Crafting Holiday Gift Guide

One of my favorite things to do in my therapy sessions is to hide the therapeutic aspects of things to my kids. Making therapy fun and engaging leads to increased engagement and less resistance to trying more challenging things. Over the course of my career, I have found that finding highly motivating craft activities can go a long way in getting kids to try things outside of their comfort zone. Being able to work on an activity for several sessions allows for the kids to learn about patience, flexibility and resilience and also makes them even more excited and proud of the final product. Below I share a handful of my favorite crafting, baking and STEAM activity sets. I tried to include gifts for children of a variety of ages so hopefully you will find something. Don't forget that I have so many more ideas that I am always happy to share so if you need specific suggestions for anyone, don't hesitate reaching out and asking. In the meantime, take a look at this years gift ideas and read about all the developmental and therapeutic benefits. 

1. Moulin Roty Baking Set-I've been baking with my now 11 year old since she was old enough to be an active participant and she just loves baking now. Fun fact.....during Covid her aunt in California and she would do weekly baking/cooking dates over Zoom to keep their connection and it was one of the highlights of quarantine. Baking with kids can help create a beautiful connection between kids and their grownups but making sure that you have the right tools is essential. I wish that this baking set was available when my daughter was younger because the tools are just the right size for small hands and helps them be more independent and successful when baking. This gorgeous kit comes with an oven mitt, rolling pin, whisk, spatula, pastry cutter, pie tin, 2 heart-shaped cookie cutters, a muffin pan and a recipe book. They are kid-sized and can be used for actual baking or can be used during pretend play. Baking with kids can work on so many developmental skills such as improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, encourages hand-eye and bilateral coordination while also boosting confidence and self-esteem. 

2. Giant Coloring Posters-Looking for a fun family activity to keep you all busy as the cold weather sets in? Lulu's Cuts and Toys has a great selection of these for you to choose from. I am a bit biased and really love the Brooklyn one but there are several to choose from. Depending on your living situation, you can hang this on a wall and keep up all the time for kids to color in as they please or work on it a little at a time, roll it back up and store in the sturdy box it comes in. Obviously this is a great activity to work on improving graphomotor skills but is also a great way to encourage conversation and language skills. These large pictures are big enough for a whole family to work on at the same time. 

3. Tiny Baking Kit-what's cuter than mini baked goods??? A perfect gift for some of your older, more Tik-Tok savvy kids! One of my sisters gifted this to my daughter a few years ago and she spent countless hours playing with it. This set comes with 17 miniature sized baking tools and a recipe book with 20 recipes using all baking supplies you already have at home.  Mini chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, pizzas and so much more will delight your children while working on developing fine motor and manipulation skills, improve hand-eye coordination and work on improving executive functioning skills while following the recipes such as focus, attention, organization and planning skills. 

4. Flour Shop Rainbow Explosion Cake Kit-Flour Shop is a cake store in SoHo in Manhattan and was all everyone was talking about when it first opened years ago. If you have a serious baker on your shopping list this year, this would be a really fun gift for them. The kit comes with all the ingredients you need to make this 6-layer rainbow kit (you will need cake pans): 1 pouch of vanilla cake mix, 6 rainbow colored gels, 1 pouch of cream cheese frosting mix, 1 pouch of rainbow explosion mix (sprinkles), 1 pouch rainbow polka dots (sprinkles). This is an awesome gift for an older child who loves to bake and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, following directions, organization, planning and task completion. 

5. Play-Dough Baking Kit-I am SO SO obsessed with this adorable "baking" kit for the little ones in your life. I am planning on ordering a handful of these for some of the kids on my shopping list this year and only hope that I am invited over to play with it! This kit comes with four silicone baking cups, candles, cookie cutters, a rolling pin, and pom poms, buttons, beads and jewels to decorate their cupcakes. It also comes with 3 containers of homemade/non-toxic cinnamon, strawberry and sugar cookie sprinkle play dough. First and foremost, these kits (be sure to check out all of the products from Young + Wild and Friedman because there are so many great ones to choose from) encourage creativity, imagination and play skills for little ones. They also work on improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, improve visual motor and visual perceptual skills and are great for sensory exploration. 

6. Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics-I can't tell you how much my kids love doing these Sticky Mosaics and they have made my gift guide year after year. Simple one of the best fine motor crafting activities out there and the kids have no idea how many therapeutic goals they are working on when using them. For younger children, the stickers are larger and different shapes and colors which are easier for their fingers to manipulate. For older children, the stickers are slightly smaller and kids have to match the correct color to numbers. In addition to working on fine motor skills, kids can work on shape, color and number recognition, improves hand eye coordination and improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills. Attach to an easel to work on increasing upper extremity strength. Kids are so proud of the final product and love showing them off. 
***Be sure to check out your local toy and book stores for these kits. I am always seeing them and grab them whenever I do!

7. Razzle Dazzle DIY Gem Kit-I discovered these awesome sets right before the lockdown and they ended up being a great thing for my virtual sessions for some of my kids. Very much like the sticky mosaic sets above, kids match colored gems to the correct letters to create a sparkly picture of various animals. The kit comes with a template, gems, a glue pen and a frame to protect your picture when completed. This is an amazing and fun way for kids to work on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye coordination and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. 

8. Kid Made Modern Arts & Craft Library-this is one of my favorite arts and crafts collections and love that it is appropriate for children of all ages and developmental levels. This collection comes with over 1000 pieces of art supplies including peg dolls, wooden loose pieces, pipe cleaners, beads, pom-poms, googly eyes and SO much more and come in a sturdy case with a handle so it can be taken on the go. While they give you suggestions on what you can make with the different materials, it is truly and invitation for kids to use their imagination and be creative using a variety of materials. This open-ended craft library allows children to think outside the box and figure out all the different ways they can explore and use materials to create which helps with improving confidence and self-esteem. 

9. Dress Me Threading Game-loving this "sewing" kit for kids by Haba. Kids work on improving hand eye coordination, bilateral coordination and fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills while dressing these wooden dolls. Each set comes with 1 double-sided scene card, 36 clothing tiles, a sturdy stringing cord and 3 double-sided pattern cards. Kids can make their own outfits or follow the pattern cards (which is great for improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills and working on executive functioning skills such as focus, organization and task completion). 

10. Hat Not Hate Quick Knit Loom-for younger children who are eager to learn how to knit but don't quite have the patience or coordination for knitting needles this is a great starting point. I began knitting during a sad time in my life and it's been nothing but a source of calm and comfort ever since. Post-Covid I am seeing that there are a lot of kids who need something to help them deal with some anxiety and I personally think busy hands help with that. I love this knitting loom from Faber Castell and Lion Brand Yarns that comes with all the materials needed to create two hats. My favorite thing about it is that they have also partnered with the Hat Not Hate Anti-Bullying Awareness organization to encourage children to knit a hat for themselves and then donate to the organization during Anti-Bullying month (October). This particular kit comes with all the materials needed to create two hats including 4 balls of yarn, a reusable loom, a loom hook, a tassel and pom-pom maker and two #HATNOTHATE leather tags to attach to the completed hats. The instructions are clear and easy to follow meaning kids will have success which will lead to increased confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, kids will work on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improve hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. 

11. Knitters of Tomorrow Beginner Kit-do you have someone in your life who would like to learn how to knit but not sure where to start? This beginners kit is one of the best that I have seen when searching for friends. It comes with 2 balls of yarn, a set of light-weight knitting needles, a plastic sewing needle for completing your projects and a beginner's guide pattern book with lessons broken into reasonable and appropriate lessons. There are also suggested links to online video tutorials to guide the children as they learn how to knit a hat and scarf. Knitting, once mastered, is such a wonderful skill for children. It's not only an amazing fine motor, visual motor and visual perceptual activity, it's great for working on improving executive functioning skills such focus, attention, organization and frustration tolerance. Most importantly, when a child masters knitting, they have increased confidence and self-esteem. 

12. Kid-Friendly Succulent Kit-I'm loving all the great DIY gardening kits made for younger children and am completely obsessed with this succulent kit! Gardening is a great hands-on activity that not only encourages sensory exploration, but works on improving fine motor, grasping, hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination and visual motor and visual perceptual skills. These kid-friendly kits come with a succulent (easy for kids to take care of), a ceramic animal pot, mini gardening tools, stickers for decorating and a bag of soil. In addition to all the therapeutic benefits, kids learn about responsibility by watering the plant. 

13. Classic Friendship Bracelet Making Kit-it's so fun when an activity from my own childhood comes back so when I saw these friendship bracelet kits from Purl Soho, I immediately bought them for the tweens/teens in my life. Each kit (you choose your color-wave) comes with enough materials for 9-18 bracelets depending on the width of the bracelets you make. Each set comes with a safety pin and 5 spools of Chinese Knotting Cord in a really nice storage box with a step-by-step friendship bracelet pattern book. Great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and task completion. 

14. Arcade Claw Game-for your STEAM loving kids, this is a pretty awesome gift. The Arcade Claw Game from Klutz Maker lab will get your kids excited for learning and creating. Kids follow the child-friendly, illustrated instructions to build their very own arcade claw game from a variety of materials (chipboard parts, acetate windows, cotton string, dowels, tall and short pulleys, carriage, claw and plastic snaps) . Once built, kids can fill the claw machine with 3 prize capsules and try and use the claw to grab them. This toy encourages the development of fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, spatial reasoning, hand-eye coordination and works on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, following directions, planning and organizational skills. 

15. S.T.E.A.M. School Deluxe Studio Science-another STEAM gift but more appropriate for younger kids, this kit contains 10 amazing arts and crafts projects that has some kind of fun science, math and engineering concepts built in. Each activity comes with a fully illustrated card to make it easy for them to follow along for task completion. Some of the activities included are building with conductive light-up dough, playing with gears, making paper gliders. Kids will learn so much about engineering, electricity and so much more while working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, work on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills and improve executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. 

16. The Kindness Mission Box-I felt like it was important to complete this list with this awesome activity box. There is never a time to not try and teach our children about the importance of kindness and how they can spread it themselves. This activity kit includes a series of "secret missions" for kids to complete that teach kids about caring for themselves, their friends, family, community and environment. Children go through all 4 "training missions" by making clay friendship pots, a wooden birdhouse and origami creations before they move onto a deco of over 50 kindness missions to complete throughout the year. In addition to all the crafting materials and the cards, the kit also includes a self-care checklist which helps create healthy habits in children. Kids have no idea that while they are engaged in these activities, they are also working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improve visual motor and perceptual skills and are engaged in constant social emotional learning. 

Once again, I have tried to link some of my favorite local toy stores whenever I could as I have always found it very important to support our local businesses but even more so now. Many of the items listed above are ones that I have seen in most toy stores I have visited all over the place. And since are all hearing about shipping nightmares and problems with supply chain, why not take out some of the stress and support your local stores where you don't have to worry about toys arriving on time. If you are shopping for family members who are not local, find out their local toy stores and see if you can shop from there. If you are in the NYC area, be sure to check out the following stores: Lulu's Cuts and Toys, Little Things Toy Store, Norman and Jules, Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store, West Side Kids, Stationary and Toy World, Mary Arnold Toys, Kidding Around Toys and Boomerang Toys. 

Again, if you are looking for specific crafting or baking ideas for your kids or kids on your shopping list, please do not hesitate reaching out to me for suggestions. I have so many more thoughts on great gifts for the important toddlers in your life. I am only an email away at otmeghan@gmail.com and love to hear from and help in any way I can. 

2020 Holiday Gift Guide-The SEL Book Guide

The last several months have been so eye-opening on so many levels but the most incredible thing to me is how resilient and wonderful the children have been. We have asked them to make so many changes to their lives and while some of them have been good and exciting for some of the kids, it's also been really challenging and has brought up a lot of feelings and emotions. In my social skills group, I have found that discussing some of these difficulties can be a challenge so have turned to reading them children's books. It's amazing what kind of conversations can come from a thoughtfully written book. Below, I share just a handful of my favorite books (some recommended by colleagues and other parents). I tried to focus on books that address some of the really big social emotional topics that have come out of the last several months: kindness, diversity, acceptance, flexibility, resilience, feelings, emotions and coping skills. 

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt-a beautiful book that teaches kids that it is okay to be different. This little ghost doesn't understand why he's a quilt when his parents and all of his friends are sheets. Ghosts are supposed to be sheets so they can whirl and twirl and float and soar but he can't do any of that and when he flies, he gets hot. Being different makes the little ghost feel sad and left out and he just doesn't understand why he can't keep up with them all. But that all changes one Halloween when he has an experience that no other ghost could have and it only happened because he is a quilt and it helps him realize that being different is okay. A beautiful story to share with children who may feel or look different than their friends to help them understand that it's okay to be different and that sometimes it can actually make you even more special because of being different. 

Not A Box-this is one of my favorite books and great for teaching kids about being flexible and thinking outside of the box. Inspired by a memory of sitting in a box on her driveway with her sister, Antoinette Portis, encourages kids to use their imagination. A box is more than just a box if you take the time to think about it. From mountain to rocket ship, a small rabbit shows that a box can be anything you want it to be. What I love about this book is that it is easy to come up with accompanying activities to do after reading the book. Be sure to save some of your cardboard boxes and see what your kids can turn them into. 

The World Needs Who You Were Made To Be-written by Joanna Gaines and illustrated by Julianna Swaney, this beautiful book celebrates how creativity and acceptance can come together to make a wonderful adventure. The book follows a group of children as they each create their own hot-air balloons. As they begin to work together, they realize that they each have their own special talents and skills. In a time when so many people are struggling, I think it is more important than ever to teach our kids that we should always be willing to lend a helping hand to those in need, especially when our skills or talents will help them. If you want to add a nice little hands-on craft activity, print out a picture of a hot-air balloon and have your kids decorate their own. I can't wait until we are back to in-person sessions for my social skills group, TMH Juniors, and we can incorporate this book and some really fun art projects into our routine. 

The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings-we spend a lot of time teaching children about concepts such as colors, numbers and letters, but not enough time teaching them about feelings and emotions. This interactive pop-up book helps kids learn about emotions by matching them with a color and helps to open up the conversation about what feelings look like. One of my favorite things about this book is that they talk about how it's okay to feel more than one feeling at a time. Teaching kids to identify and handle big emotions is a really important skill and one that I think needs more attention now than ever before. After you read it, you can make your own Color Monster Feelings Chart. I did a quick google search and there are so many brilliant ideas out there from teachers, therapists and parents. 

The Feels Book-I stumbled on this book during my research and fell in love with this book (I think it is the adorable Yeti). Another great resource for parents to support their children during this crazy and uncertain times where big feelings and confusion is at an all-time high for so many kids. Join Yeti on a journey as she meets each of her feelings and learns how to take care of each one. Included with the book is a digital parent resource guide that provides a variety of questions and activities to help children develop positive emotional well-being and appropriate coping skills. You can also get this adorable Yeti Snuggler which comes with a mindfulness activity that works on regulating emotions and reducing anxiety. 

Ruby Finds A Worry-Ruby is a happy, curious and imaginative girl until one day, something unexpected happens: she finds a Worry. It begins out small but with each day, that worry grows and grows until she can't think about anything else. It takes meeting another kid who also has worries that Ruby learns everybody has worries and that there are ways to get rid of them. Ruby Finds A Worry is a great book for right now because so many children are experiencing a variety of worries and struggling with how to deal with them when that happens. Teaching kids strategies to decrease their anxiety at a young age is so important, especially during these times of so much uncertainty. 

I'm Not Just A Scribble-if you are not familiar with the author Diane Alber, I highly recommend that you take a look at her SEL books. We have been reading some of her Little Spot books during our remote social skills groups and the kids really love them. During our lesson about inclusion and kindness, we read I'm Not Just A Scribble and the conversations that the group had with each other after was so wonderful. Scribble, the main character of this book, never thought he was different until he met his first drawing. After being left out for being different than everyone else, Scribble decides to teach the drawings how to accept each other for who they are. This book comes with 100 stickers for your children to make their own scribbles and a feelings chart that you can hang up. Another fun activity to do is to have kids scribble all over a piece of paper and then see what they can turn the scribble into. 

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt-a beautiful book that teaches kids that it is okay to be different. This little ghost doesn't understand why he's a quilt when his parents and all of his friends are sheets. Ghosts are supposed to be sheets so they can whirl and twirl and float and soar but he can't do any of that and when he flies, he gets hot. Being different makes the little ghost feel sad and left out and he just doesn't understand why he can't keep up with them all. But that all changes one Halloween when he has an experience that no other ghost could have and it only happened because he is a quilt and it helps him realize that being different is okay. A beautiful story to share with children who may feel or look different than their friends to help them understand that it's okay to be different and that sometimes it can actually make you even more special because of being different. 

Wish-this beautiful book by Chris Saunders teaches children about kindness, sharing and the magic of friendship. The story is about Rabbit who has never had a wish before. One day he gets three wishes but can't decide what to wish for so he asks his friends Mouse, Fox and Bear what they would wish for. Rabbit decides to grant all three wishes for his friends and they are so grateful that they share their wishes with him. Not only is this a beautiful story about being kind to other people, the illustrations are gorgeous. 

The Day You Begin-there are many reasons for children to feel different and this book by Jaqueline Woodson does a wonderful job talking about this topic. Maybe it's the way you look or talk, where you come from or maybe it is because you may have a harder time talking or walking. It's not easy to take the risks to join a group when nobody really knows you yet, but you know you have to do it. This book is a helpful reminder to children how we may all feel when you have to join a new group and that if you open up and share  some of your own stories, there just might be others that you can connect with. This is a story about being brave, especially when you feel like you might be alone. It also feels very important to share this story this year given the number of changes so many kids are experiencing during the pandemic. So many children I know have left their familiar school environment and may be starting new schools or doing remote learning and experiencing a lot of anxiety about being the new and different kid. 

After The Fall by Dan Santat-Everyone knows that when Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. But what happened after? Humpty Dumpty, an avid bird watcher whose favorite place to be is high up on the city wall―that is, until after his famous fall. Now terrified of heights, Humpty can longer do many of the things he loves most.

Will he summon the courage to face his fear?After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) is a masterful picture book that will remind readers of all ages that Life begins when you get back up.

Kindness Is My Superpower-I think one of the most important things I ever taught my own daughter is the importance of being kind to others. We never know what other people are going through and making sure children know this from a very young age. In this delightful book, kids learn about how kindness, sensitivity and generosity can make the world a better place. This book is chockfull of examples of kindness at home, school or in your community and how if we are all more understanding of others and accept them for who they are, the world will be a more empathetic place. There are also Acts of Kindness Cards included with the book that promote empathy and kindness. 

ish-in one of my favorite Peter H. Reyolds books, we meet Ramon who loved to draw. Anytime, anything and anywhere! Drawing is what Ramon does and what makes him feel good about himself. It is what makes him happy until his older brother makes a mean comment and he no longer can find the joy in drawing. Ramon can't draw without feeling sad and worried about what he is doing. Luckily for him, his younger sister the world differently and opens Ramon's eyes and makes him realize that things don't always have to be "just right". This is a great book for children who are always seeking perfection and need to know that "just right" is different for everyone and just because someone doesn't like care.

Tessie Tames Her Tongue-Tessie loves to talk but her constant talking gets her into trouble at home and at school. The more she talks, the louder she becomes. She talks with her mouth full of food. The problem with this is that she doesn't give others a chance to talk and her brother and classmates begin to ignore her. With the of her school counselor, Tessie learns the importance of listening and how to tame her talkative tongue. We never want to dampen a child's spirit or make them not want to share their stories, but when it means that other children/people don't have an opportunity to say what's on their mind, it can turn into a problem. 

Fair is Fair-"It's not fair!" This is something that parents and teachers hear all of the time when they think someone else, a sibling or classmate, is getting more than they are. Do special needs for one mean less love for another? This is the question explored in this short children's story of three zoo animals. They learn that being equally loved doesn't necessarily mean that they're treated the exact same. Rather, true love is expressed when each animal gets what they need. This is a perfect book for all families with siblings who think may think that things are never fair. 

All Are Welcome-after the events that unfolded this spring, I know that many parents are trying to find ways to teach their children about diversity and kindness and sometimes the best way to do this is through books. In this book, you follow a group of children in their school. They are all culturally different, celebrate different holidays and have different family traditions but that is embraced in this school. Kids learn about each other and different cultures and realize that everyone is welcome in their school and welcomed with open arms no matter what. 

While I linked all of these books to Amazon, I can't stress the importance of supporting your local bookstores during this crazy time. I have shared some of my local bookshops and encourage you all to share your favorite local bookstores in the comments below. 

Community Bookstore-Park Slope, Brooklyn
Greenlight Bookstore-Fort Greene, Brooklyn 
powerHouse on 8th-Park Slope, Brooklyn (there is also a second location in DUMBO)
Books Are Magic-Cobble Hill, Park Slope 
Bank Street Bookstore-multiple locations on the UWS of Manhattan
Books of Wonder-Union Square and UWS locations
Shakespeare and Co-UES and UWS locations

2019 Holiday Gift Guide-Children’s Books

Even though my daughter has outgrown picture books, I still have a massive collection and continue to purchase them. Every once in a while, I will find her looking at some of her old favorites (which I figured would happen and refused to get rid of them!) with a smile on her face. I’m not sure about all of you, but there are books on our bookshelf that were mine growing up and are still my favorite. 

In the last couple of years, I have been using children’s books in my social skills group to help teach children about a variety of social emotional issues. One of the things I have discovered over the years is that young children tend to have difficulty recognizing their social difficulties but can identify characters in books who are struggling. Reading books with children can open up conversation about the characters and their difficulties and open up the opportunity to problem solve and help come up with solutions for the characters to help them have successful social experiences. I have a huge collection and can’t wait to share this year’s top picks. Some of them are repeats and others are new but they are all awesome. This list is just the tip of the iceberg and covers issues such as making mistakes, being a good friend, talking about empathy and being brave and trying new things. 

Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst-This one is a classic and one of my all-time favorites growing up. 

Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair.

And it got worse...

His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV!

Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg-A spill. A smear. A smudge. A tear. When you think you have made a mistake, think of it as an opportunity to make something beautiful!

A life lesson that all parents want their children to learn: It’s OK to make a mistake. In fact, hooray for mistakes! A mistake is an adventure in creativity, a portal of discovery. A spill doesn’t ruin a drawing—not when it becomes the shape of a goofy animal. And an accidental tear in your paper? Don’t be upset about it when you can turn it into the roaring mouth of an alligator.

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller-When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate wants to make her feel better, wondering: What does it mean to be kind?

From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference―or at least help a friend.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers-From funny to sweet, silly to sincere, the lyrics of Mister Rogers explore such universal topics as feelings, new siblings, everyday life, imagination, and more. Through these songs—as well as endearing puppets and honest conversations—Mister Rogers instilled in his young viewers the values of kindness, self-awareness, and self-esteem. But most of all, he taught children that they are loved, just as they are. Perfect for bedtime, sing-along, or quiet time alone, this beautiful book of meaningful poetry is for every child—including the child inside of every one of us.

Noodlephant by Jacob Kramer-Famous for her pasta parties, Noodlephant is shocked when the law-loving kangaroos decide noodles are only for them. Noodlephant won’t let this stand―Noodlephants can’t survive on sticks and branches, after all. Determined to do something to push back against an unjust law, she and her friends invent a machine that transforms pens into penne, pillows into ravioli, and radiators into radiatori. With that, the pasta parties are back! But that very night, the kangaroos come bounding through the door… ready to enforce their unjust laws. A zany tale full of pasta puns, friendship, and one Phantastic Noodler, Noodlephant, explores a community’s response to injustice.

Oskar Seeks A Friend by Pawel Pawlak-What if you could turn the world the other way around and take a peek at what's on the other side? Perhaps you'll find something you never expected. Such as friendship. The sad little skeleton on the cover of this book might not look very promising, but when Oscar meets a lonely little girl, it's the start of an adventure for both of them. Together they make an unusual journey to two very different worlds, each beautiful and necessary. And it all begins when the little girl's tooth falls out . . .

After The Fall by Dan Santat-Everyone knows that when Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. But what happened after? Humpty Dumpty, an avid bird watcher whose favorite place to be is high up on the city wall―that is, until after his famous fall. Now terrified of heights, Humpty can longer do many of the things he loves most.

Will he summon the courage to face his fear?After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) is a masterful picture book that will remind readers of all ages that Life begins when you get back up.

Sticks by Diane Alber-A heartwarming story about finding your place in the world. Sticks is about a Popsicle that accidentally melts and becomes just a plain stick. He has a hard time adjusting to his new normal but with the help of some new friends (who happen to be sticks too) he realizes that everything happened for a reason and that melting was part of his journey. Sticks is a story that almost anyone can relate to. It's about finding yourself in a situation that didn't turn out like you expected and having your friends and family help you find he courage to pick yourself back up and persevere.

A Bug and A Wish by Karen Schuer-When Tyler is teased by the other boys, his good friend, Danae, encourages him to give the boys A Bug and a Wish. When Tyler finds a ladybug and a dandelion seed, he is convinced that this is what Danae means. As his friend helps him learn the true meaning of her advice, Tyler soon discovers the solution to his problem. A bug and a wish is a great way to help children express their frustrations and offer a solution to problems with their siblings or peers. 

The Color Monster: A Pop Up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas-We teach toddlers to identify colors, numbers, shapes, and letters—but what about their feelings? By illustrating such common emotions as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and calm, this sensitive book gently encourages young children to open up with parents, teachers, and daycare providers. And kids will LOVE the bright illustrations and amazing 3-D pop-ups on every page!

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Watek-Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . our hearts can feel so many feelings! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside. With language that is lyrical but also direct, toddlers will be empowered by this new vocabulary and able to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions. With whimsical illustrations and an irresistible die-cut heart that extends through each spread, this unique feelings book is gorgeously packaged. 

Say Something by Peter Reynolds-an empowering story about finding your voice, and using it to make the world a better place. If you have a brilliant idea... say something! If you see an injustice... say something! In this empowering new picture book, beloved author Peter H. Reynolds explores the many ways that a single voice can make a difference. Each of us, each and every day, have the chance to say something with our actions, our words, and our voices. Perfect for kid activists everywhere, this timely story reminds readers of the undeniable importance and power of their voice. There are so many ways to tell the world who you are... what you are thinking... and what you believe. And how you'll make it better. The time is now: SAY SOMETHING!

When Sadness Is At Your Door by Eva Eland -Kids often struggle to understand and cope with their emotions, especially the hard ones like anger and sadness. Talking about our feelings helps us process them, and this book gives parents a tender and comforting way to work through sadness with their kids.

Feelings (Pull and Play) by Alice Le Hénand-It's never too early to encourage children to talk about how they feel. This newest title in the Pull and Play BooksTM series provides reassurance and support through gently humorous situations. Children will identify with feelings voiced by Little Crocodile and his friends. Using pull-tabs to control the changing pictures, children are empowered to apply their newly learned knowledge to their own experience.

Wordy Birdy by Tammi Sauer-Wordy Birdy LOVES to talk. “Hello, sunrise. Hello, pink sky. Hello, orange sky!” But does she love to listen? NOPE. One day, while she’s walking through the forest, her gift of the gab gets her into hot water: “That’s a pretty tree and that’s a pretty tree and that’s a pretty danger sign and that’s a pretty tree. . . .” Will this inattentive bird walk right into danger? Will her faraway thoughts lead her along a path of doom? It’s up to her long-suffering, heard-it-all-before pals Squirrel, Raccoon, and Rabbit to save their distracted friend.

Fair is Fair by Sonny Varela-“It’s not fair!” This is the lament of countless children when they perceive that a sibling or classmate is receiving more. Do special needs for one mean less love for another? This is the question explored in this short children's story of three zoo animals. They learn that being equally loved doesn't necessarily mean that they're treated the exact same. Rather, true love is expressed when each animal gets what they need.

A Little Bit Different by Claire Alexander-Meet the Ploofers. The Ploofers have been practicing something special which they all want to do at the exact same time – but wait! What’s that? One of them does something different! When one little Ploofer goes against the usual flow of things, the rest of them turn their backs on him. But all it takes is for one person to recognize the beauty in being different to spark a change in attitude of everyone.

Ball & Balloon by Rob Sanders-A ball must learn to deal with his envy when a floating balloon has him feeling down in this simple and relatable story that reminds little ones that being different is what makes you special.

Balloon can soar, he can fly, he can dip, duck, and hover—all on his own.

Balloon is full of gas. He knows it, too. It makes Ball feel grounded by gravity.

Balloon is super special. What if Ball is not so special?

Turns out Ball’s got some moves of his own.

Mama Lion Wins The Race by Jon J Muth-Start your engines: The race is on! And Mama Lion and Tigey are off -- with their cool goggles and snazzy sports car!

Racing teams gather from far and wide for this madcap race. But who will take home the big trophy?  Will it be the playful Flying Pandinis? The mischievous Knitted Monkey crew? Or will Mama Lion and Tigey speed past the finish line in first place?

While everyone hopes to win, it's the journey itself -- filled with joy, beauty, fun, and friendships -- that is the best prize of all.

Ping by Ani Castillo-In the era of social media, communication feels both more anxiety-producing, and more inescapable, than ever before. This clever, comforting picture book debut explores the challenges and joys of self-expression and social connection.

Using an imaginative visual metaphor to bring to life how we send out (ping!) and receive (pong!) communications, Ani Castillo's words and pictures will empower and inspire anyone who has experienced the fear of sharing themselves with the world.

My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook-Louis always interrupts! All of his thoughts are very important to him, and when he has something to say, his words rumble and grumble in his tummy, they wiggle and jiggle on his tongue and then they push on his teeth, right before he ERUPTS (or interrupts). His mouth is a volcano! But when others begin to interrupt Louis, he learns how to respectfully wait for his turn to talk. My Mouth Is A Volcano takes an empathetic approach to the habit of interrupting and teaches children a witty technique to help them manage their rambunctious thoughts and words. 

I Am (Not) Scared by Anna Kang-Two fuzzy friends go to the amusement park. They try to convince each other that there are much scarier  things than the roller coaster. Hairy spiders! Aliens! Fried ants! They soon discover that sometimes being scared isn't as "scary" as they thought. 

A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel-A Stone Sat Still tells the story of a seemingly ordinary rock-but to the animals that use it, it is a resting place, a kitchen, a safe haven...even an entire world. This is a great book to help children understand the concept of perspective, perception and the passage of time, with an underlying environmental message that is timely and poignant. 

A Normal Pig by K-Fai Steele- Pip is a normal pig who does normal stuff: cooking, painting and dreaming about what she will be when she grows up. But one day a new pig comes to school and starts pointing out all the ways in which Pip is different. Suddenly she doesn’t like any of the same things she used to...the things that made her Pip. A wonderful springboard for conversations with children, at home and in the classroom, about diversity and difference.

Small in the City by Sydney Smith-It can be a little scary to be small in a big city, but it helps to know you're not alone.

When you're small in the city, people don't see you, and loud sounds can scare you, and knowing what to do is sometimes hard. But this little kid knows what it is like and knows the neighborhood. And a little friendly advice can go a long way.
Alleys can be good shortcuts, but some are too dark.

Or, there are lots of good hiding places in the city, like under a mulberry bush or up a walnut tree.
And if the city gets to be too much, you're always welcome home where it's safe and quiet. 

This beautiful book helps to teach children about being brave and resilient. 

Saturday by Oge Mora-Today would be special. Today would be splendid. It was Saturday! But sometimes, the best plans don't work out exactly the way you expect....

In Saturday, a mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong--ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time and the puppet show they'd been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown....until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all. 

It was so much fun putting this list together and only wish that I could have included even more of them. I have a tremendous collection of books so if you need other recommendations, please don't hesitate reaching out to me. I would also love to hear from all of you if you have family favorite books that you want to share with me. I am only a click away and love hearing from you all.