In My Heart

{E} and I try to go to our local rest home once a month.  This month another lovely woman shared a story with some of the residents.  I fell in love with it and had a few ideas of how to use it at home and/or the classroom.

In My Heart

A Book of Feelings

By Jo Witek

In this book different feelings are explored and described in unique and interesting ways. 

BRAVE. MAD. BROKEN. HOPEFUL. 

These are only a few of the feelings you'll find as you {quite literally} dive into the main character's heart.  All of these feelings are relatable to every age, but I think Grades K-3 would benefit the most from its presentation. Here are some ideas of how to use this book at home/in school!

Have a Heart to Heart

I know it can be hard to have meaningful conversations with children {especially when they are feeling upset or going through something difficult}. This book can help bring down some of those walls and create a safe space for an open conversation.  As you read, you might ask the child if they've ever felt shy like the girl in the book.  Then ask them to describe a time when they felt that way.  At the end of the book it reads, "How does your heart feel?" This is the perfect opportunity to ask the child to answer this question.  It may give them that comfort to talk about something they're feeling that they may feel worried or embarrassed to discuss.  You could do this on a classroom level as well!  Just ask your students to write down their feelings in a writing or personal journal.  If you want to read it, make sure you tell them before they start to write.

Add to the Story

Give your child a chance to be an author! After reading the story, discuss other feelings they may have during the day or week.  Provide them with the tools to draw a new picture to show how their heart feels when it's worried, mischievous, excited, or lonely. You could also help them or challenge them to add text along with their illustration. In the classroom you could compile all of their new pages and make it a classroom book to add to your library!

Practice Expressing Feelings

Being able to communicate feelings is a crucial social skill.  This book can help a child recognize the name of feelings with how they are feeling.  If your child has a difficult time with this skill, I would suggest reading this book with them and challenging them to inform you of their feelings throughout the day.  That way you can help them to know ways to enjoy, comfort, or ease different feelings. This could be very helpful in the classroom. You might challenge your class to express how their heart is feeling when conflict arises between friends at recess or happiness exudes after a successful quiz.

I love to do activities that relate to the nearest holiday/season.  Hearts + February = Perfection!  You have about a week to give this a try.  And even if you don't feel like you need to do a specific activity with it, the book itself it a fun way to end the "Heart Month".

If you are unable to get the book, you can have it read to you here. 

{Natalie}