Our Newest Playful Parable is Here!

Young children navigate big feelings every day - excitement on the playground, frustration when a friend won’t share, disappointment when they feel left out. Our new Playful Parable provides a simple script and a clear next step so children can use their voice to stand up for themselves without getting physical and without escalating conflict.

The story follows three everyday school moments:

• Emma wants to use the slide but another student has parked themselves at the top and won’t go down;

• Ben needs a blue pencil for his artwork and a classmate who has a blue pencil refuses to share the classroom equipment;

• Lucy is on the oval and a group of her classmates won’t let her join in their game of soccer.

  
  

Each child uses kind, firm words first – “Please stop, your actions are making me sad” – and when the behaviour doesn’t change, they tell a teacher rather than being “hands on”. It is calm, repeatable and safe. This story teaches children that their feelings matter, that they can set boundaries with kind, firm words, their hands are for helping, not hurting, and if the problem continues they should seek an adult to help them.

Why this Playful Parable works

By watching this Playful Parable children learn a number of very important school lessons. 

It teaches children what to say to their classmates to get what they need. The repeated short sentence using a “me statement” in “your actions are making me sad” gives students a voice and lowers the chance of a shove or shouting.

It teaches emotional regulation. The easily rehearsed line - “your actions are making me sad” becomes a pause button. Children can practise breathing, naming a feeling, and choosing words over using their hands with others.

It protects relationships. Using respectful language keeps doors open for repair. The use of the sentence “your actions are making me sad” separates the action the student is performing from the person themself.  When this is followed by a simply worded request, students can continue to build friendships with each other.

It keeps adults in the loop. If words don’t work, this story teaches children that their next step is to tell a teacher. This keeps students safe and gives schools a chance to support everyone involved.

It works across settings. The use of multiple settings including the playground, classroom, and sports field demonstrates that the same script applies in multiple settings. Students learn that they have a single tool that can be used throughout their day as, and when, needed.

Why this story format helps learning stick

As with all Playful Parables, the story is read aloud while the text lights up word by word. Children hear the story and are able to track the print at the same time, which provides whole-language immersion. When this is paired with explicit language instruction - modelling the exact sentence to say and practising it - children get the best of both worlds. Children see the words, hear the words and say the words.

Three gentle examples: one clear message

One particular strength of Playful Parables is that the reader is never accused of doing anything wrong. Instead, they are shown three different students handling three different problems. The repeated language hammers home the message in a warm, non-threatening way.

• The slide - Emma asks kindly, then gets help when the blocker won’t move.

• The pencils - All students learn that sharing matters and that words work better than Ben grabbing the pencil he wants.

• The soccer game - Lucy speaks up about inclusion, then involves a teacher when needed.

Children will recognise themselves, or a situation they have experienced, in at least one of these scenes, which makes practice feel natural.  

How to use this story at home

This story is not just limited to the classroom. While the scenarios provided are all school based, the idea of using a calm voice to ask others to “please stop, your actions are making me sad” can be used at home with siblings or other friends who are struggling to play nicely.

For those who respond with verbal or physical retaliation when their problems are not resolved immediately it could be beneficial to act out the story. Toys could be used to represent children on the playground with one toy deliberately stopping your child’s toy accessing the item they want. Your child could use the line “please stop, your actions are making me sad” to try to achieve what they want.  By pretending not to listen to this request you can prompt your student to practise the next step - I’m going to tell the teacher now. This could be another adult or an additional toy representing the teacher who will resolve the issue quickly and calmly for all involved.

At the end of the role play you could ask your child to name the steps they took to resolve the issue and celebrate the calm voice they used when asking for help. They should be praised for the choice they made to seek help rather than seeking a quick “win” by taking matters into their own hands.

What your child learns

This story about speaking up and then asking for help, gets to the very heart of respectful conflict resolution. It teaches children to speak up with kindness, then seek adult help if needed. With bright artwork, a friendly tone and three relatable moments, this Playful Parable turns a tricky topic into an easily practised routine. Read it together, practise the line “please stop, your actions are making me sad” and know your child will have the confidence to be calm, clear and safe in all friendship situations.