Target keywords: emotion thermometer child, visual emotion scale, identify emotions child, emotional regulation tool, expression of emotions
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The emotion thermometer is one of the most widely used tools to help children identify, express, and regulate their emotions. Simple yet powerful, it finds its place in many speech therapy interventions.
In this article, we explore this tool in depth: how it works, its clinical applications, its adaptations for different populations, and our tips to maximize its effectiveness.
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What is the emotion thermometer?
Principle
The emotion thermometer is a graduated visual scale that measures the intensity of an emotion. Just as a thermometer measures temperature, this tool measures the “emotional level.”
The child can point or indicate where they are on the scale, allowing them to express their state even without the words to describe it.
Classic format
Our thermometer uses a scale from 1 to 5 with an intuitive color code.
Level 1 (blue): Very calm, relaxed, serene. “I feel good, everything is fine.”
Level 2 (green): Calm with slight activation. “I am quiet but a little attentive.”
Level 3 (yellow): Alert, moderate tension. “I am starting to feel nervous, I need to pay attention.”
Level 4 (orange): Strong emotion, difficulty controlling. “It’s hard to manage, I need help.”
Level 5 (red): Overflow, loss of control. “I can’t control myself anymore.”
👉 Download the Emotion Thermometer
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Why use an emotion thermometer?
Develop emotional awareness
Many children struggle to identify what they are feeling. The thermometer helps them become aware of their internal state and name it.
Facilitate expression
For children with limited emotional vocabulary or expression difficulties, pointing to a level is easier than finding the words.
Prevent overflow
By identifying intermediate levels (3-4), we can intervene before overflow (level 5). The goal is to act early when regulation is still possible.
Objectify feelings
The thermometer allows for clear communication: “I am at 4” is more precise than “I am upset.” This facilitates dialogue with those around them.
Track evolution
We can observe how emotional intensity evolves during a situation, a session, or over the long term.
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Applications in speech therapy
At the beginning of the session
Start each session by asking the child where they are on the thermometer. This opens the dialogue about their state and allows you to adapt the session.
“Hello! Where are you on the thermometer today?” If the child is at 4, perhaps they need some time to regulate before starting the work.
During challenging activities
Use the thermometer to monitor emotional state during demanding exercises. If the child approaches 4, suggest a break or a lighter activity.
To express frustration
Language difficulties generate frustration. The thermometer allows the child to express this frustration in an acceptable way: “I am at 4 because I can’t read this word.”
In emotional work
The thermometer is a support for working on emotional vocabulary, recognizing bodily signals, and regulation strategies.
At the end of the session
Check in: “And now, where are you on the thermometer?” This allows you to measure the impact of the session and end on a positive note if possible.
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Usage according to populations
ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
People with ASD often have difficulties with alexithymia (difficulty identifying their emotions). The thermometer provides a concrete visual support.
Specific advice: Associate each level with specific bodily sensations (“When I am at 4, my heart beats fast and my hands sweat”). Use photos or pictograms instead of words. Practice regularly, even when everything is fine.
ADHD
Children with ADHD may have intense and changing emotions. The thermometer helps them take a step back and regulate.
Specific advice: Associate the thermometer with the energy thermometer to distinguish energy level and emotional level. Use it as a signal: “When you are at 3, it’s time to use a calming technique.”
👉 Download the Energy Thermometer
Anxiety
For anxious children, the thermometer allows them to measure their anxiety level and intervene before a panic attack.
Specific advice: Identify situations that raise the thermometer. Associate each level with progressive coping strategies.
Stuttering
Stress amplifies stuttering. The thermometer helps identify tension and reduce it.
Specific advice: Also use the tension scale for a specific focus on bodily tension.
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Teaching the use of the thermometer
Step 1: Presentation
Introduce the thermometer to the child in a calm moment. Explain the principle: “It’s like a thermometer for emotions. It shows how you feel inside.”
Step 2: Explore the levels
Go through each level together. Ask the child to describe how they feel at each level. What bodily sensations? What situations put them at this level?
Step 3: Regular practice
Use the thermometer regularly, not just in crisis. Ask several times a day: “Where are you on the thermometer?” This develops the habit of introspection.
Step 4: Associate with strategies
Link each level to regulation strategies. “When you are at 3, what can you do?” Use the calm-down cards to suggest options.
👉 Download the Calm-Down Cards
Step 5: Generalization
Encourage the use of the thermometer in all contexts: home, school, leisure. Share the tool with parents and teachers.
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Variants and adaptations
Simplified thermometer (young children)
For younger children or those with disabilities, use a 3-level version: green (happy/calm), yellow (okay), red (not well at all).
Emotion-specific thermometer
Some children need specific thermometers for each emotion: anger thermometer, fear thermometer, sadness thermometer. This refines emotional awareness.
Physical thermometer
Create a giant thermometer with a movable slider. The child physically moves the slider, making the tool more concrete and engaging.
Digital version
Apps allow tracking emotional levels over time and visualizing patterns.
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Complementary tools
Facial expression decoder
To learn to recognize emotions in others.
👉 Download the Facial Expression Decoder
My regulation toolbox
To list personal strategies for each level.
👉 Download the Regulation Toolbox
Communication notebook
To communicate emotional states between contexts.
👉 Download the Communication Notebook
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Frequently asked questions
From what age?
From 3-4 years with a simplified version. The 5-level version is generally suitable from 5-6 years.
My patient always says “1” even when they are visibly stressed, what to do?
Some children have difficulty perceiving or admitting their emotions. Work on bodily signals: “Look, your fists are clenched. Usually, what does that mean?”
Can the thermometer be used with adults?
Absolutely! The tool is adaptable to all ages. With adults, a more detailed version (0-10) can be used for deeper analysis.
Does the thermometer replace emotional vocabulary?
No, it complements it. The goal is to gradually enrich emotional vocabulary, using the thermometer as support.
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Summary
| Level | Color | State | Action |
|——–|———|——|——–|
| 1 | Blue | Very calm | Maintain |
| 2 | Green | Calm | Continue |
| 3 | Yellow | Alert | Monitor, prevent |
| 4 | Orange | Strong | Intervene, help |
| 5 | Red | Overflow | Safety, wait |
Key principle: Intervene at level 3-4, before overflow!
👉 Download the Emotion Thermometer
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Article written by the DYNSEO team in collaboration with speech therapists and psychologists.