The Kingdom Approach
A story-led approach to emotional literacy
The Kingdom Approach is a story-led approach to emotional literacy that helps children recognise, understand and navigate their feelings through stories, relationships, play and everyday experiences.
Rather than teaching emotional regulation as a separate programme, it provides children and adults with a simple, shared language that can be used consistently at home, in classrooms and across the wider school community.
It begins with a story, but grows into a shared way of understanding feelings together.
Why was it created?
Children experience a wide range of emotions every day, yet emotional regulation is not something they are born knowing how to do.
Children first learn to regulate through supportive relationships with calm, trusted adults. Before children can self regulate, they first need co regulation.
The Kingdom Approach was created by Early Years teacher Catherine Rivers to help make these everyday moments easier. Developed through real classroom experience, it brings together storytelling, emotional literacy and practical helping ideas in a way that is simple, memorable and meaningful for young children.
More than a story
The Kingdom of Colourful Feelings is more than a picture book.
Every resource has been designed to reinforce the same shared language through stories, conversations, play and everyday experiences.
The collection continues to grow and includes picture books, activity books, classroom resources, visual supports, communication supports, discussion activities, parent resources, PSHE support materials and professional development for schools.
Resources can be used individually or together, helping children experience the same shared language at school, at home and across everyday life.
A shared language that grows with children
The Kingdom Approach is not a programme to complete.
It is a shared language that becomes part of everyday life through consistent relationships, meaningful conversations
at school and at home.
Whether it is used in a nursery, primary classroom, family home or specialist setting, the goal remains the same:
To help children understand that every feeling has a place, support is always available, and they can gradually build the confidence to recognise, understand and navigate their feelings.