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In this newsletter you will find a book and activities to extend your child’s learning at home. This month’s newsletter will focus on the Program of Studies topic of Me and Myself: Feelings.
Important Dates
Friday, September 4th Holiday - Labor Day
Monday, September 7th Holiday - Labor Day
Tuesday, September 22st - Holiday - Yom Kippur
Home Connections - Extend Your Child’s Learning About Feelings
Identifying and naming the feelings of others in books, videos, and other pictures helps your child begin to identify feelings in themself and others. Identifying feelings is an important step toward understanding and managing their own emotions and navigating social conflicts with others. Use the activities to practice identifying and talking about feelings with your child.
Feelings game
Practice naming feelings with your child when reading a book, watching TV, or when out on a walk. You can look for and name different feelings or take turns saying “I spy someone who is . . .” when you turn a page or see someone who looks happy, sad, etc. If your child is not yet using a variety of language, you can ask them to point to the picture/person who looks (happy, sad, etc.) or say “Show me how this person is feeling” and if they make a similar face, provide the language, “You are smiling. You’re right, that person is happy,” and encourage them to imitate you by saying “happy.”
Feelings scavenger hunt
Draw or print pictures of different feelings. Hide the picture with the feelings side down around the house. When your child finds one, ask them to name the “feeling” they found. For children who are ready, you can extend the activity by asking them what makes them feel that way (happy, sad, mad, scared, etc). If they aren't yet able to answer, you can provide an example of something that makes you feel that way.
Book: Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton
Key vocabulary
Although not included in the text, this book lends itself to discussing feelings vocabulary including: sad, worried, scared, happy and additional descriptive vocabulary including: big, bigger, pointy, long and short. Action words pictured or used in the text include: sleep, fall, bump, lost, find, follow, look, cry.
Questions to ask
What’s happening in this picture? Is everyone safe?
What do you think is going to happen? What happened?
How do you think Little Owl feels?
Is that Little Owl’s Mommy? How do you know?
How do you think Little Owl’s Mommy feels?
Do you think Little Owl will be lost again? Why or why not?
Story link
Click the story link or scan the QR code below to watch or listen to the story!
Additional Books About Feelings
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain - Simple verses and expressive images connect words and emotions
Waiting Isn’t Easy by Mo Willems - Elephant feels some strong emotions while waiting for a surprise
The Feelings Book by Todd Paar - simple book for helping young children understand and discuss feelings
Little Monkey Calms Down by Micahel Dahl - Little Monkey copes with his strong feelings
Community Resources - Fairfax County Public Library
Fairfax County Public Library’s Early Literacy Department creates multiple publications targeting children ages birth to 5, including What’s New in Children’s Picture Books, Read, Write, Talk, Sing, and Play, and STEAM Poster series. You can access all of these and more resources on the Early Literacy Publications page. You can also scan the QR code below.
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