Guess My Feeling PSHE lesson
A primary PSHE lesson for Years 1 and 2 that helps UK teachers introduce feelings, kindness and respectful friendships through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Pupils learn to recognise different feelings, understand how their words and actions affect others, and practise simple ways to respond with care and respect.
Emotional Regulation & Mental Health
Snapshot
Guess My Feeling
The lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce feelings and respectful friendships through guided discussion.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Recognising feelings and understanding how behaviour affects others
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What pupils will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
Recognise a range of feelings, such as happy, sad, left out or proud.
Recognise that the same situation can make different people feel different things.
Recognise early signs that a classmate may be feeling upset or excluded.
Understand
Understand that their words and actions can affect how a friend feels.
Understand that kindness and respect help friendships feel safe and fair.
Practise
Practise naming feelings using simple, shared vocabulary.
Practise thinking about a situation from a classmate’s point of view.
Practise simple kind or inclusive responses in everyday friendship situations.
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for younger primary pupils in Years 1 and 2 who are beginning to build language for feelings, friendships and respectful behaviour.
It is suitable for:
primary PSHE lessons
relationships education
pastoral care, circle time or form time
early friendship and kindness programmes
building shared classroom vocabulary for feelings
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, pupil maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing feelings vocabulary Use when pupils are building early language to describe how they and others feel.
Building classroom culture Use when establishing expectations around kindness, respect and inclusion from the start of term.
Supporting inclusion Use when pupils need practical ways to notice and include a classmate who may be feeling left out.
Reinforcing respectful friendships Use when revisiting how words and actions affect friendships in everyday school life.
Practising safe, kind responses Use when pupils are learning how to respond to a classmate’s feelings with care rather than teasing or ignoring them.
Creating structured PSHE discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led conversation about feelings and respectful behaviour.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Young pupils are still learning to recognise feelings in themselves and others, and to understand how their behaviour can affect a friend. Building this language early helps pupils make sense of everyday friendship moments, rather than only reacting to them. Thinking about how our behaviour affects others is not only about avoiding unkindness. It is also about helping pupils notice when a classmate feels happy, upset or left out, and giving them simple ways to respond with care. This lesson supports a classroom culture where feelings can be talked about openly. Pupils learn that kindness is something they can actively choose, and that noticing how others feel is part of being a good friend.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Emotional awareness Pupils practise naming a range of everyday feelings.
Empathy Pupils consider how a friend might feel in different situations.
Perspective taking Pupils think about a situation from someone else’s point of view.
Relationship skills Pupils practise kind and inclusive responses with classmates.
Communication Pupils use shared, age-appropriate language to talk about feelings.
Belonging Pupils reinforce that everyone’s feelings matter in the classroom.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind pupils not to name classmates or share stories about other people
Frame discussion around general examples and scenarios, not specific pupils
Make clear the lesson is about understanding feelings, not identifying blame
Be prepared to follow your school’s safeguarding procedures and speak with the designated safeguarding lead if a pupil discloses harm or says they feel unsafe
During delivery
Use simple, familiar examples such as sharing, including someone or saying something kind
Give pupils time to practise naming feelings aloud
Encourage pupils to think about how a classmate might feel, without asking them to speak for a specific group or peer
Allow responses through talk, drawing or partner discussion depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Keep examples general rather than based on real classroom events
Reassure pupils that talking about feelings is a normal, everyday part of school life
Encourage pupils to speak to a trusted adult if something has made them feel upset or unsafe
Adaptation options
Use partner talk or drawing for pupils who find group discussion harder
Extend discussion time for feelings vocabulary if pupils need more support
Use visual feelings prompts to support pupils with additional language needs
