Build Big Feelings
.png?width=30&quality=50&crop=15:4)
Build Big Feelings
Big feelings can be hard to put into words, especially for children. Building together can help bring feelings out of our heads and into our hands, opening the door to conversation and connection.
Play isn’t just fun – it’s a source of joy that can support children’s wellbeing and help them understand their emotions and feel closer to the people around them. In fact, 9 in 10 parents agree that playing as a family is important to their family's happiness and overall wellbeing*.
This simple activity is designed to help you explore feelings side by side with a child in your life.
1. Find a large, empty jar and a quiet(ish) moment
Grab some LEGO® bricks if you have them. Parts like eyes and teeth can be especially useful, but you can use whatever you have available. Before you begin, help yourself and your child get ready:
- Put phones and other distractions aside so you can focus on each other
- Take a few slow, calming breaths together
2. Build how you feel
Start by suggesting that you both build what your feelings look like right now. Your builds might represent one big feeling, lots of little feelings, or even feelings that seem to clash. We all experience different emotions throughout the day.
If your child gets stuck, you could try asking: “If your feelings had colours, what would they be?”
You can also model it yourself by thinking out loud: “I’m building ________ because __________ happened to me today”
There’s no right or wrong way to build, and you can decide together how long to spend on it.
3. Talk about your creations
Use your builds to explore your feelings together. Share your own build first, then invite your child to share theirs.
Ask open-ended questions like:
- “Tell me about what you built.”
- “What feelings are in your build?”
- “If this build made noises, what would they sound like?”
All feelings are welcome – joy, pride, silliness, jealousy, worry, boredom, excitement, and everything in between.
The aim isn’t to fix feelings, but to notice them, name them, and make space for them together.
4. Follow their lead
Building and talking can often spark ideas your child might want to explore further. Look at your builds together and ask: “Do we want to add anything, build something new, or leave these as they are?”
If your child wants to keep building and talking, that’s great. If not, that’s okay too.
End by noticing and appreciating each other’s effort and creativity. You might say:
- “I love how creative you were with your ideas.”
- “Thanks for showing me what’s going on inside.”
5. Build a playful ritual
When you’re done, put your builds into the ‘Feelings Jar.’ Put the jar somewhere visible at home to remind you to keep building and talking together. No jar? Any container, box, or special space will work just as well.
Here are a few ways to make it part of your family routine:
- A 10-15 minute ‘feelings build’ after school or before bedtime
- A weekly family build session around the table
- Building together whenever big feelings show up
- Building ahead of moments that might bring big feelings (like a trip to the doctor or the first day of school)
Why activities like this have value
Hands-on building can help calm busy brains and can give feelings a shape that’s easier to see and talk about. When we can notice and name what we’re feeling, those emotions often feel less overwhelming.
Just as important, doing this activity side by side can help strengthen trust and connection between you and your child.
Over time, moments like this show children something powerful: that it’s okay to have feelings, that they can talk about them, and that grown-ups in their lives are safe people to share with.
Check out some additional resources from our partners below.
*Data from the LEGO® Play Well Study 2026, with insights from a total of 45,000 respondents from across 30 markets between December 2025 and January 2026. Respondents included 30,000 parents with children aged 1-12 years old, and 15,000 children aged 5-12.