Feelings such as worry, loneliness, insecurity, confusion, and frustration are healthy and normal emotions felt by us, especially our little ones. Often new or challenging behaviours can signal that your child is unwell, that they have not had enough sleep or even, that they’re hungry or thirsty. On other occasions, big expressions can exemplify that your child has simply found their voice and are exploring exactly how to use it!
During this stage, our children need strong social and emotional support to develop a healthy relationship with their emotions, themselves and each other. As parents, carers and educators, we can put tools and support strategies in place to equip and empower children to communicate and express their emotions. What’s also essential is that children are aware that they can verbalise these emotions in a safe learning space.
The Tiny Tots and Kindergarten children at Green Leaves Early Learning Forest Hill have recently explored the ‘WorryWoos’ series to help build this emotional understanding and confidence. Through the WorryWoo monsters book series and plush toys, the children learn about each character’s experience and how to feel and react when emotions come into play. The characters deal with emotions such as loneliness, insecurity, confusion, innocence, worry, frustration, and envy.
Through reading about and engaging in activities based on the Monsters, this helps children successfully identify and understand their own emotions as well as those of others. They are better equipped to communicate, embrace, and reflect upon their feelings, in turn building lifelong social and emotional intelligence and resilience. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has now become an essential part of our curriculum, with the WorryWoo Monsters becoming familiar friends to our children nationwide.
Learn more about WorryWoos here.
