Face Fears Through the "Not-So-Scary Boo" Book
With Halloween right around the corner, it’s a good time to talk about scary things.
Talking about what scares us is hard. It’s so hard that many adults avoid the discussion themselves — without this discussion, how are children supposed to learn how to tackle their own fears?
Everyone is afraid of something. That’s normal, but it’s how we handle our fears that either allows us to move past them and grow, or freeze up and get stuck in one spot.
The first step is talking. Be it bugs or breaking news, talking to children about scary topics not only shows them that it’s okay to be afraid, but also helps to develop coping strategies to overcome those fears.
Now, how do you get your child talking? Try this Not-So-Scary Boo book. It’s a place for children to write down what scares them and what they can do to tackle their fears. It’s great to do as a family, so that children can see how grown-ups handle their feelings too.
Materials
Directions
Print out the Boo Book printable. Each page has a scared ghost and a happy ghost — start with two sets per person.
Help your child cut out the ghosts.
Have your child line up the ghosts so that one scared ghost is followed by a happy ghost. Punch a hole at the top of each.
Next, place a brass fastener or piece of string through the hole so all the ghosts are attached.
Ask your child what scares them. Why is it scary? After some discussion, have him write, draw or tape a photograph of something that frightens him on the scared ghost. Share your own fears with your child and fill in a scared ghost too!
Ask your child what makes them feel better when he’s scared. Is it a song, or maybe an activity? Write, draw or paste a photograph of this method on the happy ghost. This may be different for everyone. No two strategies need to be the same, and that’s okay. The idea is that with encouragement, children can actively address their fears and generate coping strategies themselves.
When your child is finished, you’ll have a better window into his thinking, and the next time your child encounters something scary, he will already have strategies to make the scary things not-so-scary after all.
Jennifer Cooper is the blogger behind Classic-Play.com, an online resource for creative families. Her favorite pastimes include: dancing around her living room, watching the Pink Panther with her kids and daydreaming. She lives in Baltimore, MD with her husband, photographer Dave Cooper, and two children.
Emotions & Self-Awareness
Social Skills
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- Craft
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