🎃 Spooky but Safe: Facing Scary Feelings 👻

In this newsletter, you will get....

• Parenting Tips

• Activity of the Week

• Sneak Peek: Daisy Core Emotion Kit

Parenting Tips

Helping Kids Face Scary Feelings

• Normalize Fear
  Let your child know that everyone feels scared sometimes, even adults. Try saying, “Your brain is just checking if things are safe. That’s what it’s supposed to do.”

• Label the Feeling
  Help kids name what they’re feeling: “It sounds like you feel nervous about that costume,” or “You’re feeling jumpy because the house looks different at night.”

• Differentiate Pretend vs. Real
  Talk about how costumes, decorations, and movies are make-believe. Encourage curiosity by showing them the “behind-the-scenes” (a mask off, lights turned on).

• Give Choices
  Let your child decide how close they want to get to something spooky. Choice builds control. Control builds calm.

• Model Calm
  Kids mirror our reactions. If you respond with curiosity (“That’s a loud noise! Let’s see what it was.”), they learn to stay grounded too.

Activity of the Week

The Spooky Feelings Thermometer

You’ll Need:

• A printed thermometer chart (or draw one together)

• Crayons or markers

How to Use:

1. Label the bottom as calm, the middle as nervous, and the top as really scared.

2. Ask your child to point or color where they feel when something spooky happens (like walking past a house with decorations).

3. Brainstorm calming strategies together: taking deep breaths, holding your hand, or saying, “It’s just pretend.”

This activity helps kids tune into their bodies and practice self-regulation in real time.

Bonus Activities

• “Courage Countdown” Ritual
  Before facing a spooky moment (like walking up to a decorated porch), count down together: “3-2-1—Courage On!”
  The countdown helps kids shift from fear to action.

• “Fear Detective” Game
  Pretend you’re detectives collecting clues about what’s scary and why. Ask, “What did you see? What did you hear? What might help you feel safe?”

• Bedtime Story Swap
  Turn scary moments into silly ones by rewriting the ending. What if the monster just needed a friend?

Sneak Peek: Daisy Core Emotion Kit

Understanding core emotions is the foundation of emotional intelligence. Just like petals on a daisy, each core emotion is connected to the heart of how we feel and communicate. The Daisy Kit gently guides children through the six foundational emotions. When children can identify and name what they feel. Whether it’s happy, sad, angry, surprised, worried, or afraid they gain the power to manage those feelings instead of being overwhelmed by them.

By exploring these six core feelings in a safe, playful way, the Daisy Kit teaches children that emotions aren’t good or bad. They’re messengers guiding us toward understanding, connection, and growth.

Our new Daisy Kit helps your child recognize, express, and manage their feelings with confidence and clarity.

Ready to help your child’s emotional world blossom?
Click below to explore the Daisy Kit and see how Sproutly makes emotional learning simple, fun, and deeply meaningful.