Guess How I Feel?

Guess How I Feel - Read facial expressions.

Guess How I Feel is a game of reading and understanding facial expressions. With 50 situation cards, there are a lot of possible uses for the game. Here is a starting place that the game box suggests:

Give each player a pad and pencil. Place the deck of situation cards face-down and give the magnetic mirror to the first player. He turns over the top situation card so all can see. He then draws on the mirror with the erasable markers or uses the magnetic pieces on the mirror to show his reaction to the situation on the card. Each child also draws a picture or writes a word on their pad that they feel will be how the player will react. The player then reveals his reaction that he drew and the rest of the players reveal theirs. Anyone who matches, gets to choose a bonus from the surprise bag. There are 20 stretchy bands in this bag, so they won't last long. I personally don't think that giving a prize for matching answers is appropriate for this game. When answers don't match it will be a great time to talk about how different people may interpret and/or feel differently about the same thing, and how to respect other's right to their view even if we don't understand or agree with it. Use the timer if you want to limit each play to one minute.  Here is a look at what's in the box: 

Items in the box.

The situation cards in the box show a wide range of situations. Some of the images are a boy crying while receiving a shot, two children fighting, a child waving goodbye to a parent as he arrives at school, an airplane taking off, a moving van, parents arguing, two children whispering a secret, cuddling with mom, a family sitting around a dinner table, a howling dog, and a fireman hugging a child. 

If you would like to read more about games that require writing or drawing in some form, check out my post Games That Require a Writing Tool.  

Try this:

• Ask all players to share how they feel in the situation on the card. For example when my parents argue I feel upset and ask them to stop.
• Discuss how the same emotion may look different on different people.
• Discuss how different people might react totally differently to the same thing, but for different reasons. For instance, a barking dog may bring back fond memories of a trip to a grandparents farm while another person may cover his ears, cringe and hope that it stops quickly.
• Make facial expressions instead of drawing them. Keep a hand-held mirror nearby for people to check out their own expressions they make
• Work on self-awareness, self-regulation, reading body language, social skills, understanding others feelings
• Skip the game and just use the cards. Present a card and ask the individual what they think is going on in the picture. How would they feel in that situation, what would be their facial expression, what can you tell from the other body language, etc.
• Ask the individual what they think happened right before the picture on the card.
• Draw one facial expression and let everyone name something that would happen for them to look like that. For instance, looking at the boy in the center of the image at the top of the page, he might have made that expression because: he just found out he is going to DisneyLand, he just got that drum kit he has been begging for, he found out the new house they are moving to has a swimming pool, his dog just had puppies, etc.
• Draw a facial expression, then go through the situation cards and pick out each one that would make you make that expression.
• Go through the deck of cards and name the facial expression(s) such as happy, fearful, disgusted, worried, etc.

In the box: 16 magnetic facial expressions, 1 printed sheet showing all the expressions, 50 situation cards, 4 blank cards so you can write your own, 1 dry erase magnetic mirror, 4 dry erase markers, 1 guess bag with 20 stretchy bands, 4 pads and pencils, 1 minute timer

If you are interested in purchasing this item or just want more information, click on the image below.