The Emotion Ocean: Starfish Feels Scared
#2 of 6 in The Emotion Ocean Series
on Goodreads (7)
What’s inside...
In this engaging tale from The Emotion Ocean series, Starfish confronts its fears with the help of its underwater friends, learning valuable lessons about courage and trust along the way. The animals are having fun on the class field trip to the park, but Starfish feels scared to try something new. Can anyone help her feel a little bit brave? Starfish Feels Jealous is a picture book that helps young children discuss their feelings and build positive relationships. It offers a gentle introduction to the emotion of fear and offers some ways in which to deal with it. In the story, Starfish struggles with new experiences such as rides at a theme park but he learns that being brave can open up new things and he learns to face his fears. The Emotion Ocean series of picture books for children aged 4 plus are a great way to promote discussion of feelings and emotions, help build positive relationships and boost self-esteem and good behaviour. The series supports the Personal, Social and Emotional Development Area of Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and the RSE curriculum 2020 and is also suitable for use with children in KS1 and can be used to discuss virtues and values. The stories are accompanied by fun and humorous illustrations which really engage young children.
Discussion points
How do you think Starfish felt when she was scared? Can you relate to her feelings?
What actions did Starfish take to manage her fear? How can we apply those to our own feelings of fear?
Why is it important to talk about our fears with someone we trust?
How did Starfish's friends help her feel better? Who are the friends or family members you can turn to when you're scared?
What did you learn from Starfish's experience about handling scary situations?
Tip: Role play these questions
Set a comfortable and quiet environment for the discussion, ensuring your child feels safe to express their thoughts and emotions.
Validate your child's feelings by sharing a personal story of a time you felt scared and how you dealt with it, encouraging empathy and understanding.
Encourage your child to draw or act out different scenes from the book. This can help them express their understanding and emotions in a creative way.
After discussing the questions, guide your child to write a little story or draw a picture about a time they overcame a fear, highlighting their courage and resilience.
Use affirmative language to reinforce the positive actions taken by Starfish and her friends, boosting your child's confidence in handling similar situations.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Understanding and managing fear
Explanation: Through Starfish's journey, children see how he feels scared initially but learns to manage his fear by seeking help and using calming techniques.
Real-World Application: Children can apply these strategies when they face their own fears, such as during a thunderstorm or on the first day of school.
Example Lesson: Seeking help from others
Explanation: Starfish seeks help from his friends when he is scared, demonstrating the importance of reaching out to trusted individuals when overwhelmed.
Real-World Application: This lesson encourages children to express their feelings and ask for help from parents, teachers, or friends when they are scared or upset.
Example Lesson: Empathy and compassion
Explanation: Starfish's friends listen and provide comfort, teaching children the value of being understanding and compassionate towards others' feelings.
Real-World Application: Children learn to be supportive friends who listen and help others in their time of need, fostering a caring community.
Example Lesson: Resilience in the face of challenges
Explanation: As Starfish overcomes his fear, children learn about resilience and the ability to recover from difficult situations.
Real-World Application: This can help children understand that it’s okay to feel scared and that they can overcome their fears and challenges with courage and support.
Example Lesson: Understanding emotions
Explanation: The book explores various emotions, not just fear, encouraging children to recognize and name their feelings.
Real-World Application: This helps in developing emotional intelligence which aids children in managing their reactions and interactions with others effectively.