Your Tadpole
Temperament style (Explorer, Thinker, Performer) plus day-to-day mood and consistency.
- Ages:
- 6–12
- Time:
- About 3–5 minutes
- Answered by:
- The child, on their own device
Your TadpoleYour Tadpole vs SMFQ, PSC-17 and Me and My Feelings
Most children’s mood tools are written questionnaires filled in once, in a clinic or a classroom. Your Tadpole is a picture-based check a child can do alone, every day, in under a minute. Here is how the four compare.
At a glance
| Tadpole | SMFQ | PSC-17 | Me and My Feelings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Picture pairs — child taps the image they prefer | Written statements rated true / sometimes / not true | Written statements rated never / sometimes / often | Written statements rated never / sometimes / always |
| Length | Picture pairs + a short daily check-in | 13 items | 17 items | 16 items |
| Age range | 6–12 | 6–17 (child and parent versions) | Roughly 4–16, youth version for older children | Primary school age (around 8–11) |
| Time to complete | About 3–5 minutes | About 5 minutes | About 5 minutes | Under 10 minutes |
| Who answers | The child, on their own device | Child self-report or parent report | Parent or youth | Child self-report, usually in class |
| What it measures | Temperament style (Explorer, Thinker, Performer) plus day-to-day mood and consistency | Depressive signs such as sadness, tiredness and low self-worth | Broad attention, behavioural (externalising) and emotional (internalising) difficulties | Emotional and behavioural difficulties, used as a school well-being measure |
| How often it is used | Daily, ongoing diary | Point-in-time screen, repeatable | Point-in-time screen, often at check-ups | Termly or start/end of an intervention |
| Reading needed | None — no words to read | Required — sentence-level reading | Required — usually completed by an adult | Required — designed for classroom reading level |
What each tool is for
Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ)
Depressive signs such as sadness, tiredness and low self-worth.
- Ages:
- 6–17 (child and parent versions)
- Time:
- About 5 minutes
- Answered by:
- Child self-report or parent report
Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-17)
Broad attention, behavioural (externalising) and emotional (internalising) difficulties.
- Ages:
- Roughly 4–16, youth version for older children
- Time:
- About 5 minutes
- Answered by:
- Parent or youth
Me and My Feelings Questionnaire
Emotional and behavioural difficulties, used as a school well-being measure.
- Ages:
- Primary school age (around 8–11)
- Time:
- Under 10 minutes
- Answered by:
- Child self-report, usually in class
The main difference: a snapshot versus a habit
The SMFQ, PSC-17 and Me and My Feelings are validated screens. They are strong at what they are built for: giving a clinician, GP or school a structured reading of a child’s difficulties at one moment in time. They are also written, they usually depend on an adult, and they are rarely repeated more than a few times a year.
Your Tadpole is built for the days in between. There is nothing to read, the child taps the picture that appeals to them, and the daily check-in takes under a minute. Over weeks that produces a mood diary and a consistency signal a one-off questionnaire cannot give — and it gives the child a small daily habit of naming how they feel.
Your Tadpole is not a diagnostic instrument and does not replace the tools above. If a child’s mood is a concern, speak to a GP, school lead or mental-health professional.
Frequently asked questions
Is Your Tadpole a clinical screening tool?
No. The SMFQ, PSC-17 and Me and My Feelings are validated screening questionnaires used by clinicians and schools. Your Tadpole is a playful picture test and daily mood diary that helps a child notice and talk about how they feel — it does not diagnose anything and does not replace a professional assessment.
Why use pictures instead of written questions?
Written questionnaires ask a child to read a sentence, understand it and rate it. Younger children, reluctant readers and children learning the language of the form all struggle with that. Your Tadpole asks the child to tap the picture they prefer, so the answer comes from instinct rather than reading ability.
Can Your Tadpole be used alongside the SMFQ or PSC-17?
Yes. Those tools give a structured snapshot at a single moment, usually in a clinic or classroom. Your Tadpole runs every day at home, so it fills the gap between appointments and can show a parent when something has shifted and it may be worth completing a formal screen.
How long does a daily check-in take?
A check-in is a handful of picture pairs and takes under a minute, which is what makes daily use realistic for a child.
Try Your Tadpole
A picture test and daily mood diary for kids aged 6–12. No reading needed.
Start the picture test