In an elementary classroom, a calming corner is a dedicated space designed to help students manage their emotions and self-regulate in moments of stress, anxiety, or frustration. It’s a safe, quiet area where children can take a break from the busyness of the classroom, reflect on their feelings, and use tools to calm down before returning to their work. By providing this space, educators empower students with the tools they need to understand and manage their emotions, fostering a supportive and emotionally intelligent classroom environment. The calming corner isn’t just about quiet time—it’s about teaching lifelong emotional skills.
One powerful way to enhance the calming corner is by incorporating self-regulation picture books into the space. These books help students see emotional regulation modeled through relatable stories and characters. When children read about others managing feelings like anger, sadness, or frustration, they gain insight into strategies they can apply in their own lives. By connecting with these stories, students can better understand their emotions and practice self-regulation in a structured and meaningful way.
However, it’s important to note that picture books added to the calming corner should have meaning. Before placing these wonderful regulation resources in the calming corner library, each book should be introduced to the class as part of a structured teaching lesson, where the concepts of emotional regulation are explored in depth. Once read aloud and discussed, the books can be added to the calming corner library as a familiar resource—a tool to reinforce previously taught strategies rather than a first-time exploration. This ensures that students are reminded of the lessons they’ve learned and can practice them independently, using the stories as a guide in moments of emotional need.
Incorporating self-regulation books in this way adds an educational layer to the calming corner, making it a place not just for reflection but for growth and learning. Listed below are twelve emotional regulation picture books to give you some ideas for starting a library for your students to regulate their feelings through literacy while feeling safe and protected.
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Even Superheroes Have Bad Days by Shelly Becker
This story is one of my favorites. In a very unique way, it teaches your students that everyone struggles with emotions. You won’t always feel your best (even superheroes). This energetic picture book has plenty of fun ideas to help kids cope when they’re feeling overwhelmed.
The Bad Seed by Jory John
The Bad Seed is a cute book that can teach students that all students are good. Sometimes we can make mistakes when we try to regulate our emotions. Every student can change their actions and make positive changes while learning along the way.
How Do Dinosaurs Say I’m Mad? by Jane Yolen
When little dinosaurs get angry, they sometimes misbehave. Readers will laugh aloud and relate to all the dinosaur-sized antics, from stomping and yelling to tantrums and meltdowns. But after a dinosaur storms around the house, it’s time to calm down.
Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang
This is a fun story about Jim the chimpanzee, who is in a terrible mood for no good reason. His friends can’t understand how he can be in such a bad mood when it’s a beautiful day outside. We’ve all been there! Grumpy days happen! Teach students that it’s okay to feel your emotions. Work through it in a productive way.
Breathing Makes It Better by Christopher Willard
Read this story and practice guiding children to breathe through their feelings and find calm with recurring cues to stop and take a breath. The more that we can teach our children to breathe properly, the easier it is going to be for them to regulate their bodies. I use this story as a whole group lesson, teaching the students to breath and walk them through different ways of breathing. After much repetition, this wonderful story moves to the calming library for students to practice on their own.
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
This story walks students through identifying and expressing their feelings in a positive manner that is important for their social-emotional learning. Have students work through naming their feelings and watch as they grab this story and search through to find and name their feelings when needed.
The Great Big Book of Feelings by Mary Hoffman
Teach your students how to handle a large range of emotions such as happiness, sadness, excitement, boredom, anger, silliness, loneliness, embarrassment, shyness, worry, jealousy, and satisfaction, among others. This story is a nice reference point for students when they can find or label their feeling and read about it.
The Boy with Big, Big Feelings Britney Winn Lee
The main character in this story has feelings so big that they show all over his face and body. The character tries to cope by stuffing down his feelings. Throughout the story, with a little help, the boy realizes his feelings are special and something to be celebrated.
Alphabreaths by Christopher Willard
Students will work their way through the ABCs and the basics of mindfulness through playful breathing exercises. Take the time to teach each of these breathing exercises and watch as they choose this book over and over to help them regulate their bodies on their own when going to the calming corner. This book is a really big hit in our classroom.
Tough Guys Have Feelings Too by Keith Negley
This story helps show students how everyone gets sad—ninjas, wrestlers, knights, superheroes . . . even daddies have emotions! When regulating student emotions, they can see that they aren’t alone and that others have felt the same feelings that they’re currently feeling.
Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard
Use the book to remind students that it’s okay to have a day when you’re feeling grumpy. Students can see how Bird works through being grumpy and soon through exercise and companionship, Bird is able to shake his bad mood.
I Can Handle It! by Ms. Laurie Wright
This book does a great job of teaching [positive self-talk. This is a huge help in allowing students to feel emotionally strong like Sebastien and push through challenging times.
