How to Use Stories to Help Children With Big Feelings
Why stories help young children understand their feelings, and how to listen and talk about them together.
Many young children find it hard to put worries into words. A story can help. It lets a child explore a big feeling through a character, from a safe distance.
Why stories work
When a character faces a scary or sad moment, a child can see that feeling from the outside. They can think about it without having to talk about themselves.
Listen together
Choose a calm time, such as bedtime, a car journey or a quiet moment at home. Listen or read alongside your child instead of leaving them with it. Your presence tells them it is safe to feel what they feel.
Listen more than once
Children often come back to the stories they need. The more a child listens to a story, the greater the benefit may be. Do not worry if they ask for the same one again and again.
Ask gentle questions
Let your child lead. If they do not want to talk, that is fine. The story is still doing its work.
- “How do you think the character felt?”
- “Has anything like that ever happened to you?”
- “What would you say to them?”
Choose the right moment
A story can help before a big event, such as a house move or a first day at school, and afterwards, when feelings are still fresh.
Audio or book
Our stories are available as Kindle books and Audible audio adventures. You can browse them in the Shop.
Where to get more help
If you would like more advice on supporting your child, see the general help on our Support page.
From the Coping with Growing series: modern fairy tales for life’s big moments.