Connecting With Others to Bring You More FYBS Fun!
When we set out on the crazy journey that became Feel Your Best Self, we didn’t know that it would grow into what it is today. We built the original toolkit offerings with elementary-aged kids, teachers, and caregivers in mind. However, we quickly saw that part of the magic of FYBS is that it can engage all ages – from toddlers to adults.
I never expected to be back in high schools, especially teaching emotion-coping strategies, but FYBS has brought me into several high-school settings and shown me that puppetry can bring joy to all ages (and is great for making TikToks!). I also just presented to 60 pre-school educators, some of whom only spoke Spanish. With our bilingual materials and the idea that emotional wellness and creativity transcend language barriers, we had a blast exploring strategies and making puppets in English and Spanish.
One area where the demand for FYBS resources has been the strongest has been in the early childhood realm. Pre-kindergarten is a time of big feelings, which can be challenging for both kids and their adults to navigate. So why not start working on coping strategies early? This way, kids grow up with the vocabulary and resources to better manage their emotions and behavior.
We heard feedback that our videos featuring puppets might be too long in some situations or might not work in early childhood settings where there are no TVs. So, we wanted to explore a few collaborative opportunities to bring even more free FYBS resources to a younger audience. We identified six of our strategies that we think are easiest for a younger audience—ones that are a bit simpler and more physical. Then, we tried to brainstorm other multimedia formats that could engage both kids and adults with these strategies. And what we’ve developed has made me fall in love with the FYBS world even more.
First, we have always loved our FYBS Theme Song; it was such a fun early collaboration with Ethan Hanzlik. Then we learned that our very own Implementation Coordinator, Molly, was a talented singer and musician! She wrote six songs for each of the six strategies and then worked with Ethan Hanzlik to produce the songs. These songs can be played anywhere—from classroom, to car, to home—to help all of us practice the strategies and feel our best. And let me tell you, these are earworms, even for adults!
Second, while we love our award-winning videos with our puppet friends, five-minute videos can be long for shorter attention spans or windows of opportunity. So, we decided to team up with UConn’s Digital Media & Design department, as part of a course in which undergraduate students gain experience with real-life projects to create seven animated shorts of the strategies that were all 60 seconds long. We worked with a student team made up of Elijah Carini ’25 (SFA), Tatyanna Kelly ’25 (SFA), Kathryn Markey ’25 (SFA), and Nicholas Sanzone ’25 (SFA), set up project timelines and deliverables such as storyboards, character animation, and scriptwriting, and worked together throughout the semester-long course to present and revise ideas to FYBS as the client.
After the course ended, our team reconnected with a Brazilian company Alopra Studio, whom we had first learned of at the 2023 Kidscreen Awards, to further refine the scope and complete the seven animated shorts. The animated shorts series, which are absolutely adorable and beautifully animated, has now been nominated for a 2026 Kidscreen Award for Best Digital Series in the preschool category. Many thanks to the Neag Foundation for making the series possible.
By Connecting With Others—educators, caregivers, musicians, graphic designers, and more—we hear suggestions and ideas that allow us to continually expand and improve Feel Your Best Self. I think I can safely say the entire team would agree—I am incredibly proud of our new songs and animations. I am always amazed by what we can create with continued support, creativity, and feedback from others, and I cannot wait to see what comes next!