Teaching children the value of patience is important but can be a maddening task. Explore these children’s books to prompt discussions about patience. These lovely, sweet and fun picture books will help kids discover that good things take time, and are worth the wait.
1. Waiting Is Not Easy! by Mo Willems; Hyperion Books, 2014
K-Gr 2—Gerald and Piggie are sharing another adventure in the latest book in the series. The expected large print, spare dialogue, and bubble delivery make it easy to read. Gerald loses patience with Piggie when he is told that a surprise is in store but that he must wait for it. His reactions include producing several loud GROANS and reminding Piggie repeatedly that waiting is NOT easy. Piggie knows that the surprise is worth the wait, but she has to keep Gerald there to see it. The simple words and expressive illustrations, as always, reveal the fact that we often overlook the obvious and that there is beauty all around us. Nothing brings greater joy than sharing that beauty with our friends.
2. Tofu Takes Time by Helen H. Wu, illustrated by Julie Jarema; Beaming Books, 2022
CLICK CLACK WHIRRRR . . . Lin and her grandma, NaiNai, are making tofu from scratch! When NaiNai goes through each step, from blending soybeans with water to molding curd into shape, Lin gradually becomes impatient. But she soon discovers that making tofu not only takes time, but also takes the whole universe! It takes the seed from soil and sunshine, the cloth from thread and fiber, weight and space, books of words and pictures. And most of all, it takes spending lovely time with her beloved grandmother.
In this charming tale by Helen H. Wu,, readers will marvel at how patience brings a whole universe together in a simple dish made by a modern Chinese American family. Perfect for fans of Fry Bread, Drawn Together and Thank You, Omu.
3. Patience, Patches! by Christy Mihaly, illustrated by Sheryl Murray; Dial Books, 2022
A sweet-new sibling story, perfect for gifting to expecting parents, big siblings to-be, and dog-loving families everywhere
Patches the puppy is very good at waiting–or at least that’s what he thinks. But his patience is put to the test when his two moms arrive home with an unexpected bundle. Is it a new toy? No! It’s a new baby. Suddenly, everything Patches wants to do takes a little bit longer. But patience, it turns out, is a lesson worth learning.
4. The Berenstain Bears Patience, Please by Mike Berenstain; Zonderkidz, 2019
Young readers will develop an understanding of the virtues of trust and patience in this addition to the Living Lights™ series of Berenstain Bears books. Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear teach children how to develop patience through their gardening experience.
The Berenstain Bears Patience, Please—part of the popular Zonderkidz Living Lights™ series of books—is perfect for:
- Early readers, ages 4-8
- Reading out loud at home or in a classroom
- Encouraging age appropriate discussions about patience and self-control
The Berenstain Bears Patience, Please:
- Features the hand-drawn artwork of the Berenstain family
- Continues in the much-loved footsteps of Stan and Jan Berenstain with the Berenstain Bears series of books
Is part of one of the bestselling children’s book series ever created, with more than 250 books published and nearly 300 million copies sold to date
5. Patience, Miyuki by Roxane Marie Galliez, illustrated by Seng Soun Ratanavanh; Princeton Architectural Press, 2019
Anyone with a small child knows that patience is not a virtue easily won. In this magically illustrated story the young girl Miyuki, who we first met in the critically acclaimed Time for Bed, Miyuki, anxiously awaits the opening of one sleepy flower. When, on the first day of spring, the flower still hasn’t bloomed, Miyuki begins a frantic search for water to wake it up. Her grandfather gently encourages her to sit and watch with him, as she learns the important lesson that good things come to those who wait.
6. I’ll Wait, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony; Scholastic Press, 2016
Mr. Panda shows that good things come to those who wait!
Mr. Panda from Steve Antony’s bestselling, funny manners book Please, Mr. Panda is back!This time, Mr. Panda’s black-and-white animal friends are curious what he’s making, but only one has the patience to stick around. An alpaca, an aardvark, rabbits, and a bird all wind up missing out. It’s the penguin who declares, “I’ll wait, Mr. Panda.” The penguin is rewarded with a big SURPRISE: a giant doughnut!I’ll Wait, Mr. Panda is a graphic, kid-friendly way of teaching the value of patience and the importance of saying “thank you.”
7. Waiting by Kevin Henkes; Greenwillow Books, 2015
What are you waiting for? An owl, a puppy, a bear, a rabbit, and a pig wait for marvelous things to happen in this irresistible and resonant picture book by the New York Times–bestselling and Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes.
Five friends sit happily on a windowsill, waiting for something amazing to happen. The owl is waiting for the moon. The pig is waiting for the rain. The bear is waiting for the wind. The puppy is waiting for the snow. And the rabbit is just looking out the window because he likes to wait! What will happen? Will patience win in the end? Or someday will the friends stop waiting and do something unexpected?
Waiting is a big part of childhood—waiting in line, waiting to grow up, waiting for something special to happen—but in this book, a child sets the stage and pulls the strings. Timeless, beautiful, and deeply heartfelt, this picture book about imaginative play, the seasons, friendship, and surprises is a Caldecott Honor and Geisel Honor Book.
Share Waiting alongside Mo Willems’s Waiting Is Not Easy at home or in a classroom—these books about waiting for kids will be enjoyed as picture book stories and also allow kids to explore their emotions about that ultimate frustration: waiting.
8. Five Minutes by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Liz Garton Scanlon; G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books, 2019
A one-of-a-kind, laugh-out-loud picture book, perfect for any kid who has ever begged or bemoaned, “Five more minutes?!”
Families everywhere will recognize themselves in this clever, hilarious, and completely irresistible picture book. Five minutes is a lot of time… or is it? Well, it depends on what you’re doing, of course! Follow one little boy and his family on a very busy day, as he discovers that sometimes five minutes feels like forever–like when you’re finishing up at the dentist’s office or waiting in line for the bathroom or in the backseat on a long car ride–and sometimes five minutes feels like no time at all–like when you’re playing your favorite game or at the tippy top of a roller coaster or snuggling up with a book before bedtime.
Reading these books together with your children and students is one of the best ways to teach your children about patience. If you enjoy reading this post, please share and spread the love. Thank you!
