Books to help your child feel more calm and mindful

A heartwarming and beautifully illustrated board book that celebrates love and togetherness – an ideal ​“end of the day” shared real that will melt the heart of any grown-up who treasures the time they spend with their little ones.

Bear has a lot of feelings and he knows a useful trick to help release them. Simple and effective, this is a charming picture book.

Journey through the day to bedtime in this lovely, simple book, which reminds little ones that their adults love to spend time with them, and that they are always safe and loved. With useful sleep guidance at the end, too.

This beautiful story about a girl afraid of a big goose, who learns to let go of her fears, feels like an instant classic. A lovely, calm book to read to little ones, full of the simple magic of early childhood and the warm comfort of family.

Kaya’s mother says that to hear your heart song, you must quieten your mind. This picture book aims to promote mindfulness and there’s an explanation of the word at the back of the book, but it can also be read as a fantasy story.

Femi’s wind machine for Science Day doesn’t always work. Gran has some useful advice – but what will happen at school when it matters? With techniques to calm anxiety, and gorgeous illustrations, this picture book will stimulate conversations about feelings. 

Even the most difficult times, like saying goodbye to a pet when it dies, or a friend when they move house, can lead to saying hello to a heart full of emotion and letting go. Cori Doerrfeld’s beautiful picture book is perfect to talking to children about feelings of sadness or in times of change.

A boy isn’t too happy about being told to go and play outside, but soon discovers the wonders of nature in this beautiful, arty book.

Celebrating the shared emotional experiences of different cultures, Maisie’s Scrapbook is a gentle, beautiful storybook which feels familiar and exotic at the same time: a timeless and calming treasure to share with toddlers and nursery children.

No child’s library could be complete without A A Milne’s stories about Pooh, Christopher Robin and their friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Inspired by Michael Morpurgo’s own thoughts about the Covid-19 pandemic and his real-life conversations with the blackbird in his garden, A Song of Gladness is a tribute to the resilience of nature and a reminder to take pleasure in the small things.

Poetry holds a kind of quiet magic, as the introduction to this lovely illustrated poetry anthology reminds the reader. Reading a poem can provide a moment of peace and focus for the reader, and help us to see the world in a new way. In this way, reading a poem can be seen as an act of mindfulness.

This book is both calming and fun, suggesting over 25 activities to do while enjoying being outside. Brilliant for young children and families.