Print and act out this story together, moving along with the bolded words. After, ask, “How did Elmo solve his problem? What did he do when he felt frustrated?” Later, you might work together to write your own “act-along story.”

When tough feelings come up, remember that it’s okay to “press pause.” This can be a chance to show kids how to name and work with their own feelings, like Elmo does in the story. For example, if a child is struggling and showing it with a tantrum, you can say, “I’m feeling frustrated. I’m going to go into the other room and take some deep breaths before we talk more.”