Children usually love nature and feel everything that happens to them with special intensity, if they are happy they express their happiness out loud, but they are also inconsolable when they are sad. This is because they do not have strategies to regulate their emotions, so they express them as they experience them.

However, not knowing how to manage emotions assertively can end up affecting the little ones or those around them. Therefore, if we want to raise happy children, it is important to develop emotional self-awareness and teach them to deal with their feelings. Tricks you learned in school and now teach your children.

In this sense, children’s books can become an excellent resource for educating emotionally balanced children. One of those essential titles is “The Color Monster”, an excellent illustrated book from the pen of Anna Llenas Serra that stimulates self-knowledge in children and teaches them to recognize and manage their own emotions.

“The color monster”, a very valuable emotional development tool

“The Color Monster” is much more than an illustrated book for children, it is an excellent educational resource to teach them to deal with their emotions in a simple and fun way. All through the eyes of its protagonist, a cute monster who doesn’t know what emotions are and will discover them along with the little ones at home. Undoubtedly, a very peculiar protagonist with whom children will feel identified from the first pages and who will help them work on their childhood fear of imaginary monsters.

However, beyond the character and the attractive story, what really sets this book apart and makes it a useful and practical teaching tool is the way it works on emotions, through colors. In “The Color Monster”, the author not only describes the meaning of each emotion and the universal reactions they evoke, but also uses the basic color palette to help children identify basic emotional states:

1. Joy

Represented by the vividness of the color yellow, it describes a feeling of intense happiness and well-being, often related to a positive event. Smile, laughter and euphoria are some of her most common reactions.

2. Sadness

It is represented by the color blue and refers to a kind of emotional pain that arises when expectations are not met or unpleasant circumstances are experienced. Some of the reactions that characterize it are crying, discouragement and loss of motivation to do even the things we enjoy the most.

3. Angry

It is described as a natural response to what is considered an aggression or threat. Related to the color red, it is expressed through reactions such as resentment, irritability, anger or violence.

4. Fear

It is one of the most primary emotions that emerges when faced with the perception of danger, real or imaginary, present, past or future. Represented by the color black, it is characterized by a feeling of overwhelm, anxiety and restlessness that can sometimes become paralyzing, preventing us from doing the things we want.

5. Calm

It is represented by the color green and refers to a pleasant feeling of tranquility and inner peace in which we think more clearly and are aware of what is happening around us. It is a balanced emotional state that is related to an incredible feeling of well-being.

6. Love

Although love does not develop in the book, at the end of the story the monster experiences this feeling that is represented by the color pink. A feeling of love and affection that invades him towards the girl who helped him identify his emotions with the help of the little ones at home.

“The color monster”, much more than a children’s story

Since it was first published in 2012, the children’s book “The Color Monster” has helped many children become familiar with their emotions and take the first steps in learning to manage them. However, beyond the original book, there are also other resources related to “The Color Monster” that can be very useful for working on the subject of emotions with the little ones at home.

1. Pop-up edition of “The Color Monster”

If the little ones at home loved the original version of “The Color Monster”, they will be delighted with this pop-up edition in which the Color Monster comes to life. It is a book with 2D illustrations that allow children to get a clearer idea of ​​the different scenes of the story and even interact with the colored monster. Ideal for children between 3 and 5 years old, it is a perfect alternative to help them identify their emotions in a more practical and interactive way.

2. The color monster goes to school

In this edition of “The Color Monster”, its protagonist faces a new adventure: the first day of school. He doesn’t know what school is or what awaits him there, so he is a little nervous and anxious. However, as the pages progress, he will meet his classmates, discover new routines and enter spaces and dynamics that are completely different for him. Without a doubt, it is a very valuable resource to help children prepare for this new stage of their lives and face the first day of school.

3. Collection of figures of “The color monster”

With this collection of “The Color Monster” figures, children will be able to take the management of their emotions one step further. It is a collection of 8 figures of monsters that represent joy, love, calm, sadness, anger and fear, emotions that complement each other in a multicolored figure that goes hand in hand with the girl that accompanies the monster. of colors during his journey of self-discovery. A very graphic and interactive way to teach children to identify the different emotions while giving free rein to their creativity and imagination.

4. Educational game “I discover emotions”

Based on the book “The Color Monster”, it is an educational game from the Diset label with which the little ones at home can learn to identify and manage their emotions in a simple and fun way. Recommended for children between 7 and 10 years old, it includes 14 cards to identify the emotions, a wheel of emotions to encourage dialogue between parents and children and the mirror of the monster with which the little ones will be able to relate the expressions on its face with the emotions . It also contains 7 jars and 102 colored pom-poms to help children classify emotions, a magnetic board with 33 images to provide the girl in the story with different emotional reactions, and 10 cards with basic yoga poses to help them learn to relate. with his body.

5. Coloring book “The color monster”

With this “Color Monster” coloring book, kids can take their self-awareness to the next level. Not only can they have fun with the adventures of the color monster, but they can become co-stars and help him identify the emotions he experiences through colors. They just have to identify the emotion they feel in each scene and color the monster with the color that represents it. Undoubtedly, a very useful educational and creative tool for their emotional development.