The Colour Monster is here! Inspired by the beloved book by Anna Llenas, this engaging, multipurpose resource can be used alongside the popular story to help children understand, communicate and explore emotions. This resource is highly versatile and can be seamlessly integrated into your classroom learning, therapy sessions, or any other setting you choose. It doesn't feature any directions, so that you can choose the best fit for your students or patients.
With various interactive activities, your child can deepen their emotional understanding while having fun with creativity and reflection.
The Colour Monster Book
The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas is an exceptional emotional literacy resource that introduces children to the concept of emotions through engaging storytelling and colourful illustrations. The book personifies different emotions as unique, vibrant monsters, making it relatable and approachable for young readers. By using this engaging narrative, children can better understand their own feelings, recognise emotions in others, and learn that it’s okay to express how they feel. This makes the Colour Monster book an excellent starting point for discussions about emotional well-being, serving as a foundational piece for any emotional resources for kids.
How to use
How you use this resource is entirely up to you, but here are a few ideas to get you going:
1. Emotion Synonyms
Ask children to write down synonyms or alternative words for the emotions depicted by each Colour Monster. For example, in the "Happy" jar, they might list words like "joyful," "excited," or "content." This exercise expands their emotional vocabulary, allowing them to articulate their feelings more effectively.
2. Triggers and Situations
For each jar, children will list situations, events, or actions that typically evoke the corresponding emotion. For instance, in the "Sad" jar, they might write "missing a loved one" or "losing a game." This activity helps children recognise their personal triggers for various emotions, helping them to develop self-awareness and understanding.
3. Cut and Stick Activity
Also included in this Colour Monster resource is a sheet of emotion squares for your children to cut out and glue! Can they glue them into the corresponding jars? This cut-and-stick activity not only enhances fine motor skills but also helps to expand their emotional vocabulary, leading to enhanced communication and awareness.
4. Coping Strategies
Why now have children will write down helpful strategies or activities for managing each emotion in the appropriate jar? This resource can help children develop their own Colour Monster Emotional Toolbox! For example, in the "Angry" jar, they might write "go for a walk" or "talk to someone." This exercise promotes emotional regulation by helping your explore constructive techniques with children to manage their feelings effectively. By identifying coping strategies, children learn that it’s okay to experience difficult emotions, but it’s also essential to know how to handle them.
5. Feelings Reflection
In each jar, children could write a short reflection or personal experience related to that emotion. This could be a time they felt that way or how they handled it. This activity fosters self-reflection and emotional awareness, enabling children to connect their feelings to real-life situations.
7. Daily Emotion Tracking
Display our Colour Monster worksheets somewhere reachable and visible, then provide each child with a set of colour-coded stickers. Each day, ask your class to stick their chosen sticker into the jar that best reflects how they feel at that moment.
8. Artistic Expression
Children can create drawings or designs in each jar that they feel visually represent the corresponding emotion. This activity encourages creative expression and personal connection to feelings, allowing children to explore their emotions in a unique way. By using colours and images that resonate with their feelings, children gain a deeper understanding of how they express themselves.
9. Discussion Prompts
Using the jars as conversation starters, children can discuss what each emotion means to them and share their experiences. By promoting conversations about emotions, this activity enhances emotional literacy in the classroom and helps children feel more comfortable discussing their feelings.
We'd love to see how you use our Colour Monster worksheets! Don't forget to tag us on social media or send your pictures to hello@behappyresources.co.uk.
This Colour Monster Emotion Resource is a versatile tool for helping children explore and articulate their feelings, with so many uses you'll never run out of ideas or things to do! Designed for both classrooms, therapy settings and home environments, this resource enhances emotional literacy and promotes understanding of emotional experiences. Download now!
