Discover the Science of Feelings

Join us for a fun, family-friendly drop-in event (11am -1pm) at W5 showcasing developmental and social science research from Queen’s and Ulster Universities. Designed especially for children aged 5-12 and their grown-ups,this interactive event combines playful, hands-on activities for kids with engaging, bite-sized insights for parents and carers, all focused on how we understand and talk about feelings.  

Children can take part in a vocabulary treasure hunt, design their own emojis to add to a colourful art display, race against the clock in an emotion word challenge, or step onto our giant feelings timeline to see how emotions change over time. Children will also have the exciting opportunity to take part in real research experiments, helping researchers learn more about how young people understand and talk about emotions.

Families can also enjoy games like emotion word charades, with prizes and stickers to collect along the way.

Meanwhile, parents can browse Science in Action info panels for practical tips on talking about feelings at home and discover the research shaping our understanding of children’s emotional development

Come along to play, learn, and see how science can help us understand ourselves and each other better

Dr Agnieszka Graham and Professor Teresa McCormack from the School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, and Dr Sarah Lorimer from the School of Psychology at Ulster University

This interactive event is designed for children aged 5–12 and their parents/caregivers

This opportunity will resonate with parents who want to support their children in building a strong foundation for emotional resilience and communication.

17 October 2025