Using Positive Self-Talk: The Story of Seastellar the Sea Star

Positive self-talk – along with the ability to identify and acknowledge the emotions that we are feeling – are important self-regulation strategies that young children begin to develop as they enter into the world outside their own homes. Our emotions – be they excitement, disappointment, joy or anxiety – can cause uncomfortable physical responses in our bodies. Children need to know that their feelings are normal AND that there are practical strategies that they can use to help manage those strong emotions so that they feel better and more in control. In this session, children will learn that using positive self-talk along with identifying emotions can help manage strong feelings. Children will sing a song about having strong feelings and managing them. They will then read a short story with me about Seastellar, a star fish who uses positive self-talk to encourage herself to make a new friend. The children will – with me and with the other students in the session – discuss Seastellar’s strategies for helping herself feel better. Finally, we will each have the opportunity to practice using some positive self-talk by identifying something about ourselves about which we are proud. As a kindergarten teacher of 15 years, I have found that children benefit greatly from developing a sense of efficacy when it comes to emotional self-regulation – and song, story, discussion and practice are the tools to bring this growing sense of agency into a child’s ever-expanding world. Join me!