Happy: questions to ask and activities to try
Happy, cross, shy, proud: every page is a bright fish with a different feeling. Happy is a simple, beautiful first book of emotions for little ones.
What age is it for? Happy is best for ages 2–6. Good for: Naming feelings, one bright fish at a time.
Read one feeling at a time and copy the fish's face together. Ask your child when they've felt that way. It's a great book to come back to when big feelings are around.
What it helps with
- Naming feelings
- Reading faces and body language
- Talking about how you feel today
- Building a feelings vocabulary
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “Which fish looks happy? Which looks cross?”
- “Can you make the same face as this fish?”
- “When have you felt shy?”
- “Which feeling is your favourite?”
- “How do you look when you’re proud?”
- “Which fish looks like you today?”
5-minute activities to try together
Feelings fish
Draw a fish and give it your child's feeling of the day. Do one each day this week.
Face game
Take turns making a face from the book while the other guesses the feeling.
Free printables: Happy worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
Free. We’ll only email you if you tick the box.
If your child liked this, try
Grumpy Monkey (Suzanne Lang and Max Lang)
- Best for
- Grumpy moods that don't have a clear reason
- Age
- 3-7
Anna Hibiscus' Song (Atinuke and Lauren Tobia)
- Best for
- Big happy feelings, and how to let them out
- Age
- 3-7
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.