Scarlett and the Whispering Woods

Once upon a time, in a cosy little home, lived a clever, sweet little girl named Scarlett. She had big blue eyes, bouncy blonde pigtails, and loved to wear her favourite pale blue dress. Scarlett was very good at learning new things, especially dancing! Sometimes, though, Scarlett would feel a big, fizzy feeling bubbling up inside her, like lemonade fizzing in a glass. When that fizzy feeling got too big, it sometimes made her want to shout or wiggle very, very fast.

One sunny morning, Scarlett decided to go on a special adventure right from her bedroom! "I'm off to the Whispering Woods!" she whispered, pulling her teddy bear close. In her imagination, the Whispering Woods had trees so tall they tickled the clouds, and flowers that glowed in soft colours. As Scarlett tip-toed through the magical forest, she met a kind old creature with soft grey fur and a gentle smile. It was the Wise Badger!

"Hello, little one," said the Wise Badger, his voice like rustling leaves. "Do you have a fizzy feeling today?"

Scarlett nodded. "Sometimes it feels so big, Wise Badger!"

"Ah, I know just the trick," he chuckled softly. "It's called a 'Balloon Breath'. When you feel that fizz, take a deep breath in through your nose, like you're smelling a beautiful flower. Feel your tummy get big like a balloon!" He showed her, taking a deep breath and puffing out his tummy. "Then, slowly let the air out through your mouth, like you're letting the air out of the balloon... s-s-s-s-s-s-h. Watch how the fizzy feeling floats away!"

Scarlett tried it. She took a big, big breath, her tummy growing like a little balloon, and then slowly, slowly let it out, making a soft 'shhhhh' sound. "It feels a little better!" she giggled.

"Wonderful!" said the Wise Badger. "Now, off you go, little adventurer! There's another friend who might have a trick for you." Scarlett waved goodbye and continued her journey. Soon, she spotted a bushy tail twitching high up in an oak tree. It was the Playful Squirrel!

"Hello, Scarlett!" chirped the Playful Squirrel, tumbling down a branch. "Are your feelings feeling wobbly or wiggly today?"

Scarlett nodded, remembering that fizzy feeling. "Sometimes!"

"Well," said the squirrel, doing a little hop and a shake, "sometimes you just need to do a 'Silly Shake'!" He wiggled his nose, shook his paws, and then did a little spin. "Shake, shake, shake all those wiggles out! And then, when you've shaken out the sillies, you can do a 'Quiet Wiggle', like a slow, sleepy dance." The squirrel then showed her a gentle, swaying movement. "It helps your body feel calm and ready for rest."

Scarlett laughed and tried the 'Silly Shake', shaking her arms and legs! Then she did a 'Quiet Wiggle', swaying softly from side to side. It felt so lovely and peaceful. She took another 'Balloon Breath' and imagined the last bit of fizzy feeling floating up, up, and away like a tiny balloon into the sleepy sky. She felt calm and cosy all the way to her toes.

"Thank you, kind friends," Scarlett whispered, as the Whispering Woods began to fade into the soft shadows of her bedroom. She snuggled deeper into her covers, knowing that whenever a big, fizzy feeling came along, she now had special tricks from the Whispering Woods to help her find her calm. And soon, sweet Scarlett drifted off to sleep, peaceful and happy.