Best Resources for the Angry Child (and their Parents too!)

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Do you have an angry child? Books are a fantastic way to help deal with transitions, issues that a child might be facing, or for dealing with emotions. Whenever I am having a ‘problem’ as a parent, I turn to a kids’ book to help explain the solution. These books for the angry child can help kids who might not know what to make of their intense feelings learn how to not only identify their emotions but what to DO with them in an appropriate manner. We deal with intense emotions a lot at my house, with three kids 5 and under it’s kind of a given. We have many tools that we use, but books are most definitely a large part of them. I hope you will find that one, or some, of these help your family as well!

Related: Tips for Calming the Angry Child 

Books for the Angry Child

Angry Octopus: An Anger Management Story introducing active progressive muscular relaxation and deep breathing. This book teaches children how to use progressive muscle relaxation and breathing techniques to calm down, lower stress, and control anger. This is something that we work on often in our calm down corner!

Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book). One point that I always try to get across is that it’s ok to be angry, but we can’t react to that anger by hitting people.

Mad Isn’t Bad: A Child’s Book about Anger (Elf-Help Books for Kids). You can be good, and angry. Everyone gets angry once in a while and that’s normal!

The Feelings Book.This is important for kids who anger easily, they need to be able to express that emotion rather than stifle it.

Calm-Down Time (Toddler Tools) This is a very gentle book that deals with helping kids manage their own intense behavior and feelings.

When I Feel Angry (Way I Feel Books) The situations in this book are realistic, making it very relatable to young kids.

Zach Gets Frustrated (Zach Rules Series)  In this book, kids will learn a three-point strategy to help them deal with these feelings.

Moody Cow Meditates. This simple exercise of settling the mind can help kids deal with frustration and anger. 

Visiting Feelings. This book really helps children understand how to make sense of the way they are feeling and how to identify their emotions.

Anh’s Anger. This story gives anger a ‘look’. This visualization really allows kids to explore their own anger.

Steps and Stones: An Anh’s Anger Story. Similar to the story mentioned above, this book gives more ways to cope with this feeling.

When Sophie Gets Angry–Really, Really Angry… (Scholastic Bookshelf). This book encourages kids to examine how they deal with their own anger when something upsets them, and shows an example of what Sophie does.

The Way I Feel. A very vivid and beautifully illustrated book that helps express and identify emotions.

My Mouth Is a Volcano! This is a book that I know a lot of kids can relate to (especially mine). It deals with the frustration of not being able to interrupt and talk at all times.

Mean Soup. Get the anger out with this fun visualization!

Resources for Helping Kids Learn to Regulate Emotions

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Daniel’s Big Feelings: Kids really relate to Daniel as he deals with intense feelings like jealousy and anger in these episodes.

Inside Out (Plus Bonus Features): The ultimate movie about navigating emotions, check out this sensory bin that we made to go along with the movie and open up a discussion about feelings.

Resources for Parents of The Angry Child

Books

In dealing with anger in children, it is important to remember to respond calmly and with patience. Responding with anger only creates a vicious cycle leading to an explosive volcano of emotions. Easier said than done, yes, but important to remember nonetheless. Here are some excellent books on gentle parenting that help teach a perspective to keep in mind when your child is angry, often only thinking about their behavior differently can dramatically affect the way we respond.

The Gentle Parenting Book: How to Raise Calmer, Happier Children from Birth to Seven

Positive Discipline A-Z: 1001 Solutions to Everyday Parenting Problems

Gentle Parenting Workshops (2 Book Series)

Apps

Yep, there’s an app for that! My favorite is the Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame Street app. This teaches kids to regulate and manage big emotions, and offers a resource library of sorts for parents. A must-download.

More favorites include Avokiddo Emotions (hilarious), Mindfulness for Children, Breathing Bubbles, and Settle your Glitter. 

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Need a reminder of ways you can help your child calm down anywhere? Check out my printable poster that gives you 8 simple ways! Print it, laminate or frame it and hang in on your wall or fold it up and keep it in your purse. 🙂

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Photo Credit: Angry boy, DepositPhotos.com