Children's Stories to Work on Emotions: An Essential Educational Tool

Oh, emotions… What a complicated topic, right? Emotions are a fundamental part of children’s development, but it is not always easy for them to identify or manage them. And that is why children’s stories can help us.

Children's stories are a powerful tool for teaching emotional skills, as they connect children with situations and characters that reflect their own feelings, and we can take advantage of them to use them as a resource —and at the same time have fun with the little ones—

In this article, we are going to see together the importance of working on emotions from childhood, Recommendations for children's stories about emotions and how to get the most out of these stories at home or in the classroom. Shall we?

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Why it is important to work on children's emotions

It is essential, really. Emotional learning is key to the comprehensive development of children and the sooner it is addressed, the better. At early ages, Children face intense emotions that they often do not know how to express., which can lead to frustration, anxiety or conflict, and this is normal.

Teaching them about emotions has much-needed benefits such as:

1. Emotional awareness: They may not know exactly what they feel—adults often don't know either—but with these stories, children learn to identify their emotions and understand why they feel them.
2. Managing emotions: They are given tools to regulate their emotional responses, such as taking deep breaths or asking for help. This is a great way to start.
3. Empathy and social skills: By knowing their own emotions, they are also able to understand those of others, which fosters healthy relationships. This way, they will empathize with their friends.
4. Conflict Resolution: They develop skills to solve problems in a positive way. This may happen later, but it can be taught to them from a young age through children's stories.

That is why it is so necessary to work on emotions from a very early age and through stories children will learn in an indirect and entertaining way, creating a safe environment where they can explore their feelings and thus, they will grow much happier, more confident and more aware.

Shall we watch a few stories?

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Children's Stories About Emotions: An Essential Selection

1. The Color Monster – Anna Llenas

This classic of children's literature It tells the story of a monster who has emotional chaos because he feels several emotions at the same time.Throughout the story, a character helps him sort each emotion into jars, teaching him to identify and understand each one.

• Age: From 3 years old.
• Main lesson: Every emotion is valid and they all have a purpose.

Advice: Complement this story with manual activities, such as creating emotional jars with representative colors.

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2. Inspector Drilo's Emotionometer – Susanna Isern

This story combines a detective story with emotional learning. Drilo, a crocodile inspector, Use an emotionometer to measure the characters' emotions and solving mysteries. It is ideal for talking about complex emotions such as pride or guilt.

• Age: From 6 years old.
• Main lesson: Emotions are not “good” or “bad,” and they all have their function.

Additional activity: Create a homemade emotionometer for children to indicate how they feel each day.

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3. I have a volcano – Miriam Tirado

This book addresses how to manage anger, comparing this emotion to a volcano about to explode. Through Alba's story, children learn that strong emotions They can be controlled with techniques such as breathing.

• Age: From 5 years old.
• Main lesson: Anger should not be repressed, but channeled appropriately.

Advice: Practice breathing or mindfulness exercises after reading the story.

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4. The Invisible Thread – Miriam Tirado

The Invisible Thread It is a moving story that explains to children that, regardless of distance or circumstances, we are connected to the people we love through an “invisible thread.” This thread symbolizes love and the emotional bond that unites us with others., helping children understand and manage emotions such as sadness, fear or loneliness.

• Age: From 4 years old.
• Main lesson: Emotional bonds endure and make us stronger, even when we are physically separated.

Additional activity: After reading the story, you can do a craft with the children, such as drawing the people who feel connected by their “invisible thread” and trace the connections with a piece of wool or real thread.

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5. Lorenzo's Pot – Isabelle Carrier

This story illustrates How differences or challenges can generate complex emotions, but also how they can be overcome with resilience and support. Lorenzo always carries a “pot” with him that represents his difficulties, but he learns to handle it with creativity.

• Age: From 5 years old.
• Main lesson: Every child is unique and special, even if they face challenges.

Advice: Use the story to talk about the importance of empathy toward other children who have special needs.

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6. I Love You (Almost Always) – Anna Llenas

This work explores emotions related to interpersonal relationships, showing how differences between friends or family They can generate conflict, but they also enrich life.

• Age: From 4 years old.
• Main lesson: Love and respect allow us to accept differences.

Additional activity: Talk to children about how to handle differences with friends or siblings.

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7. Butterfly Ears – Luisa Aguilar

A wonderful tale on self-esteem and how to deal with hurtful comments. Mara, the protagonist, learns to see her “butterfly ears” as something special instead of a weakness.

• Age: From 3 years old.
• Main lesson: Self-esteem is built by accepting ourselves as we are.

Advice: Use the story to reinforce positive messages about self-acceptance.

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How to Work on Emotions with Stories

Now that we have these wonderful stories, we can—and should—make the most of them, so I suggest implementing some strategies during and after reading with the little ones:

1. Discuss the story:
   • Ask children how they think the characters are feeling and why. They may identify with some of these emotions.
   • Encourage them to talk about moments when they felt like the characters. This way they will share their feelings with you and verbalize them.
2. Playing at representing emotions:
   • Ask children to express emotions with their face or body. For example: “Show me what you think sadness looks like.” You can also show them how you do it.
3. Create an emotion box:
   • After reading a story, ask children to draw or write about an emotion and keep it in a special box. This can be used to reflect on their feelings later. Like an emotion diary.
4. Use visual tools:
   • Tales like The Color Monster They are perfect for creating visual materials, such as jars or emotion boards. By using simple materials you can expand the story experience without limits!
5. Relate to your daily life:
   • Invite children to share their own stories that reflect what they have learned in the story. This way, they will be able to identify the emotions they have learned in these stories in their daily lives.

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The Power of Children's Stories in Emotional Development

Children's stories about emotions are much more than just stories; they are tools to open dialogues, teach essential skills and build an emotionally healthy environment for children.

Through titles such as The Color Monster, Lorenzo's Pot and I have a volcano, Children learn to identify, accept and manage their emotions in a way that will accompany them throughout their lives.

Remember that Emotional learning does not happen overnightThe key is consistency and creating spaces where children feel comfortable to express themselves. With these stories, the emotional journey will be as fun as it is enriching!

Let me know in the comments or on my social networks —which you can find below— how it went.