This game follows the classic “whispering telephone” rules, but instead of transmitting a word or phrase, an emotion is conveyed through a short verbal and non-verbal expression. The child receiving the message must interpret it and pass it on to the next participant until the last child, who will try to identify the original emotion.
Skill focus
Primary Skill Focus
- Empathy
Complementary/Secondary Skill Focus
- Emotional awareness, regulation and communication
- Connectedness
| Age group | Student number | Duration |
| 6-10 years old | 6-15 children | 15-20 minutes |
How to play – brief game rules
- Arrange the group: children stand in a line so each can see the next person clearly.
- Choose the first player: the teacher quietly gives the first child an emotion card or whispers an emotion (e.g., joy, fear, anger, surprise).
- Soft expression of the emotion: the first child expresses the emotion softly — using tone of voice, facial expression, and subtle gestures — so that only the next child can observe it.
- Passing the emotion along: the second child watches and listens carefully, then tries to reproduce the same emotion for the next child in line or circle.
- Continue the chain: each child repeats this process, passing the emotion along until it reaches the last child.
- Final guess: the last child must guess what the original emotion was and say it aloud.
- Group reflection: the teacher leads a short discussion comparing the first and last versions of the emotion, asking how and why it may have changed during the process.