Every child deserves to feel seen, encouraged, and proud.
Some childhood accomplishments are easy to notice, such as learning a new word, reading a full page, completing a school project, or making a new friend.
Other victories happen more quietly.
A child may feel proud because they asked for help, completed an exercise, stayed calm during a difficult moment, wore their special gear, attended an appointment, or tried again after feeling discouraged.
Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps is a literacy and confidence-building program that helps children recognize and celebrate these meaningful moments.
At the heart of the program is Shermie’s Brave Steps Wall, where children complete one important sentence:
“I am proud of myself because…”
This simple activity gives children an opportunity to express themselves, recognize their progress, and understand that every brave step matters.
Every Child’s Brave Step Is Different
Children do not learn, grow, or overcome challenges in exactly the same way.
One child may feel proud after reading a whole page. Another may feel proud after asking a question, finishing an exercise, helping someone, or returning to an activity that once felt difficult.
A brave step does not have to look big to be meaningful.
Shermie reminds children:
“Some steps are big. Some steps are small. Some steps take extra time. Every brave step deserves to be celebrated.”
The purpose of the program is not to compare children or decide who has accomplished the most.
It is to help every child recognize their own effort, courage, kindness, and progress.
Shermie’s Brave Steps Wall
The Brave Steps Wall can be displayed in a school, library, family center, children’s organization, waiting area, or community event.
The display may feature Shermie walking along a colorful path surrounded by footprints, stars, ocean waves, flowers, and turtle shells.
Each child receives a paper footprint, star, turtle shell, or speech bubble containing the words:
I am proud of myself because ____________________.
Children who are too young to write may draw a picture or ask a parent, caregiver, educator, volunteer, or staff member to write down their words.
Children may complete the sentence by saying:
- I learned a new word.
- I helped someone.
- I completed my exercises.
- I asked for help.
- I stayed calm.
- I wore my special gear.
- I read a whole page.
- I did not give up.
- I made someone smile.
- I was kind to myself.
- I tried again.
- I am getting stronger.
Each response is added to the wall, creating a growing display of courage, kindness, learning, and perseverance.
More Than a Colorful Display
Shermie’s Brave Steps Wall is more than a decoration.
It becomes a shared collection of children’s voices and accomplishments.
When children read the messages, they can see that others also face challenges, ask for support, learn new things, and keep trying.
The wall sends four important messages:
You belong here.
Your voice matters.
Your effort matters.
You have something to be proud of.
For families, the wall creates an opportunity to pause and recognize progress that may otherwise go unnoticed.
For educators and community organizations, it provides a meaningful way to support literacy, emotional awareness, confidence, and belonging.
Building Confidence Through Self-Recognition
Children often hear adults say, “Good job.”
Shermie’s Brave Steps Wall encourages children to go one step further by helping them identify what they appreciate about themselves.
Completing the sentence may help a child think:
- I can do difficult things.
- My effort is important.
- I can ask for support.
- I do not have to be perfect.
- I can keep learning.
- My story deserves to be heard.
The program does not suggest that children must always feel fearless, strong, or happy.
Instead, it teaches them that they can feel nervous, tired, uncertain, or frustrated and still feel proud of themselves for continuing.
Supporting Literacy Through Encouragement
Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps combines confidence-building with early literacy.
Children may begin the program by listening to a Shermie story about facing something unfamiliar, asking for help, and moving forward one step at a time.
The story can introduce words such as:
Brave, proud, kind, calm, patient, strong, helpful, hopeful, courage, and believe.
Younger children can practice identifying letters, choosing feeling words, drawing pictures, and telling their stories aloud.
Older children can write complete sentences or create a short story about a time when they felt proud.
Educators and caregivers can continue the conversation by asking:
- What does being brave mean to you?
- What was difficult at first?
- Who helped you?
- How did you feel afterward?
- What would you say to another child who feels nervous?
- What brave step would you like to take next?
These conversations support vocabulary, storytelling, listening, communication, and emotional awareness.
The Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps Experience
The Brave Steps Wall can stand alone as a classroom or community activity, or it can become part of a larger interactive event.
Shermie Storytime
Children listen to a gentle story about Shermie facing something new.
Shermie may feel worried at first, but with patience, support, and practice, he learns that bravery does not mean never feeling afraid.
Bravery means taking the next step, even when something feels difficult.
The Brave Steps Walk
Children follow a pathway of colorful footprints placed around the room.
Each footprint includes a simple prompt:
- Take one slow breath.
- Name something you like about yourself.
- Say one kind word.
- Name someone who helps you.
- Share something you have learned.
- Say, “I can take one step at a time.”
- Think of something that makes you proud.
The activity can be adapted so every child can participate comfortably.
Decorate a Shermie Shell
Children decorate a paper turtle shell with words, drawings, stickers, and colors that represent their personalities and strengths.
They may choose words such as:
Kind. Creative. Patient. Funny. Helpful. Brave. Smart. Loved.
The shells may be added to the wall or taken home as keepsakes.
The Calm Corner
A quiet area may include Shermie audio stories, calming music, breathing activities, coloring pages, and comfortable seating.
This gives children a peaceful place to pause and recharge.
The Proud Moment
At the end of the experience, each child completes an “I am proud of myself because…” message and adds it to the wall.
Children may be recognized with a sticker, certificate, gentle applause, or a quiet word of encouragement.
A Celebration Without Competition
Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps is not a contest.
There are no winners or losers.
One child’s accomplishment is never more important than another child’s accomplishment.
A child who writes, “I read a book,” is celebrated.
A child who writes, “I asked for help,” is celebrated.
A child who writes, “I came today even though I was nervous,” is celebrated.
A child who draws a picture because they do not yet have the words is celebrated.
Every child has a place in the parade.
Including Parents and Caregivers
Parents and caregivers may also participate by completing one of these statements:
- I am proud of my child because…
- Today, I noticed my child…
- My child showed courage when…
- One strength I see in my child is…
- I want my child to always remember…
These messages may be displayed with the children’s contributions or placed inside a keepsake envelope for families to take home.
Families often spend so much time managing routines, school responsibilities, appointments, and other challenges that they may not stop to recognize how far their child has come.
Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps creates that moment.
A Flexible Program for Schools and Communities
Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps can be adapted for:
- Elementary schools
- Preschool and early-learning programs
- School and public libraries
- Family resource centers
- After-school programs
- Children’s organizations
- Community celebrations
- Children’s waiting areas
- Literacy and kindness campaigns
The program may be offered as:
- A classroom activity
- An interactive storytime
- A one-day family event
- A literacy week experience
- A month-long confidence campaign
- A traveling wall display
- A printable educator resource
- A sponsored community program
- A digital family activity
Each organization can adapt the experience while preserving its central message:
Every child has a brave step worth celebrating.
A Meaningful Keepsake
At the end of the program, each child may receive a Shermie Brave Steps card:
My Brave Step
Today, I am proud of myself because:
My next brave step will be:
Shermie believes in me, and I believe in myself.
The card gives families something meaningful to revisit during difficult or uncertain moments.
With permission, organizations may also photograph the completed wall and create a digital collage or community keepsake.
The Message Every Child Deserves to Hear
Children are often encouraged to move faster, achieve more, or keep up with others.
Shermie offers a different message:
Pause.
Notice your effort.
Honor your progress.
Celebrate how far you have come.
Shermie does not ask children to be perfect.
He invites them to be themselves, accept support, and take one brave step at a time.
When children complete the sentence, “I am proud of myself because…,” they are doing more than finishing an activity.
They are learning to recognize their strengths.
They are practicing how to tell their own stories.
They are discovering that their voices matter.
When all the messages are placed together, Shermie’s Brave Steps Wall becomes a beautiful reminder that every child has something worth celebrating.
Bring Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps to Your Community
Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps is available for schools, libraries, children’s organizations, family programs, and community events.
Through storytelling, literacy activities, creative expression, calming experiences, and the Brave Steps Wall, Shermie helps children feel seen, supported, and proud of their progress.
Interested in bringing Shermie’s Parade of Brave Steps to your school, library, or community program?
Connect with us on LinkedIn or email hello@shermietheturtle.com.
Shermie the Turtle Calm literacy, storytelling, and encouragement for young children
“Your journey belongs to you. Every brave step deserves a place in the parade.”