Meditation, Mindfulness & Yoga
It’s never too early to teach techniques for relaxation & mindfulness. These strategies can help your child improve their ability to self-regulate and manage their feelings. The books below have everything you need to get into a meditation and mindfulness routine. Check out my post on tantrums for related books.
I hope you love the books I recommend! Please note that the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Author and yoga teacher, Mariam Gates, has written some of my absolute favorite books on this topic. They’re fabulous because they take you on a journey, guiding readers with breathing techniques and visualizations the whole way through. I also love these books because the children in the pictures are very diverse!
I’ve used Good Morning Yoga in my classroom to start off the day with deep breathing and stretching. Good Night Yoga makes a great addition to your bedtime routine because it can help kids transition from the active energy of the day. See my post about sleep, bedtime and bad dreams for more related book suggestions.
Breathe With Me, Meditate With Me and Breathe Like A Bear help introduce concepts of breath work and meditation to young readers. I love the way these books help to connect techniques for specific feelings. For example, how to breathe when feeling angry or frustrated.
Yoga Friends is great for kids as they begin to navigate new people and social situations. If you have a child who needs time to come out of their shell, or you need a fun and interactive activity for a playdate or classroom, this book is for you!
I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness and I Am Yoga are two great titles by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. They bring these topics to life in ways that kids can understand. They’re great for any classroom or even before bedtime.
Happy Right Now - So often I find myself saying “I’ll be happy when…” and this book challenges us to live in the present and be happy right now. A great book and lesson for all of us!
Charlotte and the Quiet Place - Charlotte’s world is noisy and bustling. All she wants is to find a quiet place to read her favorite book, but does such a place exist? I love the way this book points out every day noises that are ignored by so many of us, but can be very bothersome for kids who are sensitive or neurodiverse. It’s also a great way to teach us about the importance of finding a quiet space within ourselves.
My Magic Breath - Is the perfect teaching tool for deep-breathing, mindfulness and calming down. The illustrations are great for making this strategy more concrete for children.
Move Your Mood is another great book with strategies to de-stress and get energy out. By the time your child is done moving their body in all the different ways listed in the book, they might not remember what was so upsetting in the first place.
The Mindful Cat is a gorgeous book! This spunky cat reminds us that we all get overwhelmed by our emotions at times, especially when things don’t go our way. Mindful Cat teaches us that when we take deep breaths and let our worries go, we can take control and quiet our minds. I love this book helps families find practical techniques for managing our emotions.
I Yoga You - a great book for toddlers and 2’s. Turn each page to learn new yoga poses that fit into your daily routine, such as stretching your arms up high to get dressed. I love the fun illustrations that feature a beautifully diverse group of families.
Yoga Whale: Simple Poses for Little Ones & Yoga Bear are also great for toddlers and 2’s. Your little one will love seeing their favorite animals and learning how to pose like them.
I Breathe - this beautiful book shows readers how easily yoga and breath work fit right into our daily activities. Each page features poses, breathing techniques and questions that inspire kids to be more mindful of their bodies and feelings. My daughter loves doing the poses along with the kids in the book when we read!
What’s in Your Mind Today - is a lovely illustrated guided meditation. Follow along as children learn deep breathing, mindfulness and self-regulation.
Yawning Yoga - a step-by-step guided yoga practice. I love the gorgeous illustrations in this book, the clear language, and the calm feeling that it evokes. This book is perfect for teaching kids about different yoga poses and for incorporating a yoga activity into your day.
Yoga Animals In the Forest - Bear has just emerged from hibernation and is ready to stretch, breathe, jump and balance. Follow Bear as he learns different yoga poses from his animal friends. I love the way each pose is broken down into steps with a model to go along with it. This book is perfect and educators who are incorporating yoga practice into the classroom or home.
What Does it Mean to be Present - In our busy world of multi-tasking it’s so easy to be distracted. This book is the perfect tool for teaching our kids about the importance of being present. I love this book because it brings to life the concept of being present, which is fairly abstract for our youngest readers. What does being present mean? and how can we do it? This book has SO MANY ideas! Reading this story with my daughter was a great reminder for me to put down my phone, turn off the distractions and be in the moment.
Taking Time - I found this book so calming! This story invites readers to stop and take a moment to admire the simple joys of nature that surround us. From stopping to listen to the sound of shells on the beach, to taking a moment to watch a flock of birds, this book promotes mindfulness practices that children and adults can easily put into practice.
A Quiet Girl - This book is very unique and I’m absolutely in LOVE with it. Mary is a quiet girl in a home that’s filled with lots of noise. Her family always asks her to speak up and use her big voice, but they still can’t hear her over the sounds of their busy lives. When Mary decides to be even quieter she teaches her family the beauty of slowing down to appreciate the small wonders of everyday life.
Extraordinary! - I can’t imagine a more fabulous book about mindfulness than this! This gentle story encourages readers to reach for the stars and follow their dreams. The beautiful and vibrant illustrations remind us to celebrate the simple joys of nature and celebrate precious moments with family and friends.
If you’re looking for more activities or a different approach, try out some of the poses in Yoga Pretzels. Find a comfortable place with enough room for your child to move and spread out.
Calm: Mindfulness for Kids - Here’s a book that is perfect for any teacher’s toolkit! A guide for kids and grownups to help manage stressful moments. From breathing exercises, stretches, and creating a calming glitter jar, this book is full of practical strategies. I love the way this book explains each concept in ways that young kids can understand, and gives them the tools to manage their own big feelings.
Let’s Make Yoga Magic - I’m a huge fan of interactive books. They’re super engaging, making them the stories that kids want to read over and over again. Turn the wheel to make the sun rise over the mountain for mountain pose, pull the tabs to sail the boat under the bridge for bridge pose. Learn 13 yoga poses that kids can do with you and by themselves.
Don’t forget to check out my post about tantrums for more related books.
Quick Tips
Don’t worry if you’re a yoga newbie, these books are simple and have all the instructions you need to get started with your little one.
Preview the book before you read it with your child. This will help you become more comfortable with the poses and techniques. It’ll also help you decide if it’s appropriate for your child’s attention span.
Read as much or as little of these books as you need. If your child is enjoying it and making connections to their own feelings, keep reading. Stop when your child seems to have had enough.
Revisit specific pages and techniques as needed! For example, if your child needs help calming down during a moment of frustration, flip to the corresponding page in the book and remind them what to do. If they haven’t already, this will help your child to make a connection between what they’re reading and what they’re feeling/doing.
Check out Kid Power Yoga, which has tons of resources from Mariam Gates.
Did these books help? Need more titles? Did you find books that were better?
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