Cozy
Noticing a big feeling and choosing a coping tool: breathe, squeeze-and-let-go, or pause
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Cozy is a soft bear cub who carries a little toolbox — but not for hammers and nails. Cozy's toolbox is full of calm-down tools. There's slow breathing, like smelling a flower and blowing out a candle. There's squeeze-and-let-go, tight then floppy. And there's pause-and-count, stop and go slow. When a feeling gets big, Cozy doesn't get rid of it — Cozy reaches for a tool.
Cozy's friend Nib the rabbit built a tall block tower, and — crash — it tumbled down. A hot, fizzy, grabby feeling rushes up in Nib, all the way to the tips of Nib's ears. Nib's paws ball up. Nib wants to throw the blocks across the room. The big feeling feels like it's driving, and Nib is just holding on.
"I know that fizzy feeling," says Cozy gently, sitting down beside Nib. "Big feelings are okay — they're allowed. And you don't have to do what the fizzy feeling says. You get to pick a tool. First we just name it: 'I feel really frustrated.' Then we choose. Want to try pause-and-count with me? We stop... and we count down slow. Five... four..."
Nib stops. "Five," says Nib shakily. "Four... three... two... one." Nib takes one slow breath. The fizzy feeling is still there — but smaller now, and Nib is the one holding it, instead of the other way around. "It's still a little fizzy," Nib says. "That's okay," says Cozy. "You don't have to feel perfect. You just gave yourself a moment. That was brave."
Nib picks up one block, then another, calm enough now to choose what to do next. "And if a feeling ever gets so big that no tool is helping," Cozy adds softly, "that's when we go find a grown-up we trust. That's a strong thing to do, not a small one." Nib nods and leans against Cozy's warm side. The tower can be rebuilt. And now Nib knows: a big feeling always passes, and there's always a tool — and always someone — to help.
Hear it as an audio drama
A short play starring Cozy, from CalmCubs. Different voices, same idea. Listen any time after you read.
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Read the drama script
- Narrator: From Spark and Anvil and Calmcubs — this is Cozy, in chapter 1 of the Calmcubs cast.
- Narrator: This drama uses an AI-generated voice. Voiced via Gemini 2.5.
- Narrator: Cozy is a soft little bear cub who knows what to do when a big feeling shows up.
- Cozy: When a big feeling comes, first I NOTICE it. Then I pick a calm-down tool: I can breathe slow, or squeeze-and-let-go, or just pause. I get to choose.
- Narrator: A young cub felt a hot, jumpy anger rising after a toy broke.
- Young Cub: I'm so mad! I feel all fizzy inside!
- Cozy: That fizzy feeling is okay — you noticed it, that's the first step. Now let's pick a tool. Which sounds good — slow breaths, or squeezing your fists then letting go?
- Young Cub: ...Slow breaths.
- Cozy: Good choosing. In through the nose... slow... out through the mouth... slow. Again.
- Narrator: The fizzy feeling started to settle.
- Young Cub: It's getting quieter inside.
- Cozy: You noticed the feeling and picked a tool that helped. That's yours forever now.
- Narrator: The cub took one more slow breath, calm again.
- Cozy: Notice the feeling, then choose your calm-down tool. That's what makes Cozy, Cozy.
- Narrator: You've been listening to a Spark and Anvil chapter, written by the Spark and Anvil writing team for ages 9 to 14.
- Narrator: Apps stay free forever.
- Narrator: Curriculum aligned to Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
- Narrator: Released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 for educational reuse. Visit Spark and Anvil for the full transcript.
Reading together with a grown-up? A card for the grown-up
For the grown-up: ask one question, then wait. When they answer, add one word to what they said. Tap the button when they have said something — that is one turn each, a circle. Nothing is recorded or kept.
Let them finish it
Say “When a big feeling starts to grow, Cozy picks a tool she knows …” and stop. Let them finish it.
Now wait. Count slowly to five in your head. Their answer is worth the quiet.
Circles together: 0
The CalmCubs ensemble
Cozy is one of the friends in CalmCubs. Each friend shows you one idea by how they act; meet them all and you have the whole subject.
