People feel many feelings in a day. Feelings happen when something happens around us. They also happen when we remember something. Feelings can be small or big. They come and go, and they usually do not last longer than an hour. With practice, people get better at knowing what they feel.

No feeling is simply good or bad. Happy, sad, angry and afraid are all normal feelings. Feelings help the body get ready to act. Fear helps keep people safe. It gets the body ready to get away from danger.

Feelings happen in the brain and the body. One small part of the brain is the amygdala. It is shaped like an almond. Your heart can beat faster when you are scared or angry. When you feel afraid, your breathing can speed up too.

People show their feelings with their faces and bodies. A happy person often smiles. People sometimes cry when they feel sad. Babies cry to tell people what they need.

Deep breathing is a way to calm down. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Some children pretend to smell a flower and blow out a candle. That helps them take slow breaths. Feeling listened to and understood can calm a person too.

Words to know

• fear: feeling afraid
• danger: chance of harm
• amygdala: brain part
• practice: doing again
• normal: usual, okay