Top 16 Books For Toddlers About Feelings Updated 04 /2024

Even adults find it difficult to express their emotions. There are moments when asking a two-year-old to grasp and articulate complex feelings might feel like an impossibly high bar to meet.

There is more to learning words like "happy," "sad," "excited," and "nervous" for a youngster than just learning vocabulary. These are real emotions, and they can cause our hearts to beat faster, our hands to sweat, and our tears to flow. This concept of "huge sensations" having a significant impact on our bodies and minds is difficult for a child to grasp. It's a mess, to put it mildly. (This is something we're still trying to wrap our heads around.)

Reading is a great approach to help your child go through their feelings and find the perfect words. The best way to put things into perspective is to have a little story time with your youngster. It is time to curl up on the couch, snuggle in, and read a few books with your loved one that attempt to clarify and illustrate how our sentiments influence our actions.

Do you want to read some novels that focus on the human experience? Here are 10 books for toddlers that can help you teach your child how to channel and express their feelings in a positive way. With these alternatives, you may aid in the identification of your child's feelings and thoughts, whether they're coping with a challenging behavioral stage, making new friends, or dealing with change.

Lots of Feelings, by Shelly Rotner

A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when you're trying to teach a child a tough topic. This is one of our favorite books for toddlers since it uses real-life images of children to illustrate basic emotions.. As a visual aid, it's a terrific approach to help children express their emotions and decipher those of others.

The Way I Feel, by Janan Cain

What bothers them, why they're irritated, or if they're feeling particularly foolish can't be communicated to you by a young child (although incessant giggling is always a tip-off). Some of their emotions may burst into flames, either for the better or for the worse. This book teaches children the basic vocabulary they need to communicate their feelings on a day-to-day basis.

Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day, by Jamie Lee Curtis

It's not uncommon for toddlers to be erratic. Little kids can be swayed and their moods shifted by the tiniest of stimuli, and it's not always for the better. This book focuses on the cyclical nature of our emotions in a way that is sure to bring a smile to the faces of young readers. The message is that it's okay and normal to get irritable, feel funny, or experience grief without warning. You should allow yourself the time and space to digest all of your emotions. For a three-year-old, that might be a bit much, but it's written in a way that's both approachable and age-appropriate. It also includes a color wheel for young children to utilize to describe their emotions.

Hands Are Not for Hitting, by Martine Agassi

When children don't have the vocabulary to communicate their deepest emotions, it can be upsetting, to say the least. In situations where kids aren't getting what they want or need, hitting is a normal response. There are many great things our hands can achieve, but hitting should not be one of them, according to this book published by a clinical therapist and behavioral consultant.

The Pigeon Has Feelings Too!, by Mo Willems

This book is a must-have for any older child who enjoys Mo Willem's renowned pigeon series. It offers a funny viewpoint on a variety of emotions. If you've ever tried to get Pigeon to smile, you know it's not going to go down well. Because we don't always feel like putting on a "happy face," key feeling terms are highlighted throughout the book to reinforce the moods that we all experience from time to time.

The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings,by Anna Llenas

In the Color Monster's case, his emotions are jumbled and he can't figure out what's going on. A small companion aids him in the "separation" of his jumbled emotions by assigning each one a distinct color. He becomes more self-aware and can identify his different moods as a result. There are a lot of colorful and vivid graphics in this book, as well as fun descriptive text. Additionally, the pop-up feature will be a hit with young children.

Happy Hippo, Angry Duck: A Book of Moods, by Sandra Boynton

In this simple board book, children and adults alike will enjoy the witty text and adorable drawings that break down a range of emotions with fun and whimsy. In Boynton's characteristic animals, even the sour moose and concerned rabbit look adorable despite their displeasure, thanks to their smart facial expressions.

Grumpy Monkey, by Suzanne Lang

It's normal to feel down from time to time, even if there's no apparent reason for it. The chimpanzee Jim falls under that category. Despite the efforts of his friends to cheer him up, Jim just wants to sulk in his sorrow for a time. There is a strong message conveyed in this book, one that encourages people to sit with their emotions for some time.

When your child reads about a variety of emotions, he or she will gain a better understanding of how to interact with others and how to react appropriately. In addition, it promotes good manners in your youngster. So gather your loved ones around a book and spend some time together.

Calm-Down Time by Elizabeth Verdick, illustrated by Mireka Heinlen

Learning how to control one's emotions is an important element of growing up. This children's book on feelings aims to help kids cope with the aftermath of a raging tantrum.

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney

Little Llama is not pleased when Mama Llama takes him shopping in this classic picture book on emotions. Tots (and parents, let's face it—who hasn't dealt with a thrashing, wailing toddler in the supermarket?) will identify with this familiar story as they see their own troubles as toddlers reflected back at them.

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