Books For Anxious Children Who Have Anxiety
Childhood anxiety disorders have become a very common challenge among children and as a parent it can be difficult to know how to best support a child who is struggling with anxiety.
An effective tool that has been helping children who are struggling with anxiety is reading books to children about their anxieties.
Childhood anxiety is when a child has extreme or excessive fears and worries.
Children can develop anxiety for a number of reasons like inheriting anxiety genetically through family, experiencing a traumatic event or experienced violence and abuse.
When a child is raised around adults who are anxious, they can learn those fears and develop anxiety as well.
Reading books to your child when they have anxiety disorders about their anxieties can have so many benefits because they provide a way for children to learn about their anxiety. Children with anxiety may feel overwhelmed or scared to talk about their anxiety or feelings. Reading a book about anxiety allows a child to process the information and in a way that feels comfortable and safe to them.
Children can understand and cope with their anxiety when they read about the anxiety symptoms they experience in children's books about anxiety. This can help a child feel less alone with their anxious struggles. Anxiety books for children can offer them validation.
Children can understand and cope with their anxiety when they read about the anxiety symptoms they experience in children's books about anxiety. This can help a child feel less alone with their anxious struggles. Anxiety books for children can offer them validation.
Children who have anxiety disorders may feel like there is something wrong with them and some feel differently then their friends. Books about childhood anxiety can have so many benefits for children like providing children empowerment, strategies for managing anxiety and can help a child to normalize their challenges
Books For Anxious Children Who Have Anxiety
Books by Lizzy, a series curated by passionate speech pathologists dedicated to empowering individuals with sensory and communication needs.
Our "Living In The Land of Sensory" series offers effective, immediate strategies for both kids and adults, teaching calming techniques and emphasizing the power of sensory-communication pairing. Crafted by speech pathologists, these books use high-frequency words to build sensory vocabulary while portraying relatable characters facing sensory challenges, including those with autism and children using AAC devices like in "Hawkins The Hedgehog Needs Head Squeezes" and "Morgan The Monkey Needs To Swing." These books equip children with techniques they can apply independently, fostering inclusivity by depicting diverse characters and the tools they use.
Stressed Ninja: A Children’s Book About Coping with Stress and Anxiety
As adults, we tend to think that the world to children is happy and carefree. After all, kids don't have bills to pay or jobs, so what could they possibly have to stress about? Even very young children have worries and feel stress to some degree. Stressed Ninja shows us how we can use a simple grounding technique to reduce stress in our everyday lives.
Find out what happens in this Ninja Life Hacks book about dealing with stress and anxiety.
Life is hard! And it's even harder for children who are just trying to figure things out.
The new children's book series, Ninja Life Hacks, was developed to help children learn valuable life skills. Fun, pint-size characters in comedic books easy enough for young readers, yet witty enough for adults.
Emily Grace and the What-Ifs
Bedtime is a trigger for many kids. Fears about going to bed, worries that seem only to appear at bedtime, attempts to sleep with parents, and pleas for a parent to stay until they fall asleep are common. Having a predictable routine and being available most nights at bedtime is necessary for your child’s well-being; however, it is also important for children to learn how to self-soothe. The good news is that children can learn to cope with bedtime fears and fall asleep on their own. This book is a wonderful place to start. As soon as Emily Grace gets into bed, her mind starts running with scary “What-Ifs,” but then she takes a moment to calm down, notices the familiar details of her room, and sees that all is well.
Bye-Bye Time (Separation Anxiety)
Being dropped off at childcare or cared for by a baby-sitter means saying good-bye to Mom or Dad—and for many toddlers, bye-bye is a big deal. This gentle book helps ease the transition with simple rituals: hugs and kisses, a big wave, a deep breath, and the confidence to seek comfort with the new caregiver or other children. Toddlers learn that good-bye isn’t forever, it’s just for a while. An award-winning author/illustrator team offers a fresh look at the times and transitions all toddlers face daily, giving young children the tools to handle routines with confidence and cooperation.
What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety
Did you know that worries are like tomatoes? No, you can't eat them, but you can make them grow, simply by paying attention to them. If your worries have grown so big that they bother you almost every day, this book is for you.
What to Do When You Worry Too Much guides children and parents through the cognitive-behavioral techniques most often used in the treatment of anxiety. Lively metaphors and humorous illustrations make the concepts and strategies easy to understand, while clear how-to steps and prompts to draw and write help children to master new skills related to reducing anxiety.
A Little SPOT of Anxiety: A Story About Calming Your Worries
Anxiety comes from feelings of being worried, scared, or anxious. When these feelings are in small amounts that’s okay because they are there to help protect us, but when they get TOO BIG, they become overwhelming and need to be managed. When a child experiences anxiety it can prevent them from doing what he/she wants and and/or needs to do, which can make anxiety a disability.
This story addresses how anxiety can affect all ages and how it can show up in all different situations. The Gray SPOT in the story creates a visual representation of Anxiety so that a child can see when it's gets too big, and how to shrink it back to a Green PEACEFUL SPOT.
My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing
Do YOU have the magic breath?
Let’s see…Take a deeeeeep breath in…and BLOW it out…
…and like magic, you can feel better just by breathing! Sometimes it’s hard to feel happy. But with this interactive picture book, children breathe along as they learn how to make angry or sad thoughts disappear.
In a world that is sometimes too busy, with too many things going on, My Magic Breath will help steer children into a serene space of mindfulness, self-awareness, and balance.
Alphabreaths: The ABCs of Mindful Breathing
In Alphabreaths, children will learn their ABCs and the basics of mindfulness through playful breathing exercises. Breaths like Mountain Breath and Redwood Breath will connect them with nature, while breaths like Heart Breath and Wish Breath will help them remember to fill their heart with gratitude and send good wishes to others.
Simple, playful, and with delightful illustrations, Alphabreaths is the perfect introduction to mindfulness and breath awareness.
I Am Stronger Than Anxiety: Children’s Book about Overcoming Worries, Stress and Fear (World of Kids Emotions)
Often face with kids’ anxiety and still have no idea how to deal with children’s big emotions and feelings? Try this entertaining picture book and learn how to help children cope with their worry and stress.
All children worry from time to time and it is a normal part of growing up. But, when anxiety becomes overwhelming, it can greatly affect kids’ behavior. It may lead to a feeling of stress, exhaustion, isolation and many others. It is very important to be aware of these emotions and to know how to deal with them in a healthy way.
I Choose to Calm My Anxiety: A Colorful, Picture Book About Soothing Strategies for Anxious Children (Teacher and Therapist Toolbox: I Choose) In this rhyming story, Lucas is weighed down by his worry and anxiety. Through colorful illustrations and rhythmic rhymes, he learns coping mechanisms on how to deal with big emotions like anxiety.
For every child who has experienced anxious thoughts, this story teaches kids how to respond to anxiety through several soothing strategies.
”I Choose to Calm My Anxiety” is a story with social emotional learning (SEL) in mind. It has been praised by teachers and therapists worldwide.
Worry Ninja: A Children's Book About Managing Your Worries and Anxiety (Ninja Life Hacks)
Worry Ninja shares how he overcomes the worry wheel by using his circle of control and a dandelion.
Find out what happens in this comedic book about soothing your worries.
Life is hard! And it's even harder for children who are just trying to figure things out.
The new children's book series, Ninja Life Hacks, was developed to help children learn valuable life skills. Fun, pint-size characters in comedic books easy enough for young readers, yet witty enough for adults.
The Ninja Life Hacks book series is geared to kids 3-11. Perfect for boys, girls, early readers, primary school students, or toddlers. Excellent resource for counselors, parents, and teachers alike.
Right Now: I Am Brave Hardcover
In the second book of her "Right Now" series, Dr. Daniela Owen, Ph.D. explains the choice that we all have when we face our fears, and provides simple examples of how to overcome our anxieties in such situations.
"Right Now, I Am Brave" is a mindfully written self-help guide to aid children with facing their fears and living bravely during uncertain times. Dr. Daniela Owen, Ph.D. is a clinical child psychologist in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works primarily with children, adolescents, and their families and specializes in using evidence-based treatments to help with managing anxiety, worry, anger, and low mood. Through her children’s books, Daniela brings to life concepts and strategies that can be helpful for children everywhere.
The Invisible String Parents, educators, therapists, and social workers alike have declared The Invisible String the perfect tool for coping with all kinds of separation anxiety, loss, and grief. In this relatable and reassuring contemporary classic, a mother tells her two children that they're all connected by an invisible string. "That's impossible!" the children insist, but still they want to know more: "What kind of string?" The answer is the simple truth that binds us all: An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can't see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love.
Ninjas Know the CBT Triangle: A Children's Book About How Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors Affect One Another; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Ninja Life Hacks)
Meet Thinking Ninja whose superpower is thinking! In this engaging and fun story, Thinking Ninja introduces young readers to the CBT triangle and the concept of how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors affect one another.
It's the first day of school and Thinking Ninja is scared. Learn how to recognize your thoughts so you can change your behaviors!
Life is tough. But so are you!
The children's book series, Ninja Life Hacks, was developed to help children learn valuable life skills. Fun, pint-size characters in comedic books easy enough for young readers, yet witty enough for adults.
Don't Feed The WorryBug
Say hello to Wince, one of the biggest worriers you will ever meet. From cookies to homework to the weather, Wince worries about everything. And when Wince starts to worry, his WorryBug appears. At first the WorryBug is small and non-threatening, but the more Wince Worries the more his WorryBug grows. Don't Feed The WorryBug is great story to start the conversation on worry and anxiety. We all worry, it happens, but the key is to not let those worries aka the WorryBug grow to the point that it ruins your day.
Soft bound book includes coloring pages and WorryBug note pages to help keep track of when the pesky WorryBug arrives.
Anxious Ninja: A Children's Book About Managing Anxiety and Difficult Emotions
Anxious Ninja experiences difficult emotions that paralyzes him until his friend gives him tips on how to handle his anxiety.
Find out what happens in this comedic book about anxiety.
Life is hard! And it's even harder for children who are just trying to figure things out.
The new children's book series, Ninja Life Hacks, was developed to help children learn valuable life skills. Fun, pint-size characters in comedic books easy enough for young readers, yet witty enough for adults.
The Ninja Life Hacks book series is geared to kids 3-11. Perfect for boys, girls, early readers, primary school students, or toddlers. Excellent resource for counselors, parents, and teachers alike.
Brave Ninja: A Children's Book About Courage (Ninja Life Hacks)
Sometimes, it helps to BE brave even when we aren’t FEELING brave.
In this comedic story about developing courage, Brave Ninja finds a way to calm fears and become the best ninja they can possible be!
Life is tough. But so are you!
The new children's book series, Ninja Life Hacks, was developed to help children learn valuable life skills. Fun, pint-size characters in comedic books easy enough for young readers, yet witty enough for adults.
The Ninja Life Hacks book series is geared to kids 3-11. Perfect for boys, girls, early readers, primary school students, or toddlers. Excellent resource for counselors, parents, and teachers alike.
Please Explain Anxiety to Me!: Simple Biology and Solutions for Children and Parents
This book translates anxiety from the jargon of psychology into concrete experiences that children can relate to. Children and their parents will understand the biological and emotional components of anxiety responsible for the upsetting symptoms they experience. Please Explain Anxiety to Me, 2nd Edition gives accurate physiological information in child friendly language. A colorful dinosaur story explains the link between brain and body functioning, followed by practical therapeutic techniques that children can use to help themselves.
My Deep Breath Has your child had one too many meltdowns this week? What if you could teach them a technique that would help them manage their big feelings and develop a positive and healthy mindset?
Learning to regulate emotions is important to a child's mental health. My Deep Breath teaches the power of deep breathing to manage emotions - negative and positive.
Children experience many emotions during their day, which can be scary. This simple tool, which is learned through repetition, will enable your children to develop self-control and understand what to do when they feel overwhelmed.
The simple language and use of vibrant illustrations will engage toddlers and children age 1-5 and help them learn essential coping skills in a fun way.
Watch your children practice this skill as they read along with you.
Wilma Jean - The Worry Machine Anxiety is a subjective sense of worry, apprehension, and/or fear. It is considered to be the number one health problem in America. Although quite common, anxiety disorders in children are often misdiagnosed and overlooked. Everyone feels fear, worry and apprehension from time to time, but when these feelings prevent a person from doing what he/she wants and/or needs to do, anxiety becomes a disability.
This fun and humorous book addresses the problem of anxiety in a way that relates to children of all ages. It offers creative strategies for parents and teachers to use that can lessen the severity of anxiety. The goal of the book is to give children the tools needed to feel more in control of their anxiety.
Cora is struggling with her Whatif questions ahead of a big piano recital in this timely picture book about overcoming anxiety.
What if my dog runs away?
What if I forget my homework?
What if the sun stops shining?
What if my crayon breaks?
Cora is constantly worrying about everything. Because of this, the Whatifs love her. They sneak up to her and give her all kinds of doubts: big or small, silly or frightening, likely or impossible. As she prepares for an upcoming piano recital, the Whatifs cling on tighter and drag her down, making her anxious about messing up during the concert. Will she be able to change her worry-filled thoughts into hopeful ones?
Help Your Dragon Deal With Anxiety: Train Your Dragon To Overcome Anxiety. A Cute Children Story To Teach Kids How To Deal With Anxiety, Worry And Fear. (My Dragon Books)
Having a pet dragon is very fun!
He can sit, roll over, and play…
He can candle a birthday cake, lit a campfire, or so many other cool things…
But what if your dragon is constantly worrying about so many things?
What if he’s worried about his math test even though he has studied very hard?
What if he’s so nervous about his upcoming book report in front of the class?
What if he gets so anxious when he has to go get a shot from the doctor office? So anxious that he has a meltdown?
I Feel Anxious: Children's Picture Book About Overcoming Anxiety For Kids (Emotions & Feelings Book for Preschool)
Even the best day can be ruined if anxiety settles in the heart.
Moving to a new home is a big and joyful event in Max's life.
What now awaits him in his new school?
Will his new teacher be kind?
Will he have any new friends?
He does not know this, and these thoughts do not give him peace and instill in his heart anxiety before the unknown. Fortunately, his parents are there to teach Max how to overcome anxiety, and the first day of school brings a lot of joy.
I Feel Anxious - this is a good story about how difficult it is sometimes for a child to cope with anxiety and how happy it is when everything is over.
Breathe Like a Bear: 30 Mindful Moments for Kids to Feel Calm and Focused Anytime, Anywhere
Breathe Like a Bear is a beautifully illustrated collection of mindfulness exercises designed to teach kids techniques for managing their bodies, breath, and emotions. Best of all, these 30 simple, short breathing practices and movements can be performed anytime, anywhere: in the car to the grocery store, during heavy homework nights at home, or even at a child’s desk at school.
Based on Kira Willey’s Parents’ Choice GOLD Award-winning CD, Mindful Moments for Kids, this one-of-a-kind book is sure to help kids find calm, gain focus, and feel energized during the day, and encourage families to establish a fun and consistent mindfulness practice, whether at home or on the go.
Help Your Dragon Overcome Separation Anxiety: A Cute Children's Story to Teach Kids How to Cope with Different Kinds of Separation Anxiety, Loneliness and Loss. (35) (My Dragon Books)
Having a pet dragon is very fun!
He can sit, roll over, and play…He can candle a birthday cake, lit a campfire, or so many other cool things…
But what if your dragon is constantly worrying when he’s separated from you?
What if he’s refusing to go to sleep without you being by his side?
What if he won’t let you go anywhere because he’s excessively worried that you might get hurt?
What if he refuses to go to school due to fear of separation?
What if he’s also feeling sad for his friend who only visits with his dad on the weekends, or a friend whose mom is in the Air Force, and the loss of a loved one, and much more…?
Listening to My Body: A guide to helping kids understand the connection between their sensations (what the heck are those?) and feelings so that they can get better at figuring out what they need.
Big emotions can be overwhelming!
Help your child build on their capacity to engage more mindfully, self-regulate, and develop emotional resilience.
Listening to my Body is an engaging and interactive book that guides children through the practice of naming their feelings and the physical sensations that accompany them. From wiggly and squirmy to rested and still, Listening to My Body helps children develop a sensations vocabulary so that they can express what they are experiencing.
Includes kid-friendly mindfulness activities woven throughout the book to reinforce the teachings.
Shy Ninja: A Children's Book About Social Emotional Learning and Overcoming Social Anxiety
Extreme shyness causes Shy Ninja to miss out on normal, everyday activities.
For example, Shy Ninja would experience fear, shaking, and anxiety. Things change when a friend introduces Shy Ninja to a very F.U.N. method to reduce symptoms of social anxiety.
Find out what happens in this book about overcoming social anxiety.
Life is hard! And it's even harder for children who are just trying to figure things out.
Greta and the Dark Cloud: A Story About Overcoming Fear and Anxiety for Kids
Greta can't stop thinking all day long about the dark cloud that seems to be following her. Finally forced to confront the storm that follows, she learns it brings good things, too.
Character building book for ages 3-7. Not just for children who are afraid of storms... This story is a wonderful example of a child dealing with fear and anxiety. It stresses preparedness. It also shows that some scary situations can't be avoided and that reward follows doing hard things.
Breathing is My Superpower: Mindfulness Book for Kids to Feel Calm and Peaceful
Do you want to help your child learn healthy ways to deal with angry feelings?
For most parents, helping their child deal with anger is at the top of the list. Breathing is my Superpower teaches children to regulate their emotions, especially if they are feeling upset, angry, or stressed.
Sofia will show your little ones how to control their breathing in various situations, whether at school, at home, or on the playground. Breathing Techniques presented in the book, will help calm your children and show them a fun way of managing their own body, breath, and emotions.
I Believe in Myself (Mindful Mantras)
Believing in yourself can be hard.
Here is a secret: all people, not just kids, wonder if they are good enough, strong enough, or fast enough at some point in their lives. Everyone wonders if he or she'll be up to all the challenges life presents.
Boost your child or students' self-confidence while reading about Poppy. Watch how she handles situations that make her feel anxious, sad or even angry and learns to believe in herself.
Calm Ninja: A Children’s Book About Calming Your Anxiety Featuring the Calm Ninja Yoga Flow
Calm Ninja experiences frustration and anxiety until Calm Ninja learns how to find inner peace through breathing and practicing the Ninja Yoga Flow. Calm Ninja shares how to calm worries and stay peaceful under extreme circumstances.
Find out what happens in this comedic book about stress relief.
Life is hard! And it's even harder for children who are just trying to figure things out.
Nervous Ninja: A Social Emotional Book for Kids About Calming Worry and Anxiety
Do you have a child who experiences nervousness or symptoms of anxiety? Nervous Ninja knows exactly what stress and worry feels like and finds a sweet solution.
Find out what happens in this fun social emotional learning SEL book about calming your anxiety and worries.
Life is hard! And it's even harder for children who are just trying to figure things out.
The new children's book series, Ninja Life Hacks, was developed to help children learn valuable life skills. Fun, pint-size characters in comedic books easy enough for young readers, yet witty enough for adults.
Calm and Peaceful Mindful Me: A Mindfulness How-To Guide for Toddlers and Kids
The mindfulness how-to book you need to help your child have a calm and peaceful body and mind. In this fun and delightfully charming book, your child will follow a gender-neutral character through an easy-to-understand, step-by-step mindfulness practice. Written and illustrated by a therapist (and mother), Andrea Dorn, MSW, this simple yet very intentionally written book introduces the concept of mindfulness with a first-person, mantra-like narrative that will help your child build greater awareness of their body and emotions.
Zen Ninja: A Children's Book About Mindful Star Breathing (Ninja Life Hacks 37)
What do you do when it seems the world is crashing down on you? Follow Zen Ninja’s five-star breathing, and you’ll find your zen in no time.
Find out what happens in this comedic book about developing your zen.
Life is hard! And it's even harder for children who are just trying to figure things out.
The new children's book series, Ninja Life Hacks, was developed to help children learn valuable life skills. Fun, pint-size characters in comedic books easy enough for young listeners, yet witty enough for adults.
The Ninja Life Hacks book series is geared to kids 3-11.
DISCLAIMER: I am not an Occupational Therapist. I am an adult who has Sensory Processing Disorder, a sensory parent and a Grandma. The information on this website is not medical advice and does not replace the information that your child's therapists gives you. These are just ideas and information that I have learned myself over the years of being a parent and an adult living with SPD. If you are concerned for your child, please always seek medical attention through a family doctor, pediatrician or therapist. This website is for suggestions and informational purposes only. Each child is different and what works for one child may not for another because all children have different needs. Please always consult with a professional.
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