A color-together book for kids 4 to 9
Lights off. Door almost closed. Then: what if...?
A printable coloring book that gives everyday worries a name, a face and one small tool to try. There is a reason it keeps happening, and it is not a flaw in your child or in you. A worry is a visitor with a name. Meet twelve of them.
Print one page. Color it together. Say the words on the facing page tonight.
The cast
Meet the Worrylings
Twelve small, round, lovable visitors. Each one stands for one common childhood worry, and each one comes with a simple tool (a Shrinker) to try.
Dimmy
The dark at bedtime
Shrinker: Cozy Plan
Cling
Goodbyes and school drop-off
Shrinker: Goodbye Handshake
Flutter
Tummy flutters before something new
Shrinker: Balloon BellyWhatsy
'What if...?' thoughts
Shrinker: Worry Jar
Smudge
Making mistakes
Shrinker: Not Yet
Hush
New people and feeling shy
Shrinker: Brave Steps
Rumble
Loud noises and storms
Shrinker: Squish and Melt
Prickle
Doctor, dentist and shots
Shrinker: Spy 5
Jitters
Performing, tests and speaking up
Shrinker: Brave Words
Lookout
Worrying about family
Shrinker: My Helper Team
Swervy
Changes of plan and surprises
Shrinker: Plan B Pocket
Dusty
Monsters and under the bed
Shrinker: Real or PretendThe big idea
A worry is a visitor with a name. Not a flaw.
Give a worry a name and a face, and it becomes something a child can talk about, color in and learn to shrink.
Each Worryling is a small visitor who is trying to help but overdoes it. It is never scary, and never the enemy.
The grown-up pages are written like a calm friend who has been there: plain words, no jargon, no guilt.
Easy to use
The same four parts on every spread
By the third Worryling you will know exactly where to look. Here is Dimmy's spread: the page your child colors, and the page facing it for you.
- Meet the WorrylingA name banner, a big picture to color, and two or three lines to read aloud.
- Where you feel itA few body signals, so a child can notice a worry in their tummy, chest or hands.
- The ShrinkerA simple coping tool in three or four tiny steps.
- For the grown-upWhat is going on, three things to say, two things to skip, one thing to try tonight and one tiny brave step.
Peek inside
Sample pages
Real pages from the book. Kid pages are shown colored in; they print as black outlines on white. Swipe to see more.
What is inside
The Complete Calm Kit: four PDFs
The Book is the heart of it. The Kit adds three more PDFs for the moment itself, when you are tired and your child is worried.
Meet the Worrylings (the book)
36 pages
Twelve Worrylings, twelve Shrinkers, plus a body map, a draw-your-own page, a brave steps ladder and a calm plan. In The Book and The Kit.
Worryling Calm Cards
24 cards on 8 pages
Cut-out cards: one for each Worryling and one for each Shrinker. Keep them in a pocket or a jar. In The Kit.
What to Say Tonight
12 script sheets, 14 pages with the intro
One page per Worryling for the fridge: the moment, what to say first, what to say next, and two phrases to skip. In The Kit.
Brave Steps Pack
8 pages
Ladders, charts, plans and a certificate to fill in, for tiny brave steps. In The Kit.
Zero prep
How it works
Print one page
Pick the Worryling that fits tonight. Print its two pages on any home printer, US Letter.
Color together
Your child colors the Worryling while you read the lines aloud. No rush, no right answers.
Say the words
Turn to the grown-up page. Say the lines in your own voice and try the one idea for tonight.
Is this for you?
Who it is for, and what it is not
Who it is for
- Parents and caregivers of kids aged 4 to 9
- Families who would like words for the what-ifs, the goodbyes, the dark and the doctor
- One book for home, the classroom and the counselor's office
What this is not
- It is not medical or mental-health treatment, and it is not therapy.
- It cannot tell you what is going on with your child, and it does not diagnose.
- It does not replace advice from your child's doctor or a licensed therapist.
If worries get in the way of sleep, school, play or everyday life, talk with your child's doctor or a licensed mental-health professional. Asking for help is a caring step. In the United States, you can call or text 988 any time if you or your child is in crisis, and call 911 in an emergency.
Two ways to start
Pick your Worrylings
One payment. Instant PDF download. 30-day refund.
The Book
- Meet the Worrylings, 36 pages
- 12 Worrylings and 12 Shrinkers
- A kid page and a facing grown-up page for each worry
- Instant PDF, print at home
The Complete Calm Kit
- The Book, 36 pages
- 24 printable Calm Cards
- 12 What to Say Tonight script sheets
- Brave Steps Pack, 8 pages
- Four instant PDFs, print at home
Prices are in US dollars. You will see the checkout page before you pay.
A 30-day refund promise
Try it with your family. If it is not for you, email [email protected] within 30 days of buying and we will refund your payment.
Where the advice comes from
Every piece of advice in the book is traced to a public source, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the NHS and Anxiety Canada, and the sources are listed in the book. These organizations have not reviewed or endorsed this product, and no licensed clinician has reviewed it yet.
Good questions
Questions grown-ups ask
How do I get it?
You pay once at checkout and are taken straight to a download page. Save the files to your device while you are there. If you ever lose them, email us and we will send them again. The Book is one PDF. The Complete Calm Kit is four PDFs.
What ages is it for?
It is made for ages 4 to 9. Younger children color while a grown-up reads aloud. The read-aloud lines are short and written at about a 6-year-old reading level, so older children can read them on their own.
How much ink does it use?
The pages print on white paper. The kid pages are mostly white space with black outlines for your child to color in. We have not measured exact ink use, and you can choose black-and-white or draft quality in your printer settings.
Can we use a tablet?
The PDFs open on any phone, tablet or computer, and the grown-up pages are easy to read on a screen. The book is designed for paper and crayons, and we have not tested coloring apps.
Is this therapy?
No. This book is for learning together. It is not medical or mental-health treatment and does not replace advice from your child's doctor or a licensed therapist. If worries get in the way of sleep, school, play or everyday life, please talk with your child's doctor or a licensed mental-health professional.
What if our worry is not one of the twelve?
The book has a Draw Your Own Worryling page, so your child can make up a new visitor and give it a name. The scripts and tips cover the twelve worries in the book. Not every worry fits one of them.
What about refunds?
Email [email protected] within 30 days of buying and we will refund your payment.
Can teachers and counselors use it?
Yes. It is made to work at home, in a classroom or in a counselor's office, because the pages are simple and each one has the same four parts. Please read the terms page for how many copies you may print.
Tonight can start with one page
Print it. Color it together. Say the words.
Instant PDF download. One payment. 30-day refund.