
The Confidence Quest
With Nova in Star IslandPractise sharing ideas, making choices and believing in their own abilities.

Growing Minds · ages 5-630 playful missions to help your child practise saying what they need, listening well and joining in. Untangle the muddled messages of River Talk Town so its boats and bridges work again, with Ollie as their guide.
Choose their level
Your choice: The Communication River · Growing Minds (ages 5-6) · printable PDF + online adventure
This edition is still being written, illustrated and tested. We only sell an edition once all 30 missions are finished in both formats.
Also part of Choose Any 3 ($74.99) and the Complete Collection ($184.99), each for one age level.
The goal: Untangle the muddled messages of River Talk Town so its boats and bridges work again.
Your child’s part: Your child listens for clues, says what they need and asks the questions that untangle each message. Every message they put right lights a buoy, until the bells on Big Voice Bridge can ring again.
Communication is both sides of talking: saying what you need clearly and listening so others feel heard.
Just gentle ideas to help you choose.
The story goal: Untangle the muddled messages of River Talk Town so its boats and bridges work again.

Ida says: “Every boat that arrives gets a hello. That's the harbour rule.”Ida
Your boat bumps against the brick quay of Hello Harbour. An otter is bouncing on a mooring post, his message bottle swinging. That's Ollie!
Three more boats are puttering in behind you. A big grey seal rings a brass bell. She is Ida, the harbourmaster.
First, a choice: 4 options
On the printed page: Draw or name three visitors in the boats.
By the end they have: Greeting cards: three visitors named on the page.
You will need: Three toys or socks · A cushion, box or tea towel for the boat
Smaller step if needed: Greet one visitor today, with a wave.
The grown-up’s part: Make the visitors a bit silly: a crab who only walks sideways, a toy who is very sleepy. Accept any hello your child chooses.
This week, when you learn a new person's name (at the park, at a club or next door), say hello with their name or give them a wave.
What it practises: Practise greeting someone with their name and a smile, a wave or a word.
Word for word from Mission 1 of the draft The Communication River for ages 5-6. The edition is not yet approved, so wording may change, and the mission’s own illustrations are still to come.
Six missions in each chapter. Finishing a chapter lights up a new star on the map, on paper and on screen.

Role-play, Story choices, Memory game, Real-world challenge, Drawing.
Short missions, drawing, simple puzzles, role-play, real-world challenges. About 10-15 min (a few up to 20) per mission. Optional read-aloud narration. Grown-up role: guided play, growing independence.
The same mission plays on paper or on screen with the same answer. This is how each activity type changes between the two formats.
| Activity | In the PDF | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Story choice | Circle an answer | Tap an answer |
| Secret code | Draw the symbols | Tap symbols into a lock |
| Matching | Draw lines | Drag or tap pairs |
| Ordering | Number the pictures | Drag or tap into order |
| Hidden things | Colour what you find | Tap the scene |
| Feelings | Colour a face | Tap a face |
| Drawing | Draw in the frame | Draw on screen |
| Real world | Tick the box | Tap “We tried it!” |

Practise sharing ideas, making choices and believing in their own abilities.

Make unfamiliar things feel more approachable, one healthy risk at a time.

Explore feelings, listening and caring for the people around them.