Hey there regaljay,
Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities.
To get started, if you've ensured the Emoji keyboard has been added in Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, you should be able to tap or touch and hold the globe icon at the bottom left corner of the keyboard to switch to the emoji keyboard.
Check this link for more details: Use emoji on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
Add an emoji
Find the emoji keyboard in any app that uses the standard keyboard, like Mail or Messages. To add an emoji:
1. Tap the text field, then tap the Emoji button or the globe .
If this is not working as expected, try restarting your iPad and test the issue again: Restart your iPad - Apple Support
How to restart an iPad without a Home button
1. Press and hold either volume button and the top button until the power off slider appears.
2. Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your device to turn off. If your device is frozen or unresponsive, force restart your device.
3. To turn your device back on, press and hold the top button until you see the Apple logo.
How to restart an iPad with a Home button
1. Press and hold the top button until the power off slider appears.
2. Drag the slider, then wait for 30 seconds for your device to turn off. If your device is frozen or unresponsive, force restart your device.
3. To turn your device back on, press and hold the top button until you see the Apple logo.
While restarting may seem like a simple step, it can often help with resolving some unexpected issues like this.
Keep us updated on the results.
Take care.