Make a "Mood Meter" Sign

What You Do:

1. Place the posterboard horizontally on a table surface.
2. On the top, write a title (or help your kindergartener write it herself) such as, "Right Now, I Feel…"
3. Use your compass to make a large half-circle in the middle of your poster.
4. Then, use your ruler to divide the half-circle in half, and then divide each of the halves in half, so that you have four “slices” marked off.
5. Help your kindergartener cut out a pie shape the same size as the "slices" on the half-circle using each color of construction paper—one green, one yellow, one orange, and one red.
6. Help your kindergartener glue the colors from left to right across the half-circle in this order: green, yellow, orange, and red. 
7. If she’s comfortable writing words, have her do the next step. If not, let her dictate. On the green slice, write “Calm and happy.” For the yellow, have her write “A little upset.” In the orange section, “Very upset.” In the red, she can write, “Exploding!" or any word that indicates she's extremely upset. Get creative!
8. Together with your child, cut out a 6” long arrow from the black construction paper, and attach it to the posterboard with the metal fastener. The arrow should be attached to the center of the flat side on the half-circle.
9. If she wants, have your child use markers to add any other decorations on the poster.
10. Put the “mood fire safety” meter in a prominent place at home, like the kitchen or the living room, and encourage your family to use it whenever the time seems right.
11. Invite your child to pay attention to how she’s feeling and to talk about it. With luck, you’ll have many happy days ahead, safely in that nice green zone.