Dear Parents and Child Care Providers,

This month, in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re focusing on emotional awareness and expression through the beloved story The Color Monster by Anna Llenas. This gentle, visually engaging book helps children explore their feelings by giving emotions names, colors, and space—reminding us all that it’s okay to feel many things, and that understanding our emotions is the first step to managing them in healthy ways.

As families read along, children are invited to notice, name, and talk about their feelings, while adults are encouraged to create safe, supportive environments where emotional check‑ins are part of everyday life. The Color Monster opens the door to meaningful conversations about mental health, helping children—and the grown‑ups who care for them—build lifelong habits of empathy, communication, and emotional well‑being.

STORY

The Color Monster by Anna Llenas

ACTIVITY

Hands-On Activity: Color Collaging Feelings

This month’s activity helps children explore and express their emotions through color, choice, and creativity. Inspired by The Color Monster, this activity supports emotional awareness by giving children a visual and tactile way to identify how they’re feeling.

Part 1: Gathering & Sorting Colors
Begin by collecting a variety of items in different colors—such as paper scraps, fabric pieces, buttons, magazine cutouts, yarn, or natural materials. Invite children to help sort and organize the items by color. This step encourages observation, cooperation, and conversation about colors and the feelings they might represent.

Part 2: Creating a Feelings Collage
Provide children with colored paper and invite them to choose the colors that best match how they’re feeling that day. Using the sorted materials, children can collage freely, layering colors and textures that represent one feeling—or many at once. There’s no right or wrong way to create; the goal is expression.

As children work, encourage gentle check‑ins with questions like, What color did you choose first? or How does this color make you feel? This activity supports fine motor skills, self‑expression, and emotional literacy, while reminding children that all feelings are valid and worth noticing.

SONG

“Feelings Song”

This month’s featured song invites children and families to explore emotions through music and movement, reinforcing the themes from The Color Monster. With playful visuals and a gentle rhythm, the song encourages children to notice how different feelings can show up in their bodies and reminds them that all emotions are welcome.

Singing, moving, and listening together creates a natural opportunity for emotional check‑ins — helping children learn that feelings can be named, expressed, and understood in healthy ways. As you watch and sing along, pause to ask questions like: How does this song make you feel? or What color would you give that feeling?

Music can be a powerful tool for emotional connection, making this song a fun and meaningful way to support children’s mental and emotional well‑being.

We’ll see you at the next First Fridays!