Children’s Books about Positive Behavior

Help your kids learn how to behave, get along with others, and handle their emotions with these children’s books about positive behavior.

Children's Books about Positive BehaviorHitting, yelling, tattling, lying, biting, and getting angry are just some of the social behaviors we often have to discuss with our little ones.

But as you can imagine, hearing all the ways you can improve doesn’t always feel good to a child. Even if said with patience and love, there are only so many teachable moments she can take before she feels compelled to throw a tantrum.

You see, however common these behaviors are, younger children aren’t always willing nor able to discuss hard feelings like anxiety, frustration, or worry. They don’t have the communication skills to describe their big emotions, much less understand that they’re normal and will soon pass. Nor do they have much experience practicing social skills and anger management with their peers or making good choices even when it’s hard.

It’s especially difficult to talk about behavior right when these things happen. I’ve even found that it’s much better to discuss their behavior later when everyone has calmed down and is more receptive to listening and learning about positive alternatives and etiquette. Trying to make a teachable moment during power struggles rarely works.

Instead, these books help them discuss appropriate behavior and social awareness without feeling lectured or scolded. Maybe she’s acting out at daycare and you’re able to address her behavior without her feeling attacked. She can relate to the characters in the book, and learn a few ways to handle her strong feelings in a positive approach.

These books allow them to see how we expect them to behave with others in a respectful way, even if we’re not there with them.

From toddlers to elementary kids, these are my favorite children’s books about positive behavior:

Toddler Acting Out at Daycare

Children’s books about positive behavior

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Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker by Christianne C. Jones

Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker by Christianne C. Jones

A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty

A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty

Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler

Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler

Rita and Ralph's Rotten Day by Carmen Agra Deedy

Rita and Ralph’s Rotten Day by Carmen Agra Deedy

Train Your Angry Dragon by Steve Herman

Train Your Angry Dragon by Steve Herman

My Mouth Is a Volcano by Julia Cook

My Mouth Is a Volcano by Julia Cook

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

No, David! by David Shannon

No, David! by David Shannon

What Should Danny Do? by Adir and Ganit Levy

What Should Danny Do? by Adir and Ganit Levy

Little Dinos Don't Hit by Michael Dahl

Little Dinos Don’t Hit by Michael Dahl

The Recess Queen by Alexis O'neill

The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

The Way I Act by Steve Metzger

The Way I Act by Steve Metzger

What If Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick

What If Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick

Calm-Down Time by Elizabeth Verdick

Calm-Down Time by Elizabeth Verdick

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud

Hands are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi

Hands are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi

Cool Down and Work through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners

Cool Down and Work through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners

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