A Possum Who Didn’t Like Anything New / A story about trying new things

Your anxious young child will gain the confidence to try new things after listening to this teaching tale about a little possum who doesn’t like anything new.

Some children have a hard time leaving their parents’ side to try new things, explore new places, or meet new people. One of my children struggled when he was too big for the baby carrier but didn’t want to spend time away from me (or even out of my arms!).

It can be hard to talk to young children in a developmentally appropriate way about separation anxiety. Often, talking directly about it makes it worse! Stories are like magical elixirs that help the medicine go down. Children can hear a message more deeply when it’s not directly about them or their situation.

In this story, Peter Possum doesn’t like anything new. He doesn’t like meeting new people, playing outside when it's rainy, or going to new places. He would rather stay inside his mother’s pouch. This is mostly what he does until, much to his surprise, he becomes too big for his mother’s pouch. Peter then learns (with encouragement and support) that going to new places and meeting new people can be a lot of fun, even when it feels scary at first.

You can listen to this story via the audio episode of Purple Day above. Our Purple Day Podcast is the audio from our Monday episodes of Storytime in the Schoolhouse. Every Purple Day, or Monday, we are inside the Schoolhouse for circle time and storytime. You can listen to other Purple Day episodes and download the RSS feed from our Purple Day Podcast.

Other Pedagogical Stories (Teaching Tales)

• Tidy-Up Teddy: a story about keeping your room tidy
• Cranky Chicken: a story about using your hands in helpful ways instead of harmful ones
• Wilson Wild Wind: a story about finding a place of calm even when you feel wild inside
• Maisie’s New Mousie: a story about a new sibling
• Shimmer & Glimmer’s New Home: a story about separation and divorce

All of these stories are part of our complete early childhood enrichment program, Storytime in the Schoolhouse. Storytime in the Schoolhouse follows a weekly rhythm of songs, storytelling, and creative arts. To experience a full week of Storytime, sign up for our free Storytime Seasonal Sampler.