My eight year old asked me what the difference was between angry and disappointed. It was bedtime and the question was out of the blue. I told him that it was time to go to bed and I'd explain it in the morning. How would you explain the difference?
What a good question for such a little man! How cute. I would say that angry is when you are mad that something happened or did not happen. Disappointed is when you are sad that something happened or did not happen.
I like the simplicity of Avasmom's answer; it's mad/angry, sad/let down/disappointed. Both feelings can occur in the same situation. You might ask him to find examples of each that he has experienced, and how he dealt with the feelings. It could be a great conversation.
Disappointment means sad.
Angry means mad.
Disappointment is what you feel if things did not happen as you would have wished. Angry is being mad. You can choose to be angry because you are disappointed but the two emotions are mutually exclusive.
Disappointed is closer to sad than angry.
My answer would be disapointed is when you cant go outside to play because of the rain or you can not go to a birthday party because your sick. Angry is like when someone takes toy away from you. You might explain appropriate reactions to each so they will learn how to react to theses fellings.
