Big feelings · Ages 4-9
Stories for anxious kids
These are stories where the character is worried and says so. Nothing is dismissed, nothing is cured by being told not to worry, and the fear is always smaller than the child reading it.
Stories to read now
Ages 4-7 · 5 minutes
The T. Rex With Tiny Worries
The biggest dinosaur in the forest is worried about absolutely everything.
Ages 3-6 · 5 minutes
The Dinosaur Who Was Afraid of Thunder
The loudest animal on earth is terrified of a loud noise.
Ages 4-8 · 6 minutes
The Dragon Who Was Scared of Fire
Every dragon in the valley breathes fire. Ember breathes steam, and only when nobody is watching.
Ages 5-9 · 6 minutes
First Time Off the High Rock
Everyone else has jumped. The water is a long way down.
How to get the most from these
Start below their level
Choose a story whose worry is smaller than your child's own. A story that matches the fear exactly is a confrontation; one just below it is a rehearsal.
Do not add the moral
Resist finishing with "so there is nothing to be scared of." It undoes the story. Ask instead what the character did first — the answer is the useful part.
Make a story for anxious kids with your child in it
Type a first name and Imagiverse writes, illustrates and narrates a brand-new story around them in about a minute. Free to try, no card needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can a story really help an anxious child?
It gives them language and a rehearsed sequence, which is what is missing in the moment. It is a support alongside routine and reassurance, not a treatment.
Should the character's worry match my child's?
Close but not identical. Too close and a child recognizes the ambush; slightly different and they will draw the parallel themselves.