Tomorrow is a brand new day by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys

  • Early Primary
  • Longer and Complex

This story centres around two girls as they navigate feelings like anger, frustration, disappointment and feeling grey. They learn that difficult feelings pass, and how to make amends.

  • This PlayWorld stars

    Sisters Eva and Georgia, along with dad Paul sail stormy seas and save the girls from the story who are stranded on a desert island.

  • STEM learning

    Design thinking and cardinal directions

  • Great for supporting

    Managing emotions and problem-solving

"It was a great experience. I can’t get my girls out of the boat they have built and decorated. My girls are a bit older, and it was great to get back into building worlds with them, and the messages in the book really resonated. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of it." - Paul

STEP 1: Read your book

As you read, help your child notice how the characters look when they experience certain emotions.

At the end of the book wonder how the girls will use all their different equipment.

STEP 2: Plan your play

You will need

  • A pretend ocean filled with animals.
  • A pretend island with two toys representing girls from book.
  • Materials to make a boat and props like a flag, a telescope, a compass and a sailor’s hat.
  • Write a message and put it in a bottle:

We were feeling angry and took a boat from the marina. We didn’t ask permission and didn’t check the weather.

What a big mistake. A big wind came and blew us in the direction of the sunset. Our island has pink sand. Can you rescue us?
From the girls in the book.

Step 3: Go on your adventure

Throw on a hat and turn into boat designers to make a boat to explore stormy seas.

How will you make it strong if there is a storm? Will you name your boat? Could you paint a ‘happy’ or ‘angry’ face on the side?

Change your hats and become sailors. Who will be captain? Launch your boat. Notice the animals, the colour of the water, the smell of the ocean.
How will you find your way? With a compass! Notice the direction of the sunrise and sunset.

The boat’s leaking! How will you fix it? You spy a storm to the east. How will you prepare?

On your journey talk about your feelings and name them. Do your feelings change, as you solve problems?

Step 4: Encounter a problem

As the storm arrives, you find the bottle and read out the message. How will you find the girls?

How do you know which way you are being blown? Does the compass help?

Notice the wind is blowing you west, towards the sunset. How will you find the girls?

Step 5: Learn about stars

Activate your plan. Encounter more problems to solve. Spy different islands in your telescope. What colour is the sand?

Finally spy an island with huge pink cliffs. Do you think that might make pink sand?

Investigate! How do you get to shore? Discover the girls and talk about how you are feeling now. Journey home, using your compass to sail east.

What did we learn?

This PlayWorld explores the ocean ecosystem, navigation and even geology. It also helps children recognise and name emotions and persist with problem-solving.

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