There are so many benefits when children learn ways to become calm and to manage their emotions. Mindfulness books can add to any practices that help children experience mindfulness and peace. Today, I’m going to share some of my favorite mindfulness books for kids.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking out the “Look Inside the Book” feature on Amazon and reading reviews there. Another place to learn about a book is on YouTube. You can typically see the entire book there. If you live outside the U.S., be sure to check out Book Depository for great prices and free worldwide delivery.
Montessori-friendly books use photos or realistic illustrations. They don’t have talking animals or a lot of fantasy. But many books that have fantasy and talking animals are wonderful books, and I love sharing them with children who understand the difference between fantasy and reality. I typically have a majority of Montessori-friendly books for a theme, but I include a variety of books that might not be Montessori-style books but that are simply lots of fun or are classic books that I consider an important part of cultural literacy. With mindfulness, if your child can understand the concepts in the book, it typically won’t matter at all if it isn’t a Montessori style book.
Favorite Mindfulness Books for Babies and Toddlers:
If you’re doing a unit study, you don’t need to include babies and toddlers. They really won’t care if their books fit with your current theme. But an older sibling will love to share the themed books with a baby or toddler. So having baby or toddler mindfulness books will encourage your older sibling to read to your baby or toddler. And your baby or toddler might begin to gain an understanding of mindfulness!
I found Baby’s Big World: Mindfulness at Barnes and Noble, but I haven’t seen it anywhere else. This is a sweet book that’s a nice introduction for mindfulness for toddlers or for an older child to read to a baby or toddler. That way, both can benefit! The Baby’s Big World books are Montessori friendly except for the smiling animals (and oooooming and laughing animals in the yoga book).
I also found Baby’s Big World: Yoga only at Barnes and Noble. This is a cute first introduction to yoga. Again, this would be fun for toddlers and older children to do together.
Favorite Mindfulness Books for Preschoolers Through Elementary-Age Kids
Montessori Peace Activity with Mindfulness Book
In my post at Living Montessori Now on how to prepare a Montessori peace tray, you’ll find resources for a variety of peace trays and activities on shelves.
When I Make Silence (a lovely little peace book available at Montessori Services) is one of my favorite books to use with a peace tray or other peace activity.
I Want to Hear the Quiet is another easy-to-understand book in the same series.
A Handful of Quiet promotes contemplation and can be used in a number of ways.
Sometimes, I’ve included inspiration stones and drawstring pouch from Montessori Services with the book. Zoey loves that pouch and stones. I recently used a larger drawstring bag with larger polished rocks to fit the book’s meditation themes of flower; mountain; calm, clear lake; and big blue sky. The book also has directions for making your own drawstring bag and finding special meditation stones. The book is recommended for ages 4+.
I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness is both a mindfulness and peace book. It shows how when we have peace within, we can share it with others. The book is recommended for ages 4-8.
What Does It Mean to Be Present? has 
many easily understood ideas for kids ages 4-8 along with practical ways kids can be present.
Peaceful Piggy Meditation 
helps kids understand the benefits of slowing down and meditating when they’re feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. It’s obviously not a Montessori-style book, but it will capture kids’ attention! (Recommended for ages 4-8)
Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents) isn’t a read-aloud book. Instead, it’s a wonderful resource filled with mindfulness exercises for parents and kids to do together. There’s even a 60-minute CD of guided exercises read by Myla Kabat-Zinn that comes with the book. (Recommended for ages 5-12)
breathe with me book with 5-minute sand timer
Breathe with me: using breath to feel strong, calm, and happy is recommended for ages 4-8, but it’s actually great for kids and adults! Many of the kids’ mindfulness books are helpful for both kids and adults. This book has ideas for breathing exercises to help with various emotions and events. Often, I’ll include a 3-minute sand timer on the shelf with my mindfulness books. This beautiful 5-minute sand timer is actually part of a 30-minute and 5-minute timer set. It’s fairly fragile, so I’d just suggest it for adults and children who can handle fragile materials well (and are ready for 5-minute meditations/breathing exercises).
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8/1/2021: So many kids have experienced anxiety in the past year that I like to feature growth mindset and mindfulness activities to help whenever possible. We’ve had the book Find Your Calm: A Mindful Approach To Relieve Anxiety And Grow Your Bravery in our peace/mindfulness area since the start of our summer sports unit. It’s perfect for any time, though, and has some great tips for helping children feel calm in a variety of new and frightening situations.
I often pair a mindfulness book with one of the Montessori Mindful Breathing Boards from Montessori Restore. They’re a perfect complement to the book. There are different boards available, each with a card that has a breathing exercise.
You can learn about the book B Is for Breathe in my Multicultural Children’s Book Day review post.
If you’re interested in positive affirmations, such as “I Can Handle It,” you’ll find a series of Mindful Mantras books for kids here.
It’s exciting that there are new mindfulness books for kids being published regularly. Just find the ones that appeal to you and your children (or that have the specific message needed at any particular time).
Favorite Growth Mindset Books for Kids
Growth mindset books can also help children manage their feelings. Here are my favorite growth mindset books for kids.
Favorite Peace Books for Kids
We studied both peace and mindfulness together in our peace unit. Mindfulness and peace go together perfectly because peace within makes it easy to spread peace. You can see my post at LivingMontessoriNow.com with my favorite peace books for kids.
Peace and Mindfulness Resources
- Free Peace Printables and Montessori-Inspired Peace Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Peace Education Activities
- How to Prepare a Peace Corner
- Friendship Flower Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Friendship Activities
- Free Friendship Songs and Rhymes {Character Education Resources}
- Free Taking Turns and Sharing Songs and Rhymes {Character Education Resources}
- How to Teach Toddlers and Preschoolers to Take Turns and Work Together
- The Best Children’s Books about Taking Turns and Sharing
- How to Prepare a Montessori Peace Tray
- Montessori Services Peace Activities and Resources Review
- Best Peace Quotes
- Equality and Peace Resources for Parents and Teachers
- The Silence Game {Montessori Activity to Develop Self Discipline}
- Free Guided Meditations for Kids {Mindfulness Resources}
- Free Guided Meditations for Deep Sleep and Relaxation {Mindfulness Resources for Teens and Adults}
- Free Guided Meditations for Deep Sleep for Kids {Mindfulness Resources}
- Best Nelson Mandela Quotes
- Free Guided Christian Meditations for Teens and Adults
- Free Guided Christian Meditations for Kids
- Free Guided Gratitude Meditations for Kids {Mindfulness Resources}
- Free Mindfulness Songs for Kids
- Promote Peace with Holidays Around the World Resources
- The Ultimate List of Free Meditation Printables for Kids {Mindfulness Resources}
- “Education Is the Best Weapon for Peace” Montessori Word Art Freebie
- Free Peace Songs and Educational Videos
- My favorite mindfulness books for kids
Mindfulness Products for Kids on Amazon
Do you or your kids have a favorite mindfulness book?
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Related Posts
The Best Gratitude Books for Kids- Free Mindfulness Songs for Kids {Calming Songs}
- The Best Growth Mindset Books for Kids
- What Is Mindfulness? (And How We Can All Benefit from It)
- Free “Coping with the Weight of the World” Resources from Calm
- Free Mindfulness Resources from Calm
- Free Guided Frozen and Winter Meditations for Kids {Mindfulness Resources}
- How to Prepare a Book Basket That Encourages Kindness
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