Updated: Jan 29
One of the biggest challenges for small children in life is to learn to identify emotions.
According to Dr. Beatrice Kraemer, clinical psychologist and parenting expert, and founder of Parenting at Its Best (www.parentingatitsbest.com ): „Every child has their own experience, and they want to let us know. If we attune to them carefully, we will understand. To help our children identify and name feelings is the biggest gift we can give them. This will enable them to make sense of their experiences, and navigate the myriad of emotions and the related situation in a resilient and adequate way. They will become problem solvers, champions of collaboration and lovers of life."
Reading to your children books on feelings can help them to sort this out. A friend of mine reads ROBBI REGT SICH AUF by Mireille d'Alloncé to her daughter when she has a tantrum (or shortly thereafter) and it works wonders. And it works great with my 2-year old as well! Children are fascinated by books on emotions.
We put together a collection of some great children's books in German on feelings for you to explore. Take a look.
Moritz Petz / Amelie Jackowski
DER DACHS HAT HEUTE SCHLECHTE LAUNE
We all are in a bad mood sometimes - but what happens when we spread the bad mood to all around us, as the little badger does in this book? A fun read on bad moods.
Mireille d'Allancé
ROBBI REGT SICH AUF
Robbi is having a bad day and feels this big thing - anger - mounting up. A great book to help children learn how to control bad emotions (and that they are normal, too).
Veronique Caplain / Gregoire Mabir
WÖLFE GIBT ES DOCH GAR NICHT
Wednesdays Oskar and Wilma spend with their father - and every Wednesday he bakes chocolate cake and reads them the story of the bad wolf. But then one day there are weird noises in the house...
A suspenseful read on overcoming fear.
Laurenz Pauli / Kathrin Schärer
MUTIG, MUTIG
Four friends challenge each other with a competition: who can come up with the craziest test of courage and dares to do it himself?
A clever book on courage and how we all face different fears.
Mies van Hout
HEUTE BIN ICH
On each page of this unusually illustrated book the fish shows a different emotion - happy, angry, sad. Relieved, nervous..
Great book to discuss the nuances of emotions with your child.
All books are available for rent within the US with one of our subscriptions.