Talking about and teaching concepts of health to children can be difficult. Even some of the most experienced teachers struggle with how to introduce certain ideas, how to answer questions and how to introduce topics. Using books as read-aloud stories to bring concepts to life can aid teachers when teaching about topics they might feel completely comfortable or confident discussing. These books are especially helpful because they use kid-friendly language.
1. The Boys Body Book
This is a book for parents or educators as they witness the young boys in their lives growing up right in front of their eyes. The boys might have questions about how their bodies are changing and if certain experiences are normal.
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2. The Girls Body Book
This book is similar to the book mentioned above but it is for young girls. The girl's body book looks at how girls' bodies are growing and changing at a certain time in their lives. It even looks at embarrassing experiences they might not want to share out loud.
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3. Once Upon A Potty
Potty training can be a difficult time for young children and even for parents as well. This clever book looks at this difficult time and helps everyone see it through. This book is designed for boys going through this process.
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4. I Am Stronger Than Anxiety
As discussions around mental health are becoming more and more prevalent, looking at different mental health issues can be worthwhile to include in a unit when learning about all different kinds of health and how to be healthy. You can use this book in therapy.
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5. Thriving with ADHD
Looking at differences can include some difficult topics. Talking about ADHD, especially when students in the class might have it, will be tricky. Using a book like this will help the students not assign blame or point the finger at specific students.
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6. Human Body Activity Book for Kids
Learning about bones, skin, and muscles has never been so fun. Take these complicated topics and bring them down to your students' or children's level with this book. The beautiful colors and informative text make this book a must-buy.
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7. Feelings Ninja
This adorable story sends the message to kids that they will experience a wide range and variety of emotions in their lives day-to-day and that is okay. They can experience them all and work through them no matter what they are.
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8. A Little Spot of Anger
Include this book in your next circle time and it will quickly become one of your student's favorites. It looks at how everyday situations can cause us to become frustrated to angry. You can use this message to discuss what we can do to solve these issues in healthy ways.
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9. My Body Sends a Signal
Learn about and teach about your body's cues and what the signals it sends mean. How to make healthy choices and how to interpret your body's signals are the central theme and message of this book. This book will become a classic children's story in your classroom.
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10. Listening to my Body
Creating a safe and positive environment at school is essential for students to be productive. Self-regulation is definitely becoming more prevalent in schools and teaching students how to regulate their emotions can start with this book. It can springboard many mental health lessons.
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11. Eating the Alphabet Board Book
Learn about healthy foods and healthy eating with this adorable alphabet book where the author associates healthy food from around the world with each letter of the alphabet. You can add this book to your roster when teaching phonics!
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12. Social Skills Activities for Kids
Social skills are foundational for social success with friendships and relationships with adults at every level of school. This book teaches children to make friends by picking up on subtle things like body language and cues, for example. This book even has interactive activities inside.
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13. Dino Potty
Another book about potty training that could serve your child is this Dino Potty book. This book approaches potty training with a positive attitude. This book portrays potty training as easy, simple, and everyone can do it! Be like the big kids.
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14. My Body! What I Say Goes!
This book about consent is an excellent way to introduce such a heavy and significant topic to your students. My Body! What I Say Goes! uses kid-friendly language and does not make this topic such taboo, especially if the teacher is uncomfortable teaching this topic.
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15. Dishonest Ninja
Teach your kids or students that being emotionally and mentally healthy is just as important as being physically healthy. This book looks at the impact of our lies and how we make people feel when we lie to them.
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16. I Choose to Calm My Anger
I Choose to Calm My Anger is a fantastic book for preschoolers and their teachers to use as a tool to learn about how to manage such a strong and intense emotion. Preschool can be a time when situations occur that make the students angry.
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17. The Body Book
Take a look at what is happening inside our bodies right now! This book answers a lot of questions about our bodies' natural processes and what makes our bodies so incredible! Students can get some answers at school about their bodies and how to keep them healthy!
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18. It's OK to be Different
Diversity, inclusivity, and healthy relationships with people who are different than ourselves are all central themes in this book. Students will always benefit from learning about diversity and seeing people who are different from they are. We must learn to respect everybody.
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19. My Mind is Strong
Give your students the tools and confidence they need to be mentally strong by having a mental health lesson. Did you know every time you make a mistake, your brain grows? Encouraging a growth mindset is everything. This book will help support this topic.
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20. How to Accept No
Learning to take no for an answer is an especially important skill, especially when students start going to school for the first time. Learning about healthy relationships and healthy reactions to answers you don't agree with will help with making friends at school.
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21. Autism Is...
A healthy way to approach differences in people is the perspective this book takes. This book dispels any preconceived notions or misbeliefs about people with Autism. This book also fosters empathy.
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22. Celebrate Your Body
Celebrating your body and how it grows and changes over the years is a valuable skill that children must learn. The simple language that is used in this text will allow the students to really connect with the experiences they will read about or listen to.
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23. Body Safety
Body safety is a big part of being healthy. Setting and enforcing respectable boundaries, as well as communicating these boundaries, is an excellent lesson to teach to your students or children. As they gain more friends and relationships, this is an essential lesson.
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24. What if A Stranger Approaches You
Teaching students about positive and healthy relationships, and which ones are not healthy, can help students learn for themselves about relationships they want to be involved in and which they feel safe being a part of.
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25. My First Human Body Book
Take a look at the systems of the body with this interactive book. Take a closer look at the immune systems, respiratory systems, and more! This book is perfect to kick off a human anatomy lesson or biology lesson if these are some of the classes you are teaching.
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26. My First Book About The Brain
My First Book About the Brain lets students into the secrets of how the brain works and why our brains are so amazing. This book can start off with a growth mindset lesson, mental health lesson, or anatomy lesson. The students will learn how the brain influences the body.
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27. Breathe Like A Bear
Meditation and mindfulness can be helpful for some students in order for them to be mentally healthy and calm. Teaching them about using affirmations and breathing can be just the strategy they need to calm down, teaching them to have a healthy mind.
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28. What to Do When You Feel Like Hitting
Vocalizing your feelings and communicating are life skills that need to be explicitly taught, fostered, and nurtured from a young age. A lot of young children have trouble keeping their hands to themselves, but not anymore!
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29. Listening Ninja
Active listening is a vital component of successful friendships and relationships. Listening well is a social skill that is often taught in schools. Associating listening with being a ninja is a fun way to get kids to really listen to each other and the other person's needs.
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30. Empathy is Your Super Power
Anyone and everyone can be a superhero when they practice empathy with one another. Being in a healthy relationship also requires you to practice healthy habits with your friends. Being empathetic is a fantastic start.
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22 Children’s Books About Sharing