Before kids can talk, they express their emotions nonverbally. That’s why babies cry when they are hungry, cold, sick, or uncomfortable. As they get older, they learn to speak and start to express their feelings. But, we’ve all seen a toddler throw a temper tantrum. Kids don’t always understand these big feelings, which is why they sometimes react in aggressive or inappropriate ways. That’s why kids have to be taught about emotions. They need to learn how to put words to their feelings.

Books can help.

According to Psychology Today, “In two different studies, [researchers] found that parents who more often asked their toddler to think about the feelings shown in the books had children who more often and more quickly shared with or helped an adult. Other researchers have found that parents talking about emotions while reading picture books is linked to greater emotional understanding in toddlers.” Fortunately, NAMEE has made this much easier for parents with the emotions-themed book, “You Can Feel,” . This personalized book stands out because kids get to put themselves inside the story and walk through real-life scenarios that evoke common emotions.

As parents read “You Can Feel,” with their child, they have multiple opportunities to teach about emotions.

Want your children to use words to express their emotions instead of throwing toys on the ground or yelling at the top of their lungs? Read “You Can Feel” with them! Illustrator Estrella Bascuñan made illustrations eye catching for your little ones!

Ways to Teach Your Child About Emotions Using Personalized Book “You Can Feel”

NAMEE has made it easy for parents to teach their kids about emotions. You don’t have to be an educator or librarian. Anyone can use the emotions book to talk to kids about big feelings!

The book practically teaches itself!

Each emotion is clearly depicted with real-life examples that kids will understand, such as birthday parties and nighttime fears.

Along with the creative story, the illustrations show characters with facial expressions that represent various emotions.

For these reasons, you can easily ask leading questions, such as “How do you think she is feeling? Does she look sad, angry, or happy? How would you feel if this happened to you?”

As kids make these important connections, you can use the book to help kids understand their emotions and name them.

Verywell Family explains, “Kids who understand their emotions are less likely to act out by using temper tantrums, aggression, and defiance to express themselves. A child who can say, ‘I’m mad at you,’ is less likely to hit. And a child who can say, ‘That hurts my feelings,’ is better equipped to resolve conflict peacefully.”

That alone makes it worth it to read this personalized book with your child!

11 Emotions Found in NAMEE’s Personalized Book “You Can Feel”

“You Can Feel” covers the following emotions using examples all kids understand.

  • Fear – This emotion is shown through a typical scenario of a child who is afraid of a dark room with strange noises
  • Joy – What is more joyful to a child than a birthday party with cake and presents! This emotion is instantly recognizable in the book.
  • Surprise – Surprise is made clear by illustrating a child with wide eyes finding a missing toy.
  • Anger – The book uses a universal situation when a child doesn’t get what he/she wants, anger is easy to see and understand.
  • Courage – In the story about courage, a little one overcomes their fear of heights by taking a brave leap.
  • Guilt – When a child refuses to share and yells at a friend, he feels immediate guilt. This is a situation kids of all ages can relate to!
  • Boredom – Stuck inside on a rainy day, the main character experiences boredom, but he sees how quickly boredom can turn into fun.
  • Jealousy – In this story, a child experiences jealousy when she sees other kids playing with their pets and wishes she had one, too.
  • Sadness – The book gently introduces the emotion of sadness by using a simple story of a child who is sad because rain ruined their beach day plans.
  • Excitement – Excitement is obvious on the character’s face when she dreams about her upcoming trip to a theme park.

“You Can Feel,” ends with the feeling of love and reminds children how much they are adored.