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5 Simple, Powerful Ways Picture Books Help Children Face Their Fears

  • Writer: Starr Balmer-Chore
    Starr Balmer-Chore
  • Jun 24
  • 3 min read

These five methods can help your kiddos enjoy reading and exploring while learning how to stop their fears in their tracks


Like adults, we all know kids develop all types of fears — bugs, the dark, strangers, etc. Well actually, these were my fears (and still kind of are, lol). While we may encourage the little ones to face their fears head on as a remedy to help them overcome them, reading picture books about fear is another great option that parents and educators should consider.


Whether it’s reading Me and My Fear by Francesca Sanna, There’s an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer, or even Scary, Scary Sasha (by me), children will appreciate seeing characters like them facing the same fears — and overcoming them. With compelling storylines and vivid illustrations, picture books about fear show readers how characters deal with and face obstacles while entertaining and enlightening them along the way.


Overall, you can help children feel supported and comfortable about their fear by making reading fun and interactive. Using books, here are five steps you can take to help your little ones face their fears.


#1. Find picture books about fear that are fun and engaging.


Whether you’re searching online or visiting your favorite bookstore, choose books with eye-catching illustrations and storylines that clearly demonstrate the character’s fear AND show how the character overcame that fear.


 #2. Read the books together.


Bedtime (or right before) is usually the ideal time to read books with the little ones, as it helps them relax and calm down. Choose one book and read it aloud. Point out the actions and characters in the illustrations as you are reading to them and help them see the character’s obstacles and achievement. Take your time reading it to give them a moment to absorb the details and illustrations in the story. And don’t be afraid to “animate” the story as you go. For example, if something explodes in the story, say “Boom!” and add emphasis to it; it makes reading the story more fun and engaging.


#3. Ask questions.


As you are reading the story, ask them what they think will happen next. Or, ask them how they think the character is feeling. Also, you can ask what they would do in that situation. Providing opportunities of discussion and critical thinking will aid in helping them understand fear and their feelings about fear, too.


#4. Relate to real life.


If the story is also similar to the readers’ bouts of fear, help them see how the character is experiencing the same type of fear. And don’t forget to point out how they handled it. This is super important in helping your readers overcome their fear.


#5. Create an activity based on the book.


Encourage your little ones to express their fear with a simple activity. Here are three activities to try:


  • Encourage them to draw their favorite scene from the book.

  • Create a coloring or tracing sheet that’s associated with their fear. To accomplish this, you can go to Canva.com, search “coloring sheets”, and choose files to download and print. If the story is about a fear of spiders, for instance, you can search “ color sheets” on Canva, and a bunch of template options will be available to modify and choose from.

  • Help them write their own story about facing their fear.


For more information about books and writing, visit www.birdslovepublishing.com.


 
 
 

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