Big Feelings, Small Books: The 5 Best Picture Books to Calm Your Child’s Big Feelings
Do you ever feel so overwhelmed by your emotions that you don't know what to do with them? If so, you're not alone. Many people struggle to deal with their feelings in a healthy way.
Feelings can be complicated, even for little kids. This is especially true when those feelings are hurt or angry. To help your child work through these big feelings, reach for a picture book.
Picture books can be a great way to help kids process their feelings. They provide a safe outlet for emotions and can help kids understand and work through their feelings in a healthy way.
There are many types of picture books that address different kinds of emotions. For example, if your child is feeling sad, you might reach for a book about loss or grief. If your child is feeling angry, you might choose a book about dealing with anger in positive ways. The six books listed below are some of the best when it comes to dealing with big feelings.
These 5 books can provide comfort, understanding, and hope to children who are working through tough emotions:
1. Randall the Blue Spider Goes Surfing by Ryeson and Shana Bull
Randall the Blue Spider loves the ocean and the waves that go crash. Today, he wants to enter the surfing competition to win an ice cream prize—but he is nervous that he might fall in front of all the eyes watching him. With the help of his friend Chester the Caterpillar, Randall learns how to cope with these difficult feelings and take his chances at winning!
2. Belly Breathe by Leslie Kimmelman
A calming technique for simple relaxation, belly breathing is a tool everyone can use (even Randall has tried it!). Studies have found that belly breathing improves concentration and relieves tension. This mindfulness board book showcases this easy skill that manages stress and emotions.
3. The Big Feelings Book for Children by Sharon Selby, MA
Help kids get through big feelings with mindfulness activities for ages five to seven. It’s normal for kids to experience feelings so big that they don’t know what to do with them! This book is filled with engaging exercises that showcase how to use mindfulness to work through tough emotions and feel happier fast.
4. The Boy with Big, Big Feelings by Britney Winn Lee
Meet a boy with feelings so big that they glow from his cheeks, spill out of his eyes, and jump up and down on his chest. When his loved ones are having a hard day, he feels their emotions as if they were his own. The boy tries to cope by stuffing down his feelings, but with a little help and artistic inspiration, he realizes that his feelings are something to be celebrated.
5. A Little SPOT of Empathy: A Story about Understanding and Kindness by Diane Alber
The world could use a little more empathy, and this little SPOT is showing how easy it is to see things from another person's perspective and show greater kindness as a result!
Reading is one of the best ways to learn more about yourself and the world around you, and picture books are the perfect contender for kids! Pick the book that matches the emotion, and see just how to handle those big feelings—and maybe make them feel a touch smaller.