Reading about feelings – using story times to understand emotions

What to try 

• Find some books about emotions, or stories in which the characters express or describe a familiar feeling. 
• When you’re reading, take time to notice how the characters feel and any signs of this (things like hiding when feeling shy or scared, going red when they are embarrassed, or having a sore tummy when they are worried).  
• Chat with your toddler about the characters’ emotions and how their body might be feeling.
• Talk about how you feel when you experience that emotion, too, or talk about a time you think your toddler might recall feeling that way. 

Good to know 

Your toddler is starting to become aware that they can feel their emotions, not just express them. This is quite a difficult concept to understand, especially as we feel emotions in different parts of our body. Reading about emotions and how they might feel in your body will support your toddler to begin making those connections for themselves. 

There are many books available for toddlers that specifically explore feelings and emotions. A really good example is How are you feeling today? by Molly Potter. This book helps explain that feelings are part of you.