We love these fun activities for Wemberly Worried. Actually, we just straight-up love Kevin Henkes and all his relatable characters… Lilly, Owen, Julius, Chrysanthemum, Sheila Rae, Chester, and, of course, Wemberly. Most kids can find themselves in at least one of his stories, if not more.
This is one of those books teachers typically reach for at the beginning of the year. However, the central theme of the book is about overcoming worry, so we think it’s a great read-aloud any time of the year!
A quick search online, and you’re bound to find dozens of activities for Wemberly Worried. This summer, I came across worry dolls for the first time… the perfect idea to spice up our plans!
After doing a little research, I found out worry dolls were first made in Guatemala as a way to help kids who were carrying around the burden of worry. According to legend, if you share your concern with your worry doll and place it under your pillow before going to sleep, you’ll wake up in the morning with the wisdom you need to take care of things.
I think I may need a few dozen of these for myself!
Traditional worry dolls are small and colorful, often using thin string or yarn. As we tried to make something similar, we struggled with the fine motor skills needed to work with tiny materials. That’s when we came up with our own version of the worry doll… much easier for little hands.👆
STARTING YOUR WORRY DOLLS
To make these dolls, each child will need:
- a piece of yarn about 5 feet long
- one long pipe cleaner and one half of another pipe cleaner
- approximately 35 plastic pony beads
- one wooden bead (I recommend 25mm or 30mm in size)
The first step is probably the hardest, but once you show them, most kids will be able to do it on their own.
Wrap the yarn around your hand and then gently slide it off so it stays in a circle. Then, bend the long pipe cleaner in half and tuck the circle of yarn into the bend.
The next two steps are simply about threading beads. Slide the wooden bead onto both ends of the pipe cleaner and push it up until it meets the yarn. Then, add two pony beads to form the neck.
From there, it’s just a matter of adding the shorter pipe cleaner to form arms and threading the remaining beads. Be sure to make a little knob at the end of each arm and leg so the beads won’t fall off. You can find the COMPLETE SET OF PHOTO DIRECTIONS in the full resource, which includes a picture for each of the steps.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR WEMBERLY AND JEWEL?
When planning more activities for Wemberly Worried, we like the idea of a sequel. For most of the book, Wemberly is a fluffy ball of nerves. She worries about everything… literally, everything. As if she doesn’t have enough worries on her mind, the first day of school is right around the corner. Great.
Fortunately, she meets Jewel, and they get each other. The first day of school flies by and the book ends with Mrs. Peachum saying, “Come back tomorrow.” This is when Wemberly smiles and (ironically) says, “I will. Don’t worry.”
This WEMBERLY WORRIED SET includes an open-ended book template so kids can continue the story of Wemberly and Jewel’s friendship.👆 In this resource, there is also work for:
- comparing and contrasting
- understanding cause and effect
- examining character traits
- making personal connections
- determining the author’s purpose
- making inferences
- writing a book review
- practicing phonics skills
Plus a directed drawing activity… How to Draw Wemberly. Kids always get a kick out of those! Whether you’re planning for the first day of school or looking ahead at SEL lessons or a Kevin Henkes author study, there’s something here to supplement each of those.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
On some level, Wemberly’s story resonates with everyone. Who hasn’t experienced anxiety of some sort or spent days, weeks, and months worrying about something that might not even be within our control?
Talking about emotions, normalizing the uncomfortable ones, and equipping kids with coping strategies is a big part of what we do (or should be doing). These are necessary skills to have as we grow and navigate life’s ups and downs.
After reading Wemberly Worried, play FEELINGS CHARADES. It’s a fun way to name and explore a variety of common emotions. These little cards feature facial expressions that (1) help support early readers and (2) help kids understand how they might begin acting out the emotion on the card.
As your students grow in their understanding, you can even add more feelings to the game. Including words like embarrassed, disappointed, and anxious are one way to elevate their vocabulary.
A FEW MORE IDEAS
Here are a few more of our favorite activities for Wemberly Worried. They’re best for kids in K-2 classrooms, but with a few modifications, they could work with kids who are a little older, especially in a small group setting.
- Worry Jars – Decorate small jars or containers and label them “Worry Jars.” Whenever the children have a worry, encourage them to draw or write it down on a slip of paper and place it in their jar. This can help them visualize letting go of their worries and provide a sense of control.
- Stuffed Animal Storytime – Invite the children to bring one of their favorite stuffed animals to school. Encourage them to create a story where the stuffed animal faces a worry or fear, just like Wemberly. They can take turns sharing their stories with each other while brainstorming possible solutions to each problem.
- Nature Scavenger Hunt – Take the children outside for a nature scavenger hunt or a simple nature walk. While exploring, talk about how nature can provide a sense of calm and help alleviate worries and anxiety.
- Feelings Art – Provide a variety of art supplies and ask the children to create a piece of art to represent a specific feeling, such as happiness, anger, sadness, embarrassment, or joy. Encourage them to use colors, shapes, and patterns to convey emotions. These make a beautiful display when sorted by each emotion.
- Collaborative Storytelling – Sit in a circle and start a collaborative sequel to the story. Prompt the children by asking, “What happens next?” Ask for a volunteer to begin the sequel. Each child adds on a sentence or two, continuing the story by adding new events and details. If you have time, go around again to see how the story could be different.
Happy teaching!
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