Classroom Feelings Check-In
Students tap an emoji feeling for an anonymous class tally, or see ideas for each feeling. Printable sheet.
How are you feeling?
Tap the face that matches how you feel. Your choice is counted with no name.
Lots of energy · Feels good
Calm energy · Feels good
Low energy · Feels hard
Lots of energy · Feels hard
Faces to circle for the 12 feelings on the board, plus Name, Date, an “I feel…” line and a box to draw.
The class tally keeps counts only — never names. It’s saved in this browser for today only and clears automatically tomorrow. Clear tally empties it any time.
A feelings check-in is for classroom conversation — it isn’t a screening or assessment tool. If a student needs support, follow your school’s guidance and connect with your school counselor.
How to Use the Feelings Check-In
A feelings check-in gives every student a quick, low-pressure way to answer “How are you feeling?” Put a board of emoji faces on your smartboard, grouped by energy and comfort in gentle colors, and let students come up and tap the one that fits. The class tally counts taps only — never names — so you get a picture of the room without singling anyone out. Switch to Feelings + strategies to talk through ideas for each feeling, from slow breaths to celebrating a win. It runs free in your browser with no account, and it’s made for classroom conversation, not for screening or assessment.
Get started in 3 steps
Choose a mode and a feeling set. Pick Class check-in for an anonymous tally or Feelings + strategies for ideas, then K–2 simple (6 feelings) or Grades 3–8 (12 feelings). Your choices are saved in this browser for next time.
Let students check in. Students come up and tap the face that matches how they feel, or you tap for them. Each tap adds one to the tally and shows “Thanks for checking in!” without naming the feeling. Undo last check-in fixes an accidental tap.
Share the results when everyone is done. Results stay hidden while Hide results is on, and it switches on whenever you open Classroom Presentation Mode. Turn it off to show a bar for each feeling and talk about it together, then press Clear tally for the next group.
Ways to use the Feelings Check-In in class
Morning meeting check-in
As students arrive, each one taps a face on the board on the way to their seat. With Hide results on, nobody sees how classmates answered. At morning meeting, turn Hide results off and look at the bars together to decide how to start the day.
A reset after recess or lunch
Run a quick check-in after a transition. If many students tapped a low-energy or stormy feeling, switch to Feelings + strategies, tap that feeling and try one of its ideas together, such as slow breaths or a stretch, before the next lesson.
Building feelings vocabulary
Use Feelings + strategies as a mini-lesson. Tap each face, read the ideas aloud and ask students when they have felt that way. The Grades 3–8 set adds words like frustrated, confused and proud, so older students can name feelings more precisely.
Written reflection and the calm corner
Press Print Feelings Check-In Sheet (PDF). Students circle a face, finish “I feel … because …” and one thing that could help, then draw in the box. The K–2 sheet has bigger faces, an “I feel” line and a drawing box. Keep copies in a calm corner or use them as an exit ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the feelings check-in record student names?
No. Students only tap a face, and the tally stores how many taps each feeling got — never who tapped. The counts are saved in this browser for today only and clear automatically the next day, or right away with Clear tally. Nothing is uploaded.
Is this a mental health screening tool?
No. It’s a simple classroom routine for noticing and naming feelings and starting a conversation. It doesn’t diagnose or assess anything. If a student shares something worrying or needs more support, follow your school’s guidance and connect with your school counselor.
What’s the difference between the K–2 and Grades 3–8 sets?
K–2 simple shows 6 feelings: excited, happy, calm, sad, worried and angry. Grades 3–8 shows 12, adding silly, proud, loved, tired, confused and frustrated. Both are grouped by energy and comfort, and the printable sheet matches the set on the board.
Can students check in on their own?
Yes. In Class check-in mode, students can walk up to the smartboard and tap a face one after another. After each tap the board pauses for a moment, so a double tap doesn’t count twice. The total number of check-ins is always shown, so you know when everyone is done.
What happens to the tally overnight?
The tally belongs to the day. It’s saved in this browser, so it survives a page refresh, and it clears automatically when the date changes, even if the board stays open. Clear tally empties it any time, and Undo clear brings it back if you pressed it by mistake.
Where do the strategy ideas link to?
Some ideas link to other free FreeClassTool pages: Open the Breathing Exercise goes to the Breathing Exercise tool, and Watch an SEL video goes to SEL Videos & Brain Breaks. The other ideas are simple things students can do right in the classroom, such as getting a drink of water or talking to a trusted adult.
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