The National Organization for Women reports that more than half of all elementary age girls are worried about being ‘fat’ and almost half say that they diet. Sadly, the statistics only get worse as girls get older. Thinking about and questioning their body shape seems to be a major pastime, particularly for girls whose body mass index falls outside what society deems ‘normal’. This can be especially dangerous for girls of color, who also experience racial and gender discrimination on top of body shaming.
Enter Vashti Harrison’s picture book Big, winner of the 2024 Caldecott Medal. The story follows a little Black girl as she navigates the positive and negative connotations of being a ‘big girl’ in others’ and her own eyes. Read the story with children ages 4+ and use one or more of these activities to explore connections between body image and spiritual well-being.
What a Big Girl/Boy! When the girl in the story is a baby and toddler, adults say “What a big girl!” and mean it as a complement. Invite children to think about their memories and the stories people tell about when they were very young. Ask: What did adults say and do that helped you feel good about yourself? What did you dream of doing as you got bigger? Encourage kids to draw a picture of themselves fulfilling that dream.
You’re Too Big for That! When the girl gets older, adults tell her she’s “too big”, which prompts a lot of different feelings. Ask children: How do you feel when someone says something negative about your body? Encourage them to use their bodies and facial expressions to show their feelings. Then ask: How could you respond to others to let them know their words are hurtful? Practice saying your responses to one another.
Feeling Trapped. The girl starts to see herself negatively, trapped by the hurtful words other people say. Invite children to pretend that they are in a box that gets smaller and smaller each time someone says something insensitive or mean. Encourage them to curl themselves up tighter and tighter as they imagine others’ hurtful comments. Then ask them to pretend that their box gets bigger and bigger as they imagine hearing positive affirmations about themselves. Encourage them to move freely around the room, dancing and twirling.
Making Space for Yourself. Eventually, the girl chooses to make space for herself and her big, beautiful body. She refuses to see herself in the negative light cast by others. Invite children to do an affirming body scan. Say: Close your eyes and take a deep breath in (pause) and let it out. (pause) Hold your hands in front of your head with your palms toward your face. Think about all the ways that your head helps you do good things. (pause) Slowly move your hands down to your chest. Think about how your heart helps you feel good things. (pause) Move your hands to your belly. Think about how your stomach helps you stay healthy and energetic. (pause) Move your hands to your legs and feet. Think about where they help you go. (pause) Take another deep breath in (pause) and let it out (pause) and then open your eyes.
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