I’d like to start this list of books for children’s mental health week by sharing my brand new book for kids age 4+ How I Feel. It is packed with fun, simple activities designed to give you and your child the tools to cope with a whole range of different emotions. Encouraging you to on a happiness hunt, play animal charades, feed your worry monster and do the cushion walk!
With tips for grown-ups to spark conversations and give advice, it is the perfect book to share with little ones and the perfect book for mental health week!
More books for Children’s Mental Health Week
This year, Children’s Mental Health Week is themed around “My Voice Matters”, empowering young people to use their voice and share what matters to them.
To encourage young people, Madeline O’Keefe, Children’s Book Buyer at The Works has collated the best books to read to your child that can inspire and emphasise that their voice matters…
Whale Feels Worried by Katie Woolley
“Whale Feels Worried offers a gentle exploration of dealing with worry and anxiety. Following the story of a whale who is worried about her schoolwork, her relationship with her school teacher highlights that it’s ok to make mistakes, placing the importance on, speaking out, learning from mistakes and finding ways to cope with worries.”
Can I Have A Hug by Rosie Greening
“A part of the Worry Monsters series, Can I Have A Hug encourages children to understand that you don’t always need a hug to feel close to loved ones, but communication is key. An important story to help children deal with separation, it encourages and inspires children to reach out to loved ones who may not be around frequently to use their voice and channel their love in other ways such as writing letters, video calling or getting creative.”
Healthy Habits: Elephants Guide to Making Friends by Lisa Edwards
“The Healthy Habits series cover a range of topics that can boost a child’s mental health. Ideally for children around aged four and above, an Elephant’s Guide to Making Friends showcases the value of social engagement and interaction through bold, bright, and humorous illustrations and highlights the value of being a good friend.”
Little People, Big Dreams collection by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
“Little People, Big Dreams tell the story of many figures throughout history and can really inspire children to follow their dreams. The collection varies from sports people to movie stars and musicians, to trailblazers such as Amelia Earhart and Rosa Parks. It’s the definitive collection on why everybody’s voice matters and that everyone can achieve what they want to with hard work and determination.”
The Smeds and The Smoos by Julia Donaldson
“Highlighting that everybody matters and our voice is valued regardless of how we look, The Smeds and The Smoos is a gentle and fun way to educate around equality. It’s a story of love, adventure and togetherness between a young red Smed and a young blue Smoo, a group of people who don’t usually mix.
It’s a book that has all the hallmarks of a great Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler read, and a real classic from her catalogue.”
Madeline, continued: “Studies have shown that children who read for pleasure earlier in life have a better mental wellbeing, showing fewer signs of stress and depression, while also reducing behavioural problems and improved attention.
They added, “A good read can provide the base for many of the values we hold as we develop in life, increasing confidence, learning about the world and developing empathy and emotional awareness that provides an understanding that it’s not just your own voice that matters, but also that everybody else’s does too.”
You can find a range of books to read that can benefit a child’s mental health during Children’s Mental Health Week and beyond by visiting: https://www.theworks.co.uk/c/books/childrens-books
Further reading
A list of emotions to teach your kids
