Play It Out – Exploring Emotions Through Role-Play

Helping children use imagination, role-play and storytelling to express and understand their emotions.

In this imaginative episode of Mindful Moments with Miss Harrison, children explore how playing out emotions through acting and role-play can help them understand feelings in a safe, creative way. Whether pretending to be a superhero, chef, explorer or magical creature, play allows children to experience and explore a wide range of emotions—from pride and frustration to courage and kindness.

Through the story of Toby, who turns a disappointing race into a brave adventure through pretend play, children learn that it’s not always about winning—it’s about trying your best, helping others, and learning through experience.

What children will learn in this episode:

• How role-play can help express emotions safely and creatively
• Why imaginative play supports emotional awareness
• How to create characters and adventures based on real feelings
• Strategies for using pretend play to process tricky situations

Emotional Learning Tips from Miss Harrison:

• Pick a feeling: Choose an emotion you’ve felt recently—proud, nervous, frustrated, excited.
• Create a character: Pretend to be someone who can explore that feeling—a superhero, scientist, explorer, or magical creature.
• Act it out: Use toys, costumes, drawings or your imagination to create a story where your character learns something helpful about that emotion.

Play is a powerful emotional tool. It helps children explore real situations through the lens of creativity, building emotional confidence and problem-solving skills.

Mindful Moment Challenge:

This week, act out a short story based on how you felt today. It could be a tale of bravery, kindness, patience or pride. Use your imagination to discover new ways of understanding and managing your feelings.

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In this episode of Mindful Moments with Miss Harrison, children discover how storytelling can be a powerful way to explore their emotions. Through imagination and creativity, children learn to express their feelings safely—by turning them into characters, adventures, and positive journeys.

Using the story of Jay, a nervous boy who creates a tale about “Captain Jay the Brave Explorer,” children see how storytelling can turn tricky emotions into exciting discoveries. Whether through writing, drawing, acting, or speaking, stories help children understand themselves and build emotional strength.

What children will learn in this episode:

• How stories can be used to express and explore feelings
• The emotional power of turning yourself into a character
• Why storytelling builds self-confidence and resilience
• How to create a story based on a feeling like worry, excitement, or bravery

Creativity and Emotional Literacy from Miss Harrison:

• Pick a feeling – Start with an emotion like nervousness, happiness, or anger
• Create a character – It could be a knight, astronaut, dragon, or someone like you
• Build an adventure – What challenge does the character face? How do they grow?
• Share your story – Write it, say it aloud, act it out, or draw it

These story tools allow children to process emotions and imagine new possibilities with confidence and courage.

Mindful Moment Challenge:

This week, create a story about a feeling you’ve had. You can write it down, draw it, perform it, or share it with someone you trust. Notice how the story helps you understand what you felt—and how you grew through it.

Perfect for:

• Primary school-aged children exploring creativity and emotions
• Teachers delivering PSHE, English, or SEL lessons
• Parents and carers supporting children through emotional ups and downs
• Mental health and wellbeing leads promoting expressive arts and storytelling

Subscribe to Mindful Moments with Miss Harrison for weekly episodes that help children use creativity, mindfulness, and imagination to build resilience, calmness, and emotional insight.

#MindfulMoments #EmotionalLiteracy #StorytellingForChildren #CreativeWellbeing #PSHE #MindfulnessInSchools #WellbeingThroughCreativity #SELForChildren #ChildrenMentalHealth #ExploringFeelingsThroughStory

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Buy the teacher guide and pupil journal for this episode here for just £2

Helping children explore how music can support emotional expression, mood regulation, and self-awareness.

In this episode of Mindful Moments with Miss Harrison, children discover the power of music as a creative tool for understanding and sharing emotions. Whether it's clapping, tapping, humming, or listening to a favourite song, music helps us tune in to what we’re feeling—and sometimes say what words can’t.

Through the heartwarming story of Aria, who learns to turn a tough day into a personal song, children see how musical expression can bring clarity, comfort, and joy.

What children will learn in this episode:

• How music connects to different emotions
• Ways to use music to explore and express feelings
• How to create rhythms and tunes to match their mood
• Why musical expression supports emotional wellbeing

Creative Strategies from Miss Harrison:

• Listen to match your mood: Choose songs that reflect how you feel—or that help you feel better.
• Create your own music: Use your voice, hands, feet, or everyday objects to make rhythms and melodies.
• Move with the music: Let your body respond—dance, sway, tap, or just breathe along with the beat.

These practices help children build self-awareness and express their emotions in safe, imaginative ways.

Mindful Moment Challenge:

This week, pick one piece of music each day that matches how you're feeling—or create your own rhythm or tune. Notice how it affects your mood and helps you connect with your emotions.

Perfect for:

• Primary school-aged children exploring emotional expression through the arts
• Classrooms teaching PSHE, SEL or wellbeing through creative outlets
• Families encouraging emotional conversations at home
• Music therapists and educators promoting emotional literacy

Quote of the Week:

“Your heart has its own song—and it’s always okay to let it out.”

#MindfulMoments #MusicAndEmotions #EmotionalExpressionForChildren #MindfulnessInSchools #CreativityAndWellbeing #SELThroughMusic #MentalHealthForChildren #PrimaryWellbeing #MindfulMusicActivities #EmotionalLiteracy

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