the project.
Action: Make a plan for “backup options”.
How to use the wheel of emotions in education
No.1. Getting to know emotions (3-6 years)
What to do:
Print out a simplified wheel with 4-6 basic emotions (joy, sadness, anger, fear).
Play “Guess the Emotion” — use facial expressions, draw, find it in pictures.
Discuss: “When do you feel happy? What makes you angry? Look, this boy in the picture clenched his fists. What is this emotion? Right, anger! What does it look like for you?”
#2. Expanding the emotional vocabulary (7-10 years)
What to do:
Add difficult emotions (pride, shame, disappointment).
Read stories and analyze the characters' feelings.
Keep a “Mood Diary” with stickers on the wheel.
Discuss: “Remember how angry you were when your brother broke your design set? It was' rage '— the worst anger on the wheel!”
#3. Self-regulation strategies (10+ years)
What to do:
Link emotions to bodily sensations: “Where do you feel angry? In the stomach? With your fists?”.
Create a “Calming Guide” so that your child always knows what to do to regulate their own emotions. For example, if he gets angry, he starts taking deep breaths, if he's scared, hugs his mom or teddy bear, etc.
Why does the wheel of emotions work
- It reduces anxiety — when an emotion is named, it becomes less scary.
- Develops empathy — the child learns to understand the feelings of others.
- Prevents tantrums — provides tools for expressing emotions in words instead of yelling.
Simple games with a wheel of emotions
No.1. “Emotional forecast”
Tell the child: “Now you're like a cloud with lightning (= you're angry). Let's turn you into a light cloud (= calm)!” Now it's the child's turn to talk about the mood of mom, dad or other family members.
#2. “Emotional lotto
” Throw a dice with emotions — the child finds them on the wheel and gives an example.
#3. “The colors of the mood
” Paint the day by wheel sector: “Today was 60% joy and 20% surprise”
#4. “A cocktail of feelings
” Mix emotions like colors: “Jealousy = angry+sadness”
#5. “Empathic tales
” Come up with stories about characters who have different emotions.
#6. “The thermometer of emotions
” Try to determine the intensity of feelings together: “Is this annoyance 3 out of 10? Is this rage 9 out of 10?”
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