Kitten Kuzya and thunder: what is that scary rumble in the sky?

One day, the fluffy ginger kitten Kuzya was dozing on the windowsill. It was quiet, calm, and a little stuffy. Suddenly — BA-BAAAAM! Kuzya jumped up and dashed under the couch with all four paws: “Meooow! What was that?! Who made that crash?!” He hid his nose, ears, and tail — everything he could. Even his purring got scared and went silent inside.

A tale of a kitty and thunder

One day, the fluffy ginger kitten Kuzya was dozing on the windowsill. It was quiet, calm, and a little stuffy.
Suddenly — BA-BAAAAM!
Kuzya jumped up and dashed under the couch with all his paws.

— Meooow! What was that?! Who made that crash?!
He hid his nose, ears, and tail — everything he could. Even his purring got scared and went silent inside.

His owner, a girl named Natasha, entered the room. She sat down next to the couch and gently called out:

— Kuzenka, don’t be afraid. It’s just thunder. A thunderstorm has started outside.

— A thunderstorm?.. What if it comes into the house?.. — Kuzya whispered.

Natasha smiled.

— No, it won’t come in. We’re at home, and it’s safe here. Do you want me to tell you what thunder is?

Kuzya cautiously stuck out his whiskers.

— I really do. Just very quietly…

— First, a lightning bolt appears in the sky — it’s like a bright flash. That’s electricity running through the sky. And then comes the thunder. It’s just air that quickly squeezes and expands from the flash. It’s so big that it makes a loud rumble.

— So no one is falling or breaking?
— No, Kuzya. It’s just sounds.

Kuzya thought for a moment.

— Why am I scared?
— That’s normal, — said Natasha. — Even people are sometimes afraid of thunder. But when we understand what’s happening, the fear gets smaller.

Kuzya crawled out from under the couch and sat next to Natasha.

The thunderstorm was rumbling outside the window, but now he knew: it was just the sky speaking loudly.

— Thank you, Natasha. I’m not hiding anymore — I’m listening. Maybe the sky is singing?

— Sometimes it sings, sometimes it grumbles, — Natasha laughed. — The important thing is that we’re together, and everything is fine.

Questions for discussion after the story

These simple but important questions will help your child better understand their emotions, learn to talk about fears, and reflect on natural phenomena.
Discussing the story develops speech, thinking, imagination, and emotional intelligence. And most importantly — it gives the feeling that any emotion can be experienced and understood together with a caring adult.

• What scared Kuzya?

• Where did he run when he heard thunder?

• How did Natasha explain what thunder is?

• What is lightning and why does it appear?

• Why are people sometimes afraid of thunder?

• What helps when you feel scared?

• Why did Kuzya stop being afraid?

• What does it mean: “the sky is speaking loudly”?

• And how do you usually feel during a thunderstorm?

• What would you say to Kuzya to calm him down?

Video for little ones: what is thunder?

In this short video, you’ll hear what real thunder sounds like and see bright lightning. Show it to your child after the story about Kuzya to reinforce what they’ve learned: what lightning looks like, what thunder sounds like, and why there’s no need to be afraid of it.

Dear fellow Ukrainians! Attention!

These videos contain loud and sharp thunder sounds, which may resemble explosions. If you or your child are sensitive to such sounds — I recommend lowering the volume before watching or viewing the video without sound.

Your peace of mind is the most important thing.

How to help a child stop being afraid of thunder

Dear parents and teachers!

With the cute kitten Kuzya, you can easily:

• Help your child understand what thunder and a thunderstorm are

• Learn how to gently and clearly explain natural phenomena

• Read a kind fairy tale about fear of thunder

• Understand how to support a little one in an anxious moment

• Have fun discussing the story with educational questions

• Watch a short video about how thunder is formed

• Download a nature story for children aged 4–6 years old

Many children aged 4–6 are frightened by loud sounds — especially during a thunderstorm. This is natural: the little one doesn’t yet understand that behind that “boom!” and “rumble-grumble” is something familiar and safe. In their perception, a thunderstorm is something huge and scary.

The fairy tale about how kitten Kuzya was afraid of thunder — and then wasn’t — will help your child look at a thunderstorm differently, as an interesting natural event to observe and learn about.

At the end of the story, you will find a few questions to discuss with your child. They will not only strengthen knowledge about nature but also help your little one deal with their feelings. And maybe, next time they’ll say: “A thunderstorm is just nature talking!”

May your family evenings be cozy and filled with kind stories together with the “Baby-bear Club” website!