Reading aloud children’s picture books to your elementary students is a great way to introduce and teach patience. Below is a list of our favorite picture books to teach this social emotional learning topic. They all lend themselves well to facilitating rich classroom discussions around patience. Nanette’s Baguette, The Paper Kingdom, The Very Impatient Caterpillar and Leo the Late Bloomer are part of our patience SEL Unit, which includes interactive read aloud lesson plans among tons of other resources for teaching patience. Learn all about these picture books about patience below and how you can use them to teach patience!
10 Patience Books about Patience
Below are 10 quality patience children’s picture books for elementary teachers. Your kids will love these read alouds! They are great for teaching patience, as well as many other concepts and skills.
1. Nanette’s Baguette by Mo Willems
Today is the day when Nanette has the responsibility to get the baguette from the bakery! She reminds herself to stay focused, ignore all of the distractions, and go to the bakery. That is- until she eats the baguette! Nanette is fearful her mom will be upset, but she teaches Nannette to do a reset. This silly, rhyming story will teach students to reset and replay specific moments, teaching the skill of patience. My Patience SEL bundle includes an SEL lesson based on this picture book!
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2. The Paper Kingdom by Helena Ku Rhee
Daniel’s parents are janitors at an office building and Daniel doesn’t have a babysitter so he goes with them to clean instead of going to sleep. Daniel is so tired and wants to go home very badly. His parents tell him that he is in The Paper Kingdom and that this is where the Paper King, queen and dragons live. This story reminds students that although it can be hard to be patient, using our imagination is a great strategy to stay calm and distracted. My Patience SEL bundle includes an SEL lesson based on this picture book!
3. The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach
Through this story, the caterpillar explores what it means to metamorphosize into a butterfly. Readers learn about the life cycle of butterflies, as well as humanizing the process of patience from animals. The caterpillar is very impatient, asking questions and getting frustrated. In the end, he learns an important lesson on the power of patience! My Patience SEL bundle includes an SEL lesson based on this picture book!
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4. Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
Leo the Lion cannot yet read, draw, or write. He cannot eat neatly and he cannot speak. As his friends around him show signs of blooming, his dad begins to worry. His mom shares that they need to be patient, as Leo is a late bloomer. Then, one day, while no one was watching, Leo bloomed! Join Leo and his family on a story that reminds us that everyone develops in their own time! My Patience SEL bundle includes an SEL lesson based on this picture book!
5. The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza
The fifth book on this list of picture books about patience is The Wolf’s Chicken Stew. In this story, a very hungry wolf has a craving for chicken stew and is pleased when he sees a chicken walk by him. He decides that this chicken will be perfect for his stew, but first he needs to fatten her up. The wolf brings the chicken pancakes, doughnuts, and a cake, but eventually, the chicken welcomes him in and he becomes friends with the whole family! This story lends itself to teaching about patience because the wolf waited and waited before (almost) eating the chicken. Students can share if they would have been able to be that patient, especially if they were as hungry as the wolf! Check out these The Wolf’s Chicken Stew activities!
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6. The Panda Problem by Deborah Underwood
The narrator is trying to tell the story about a panda who has a problem, but the panda insists that he doesn’t have a problem. Instead of the panda having a problem, he decides to create more and more problems for the narrator! With this, the narrator had to be very patient with the panda. The panda wouldn’t let the narrator tell the story he planned on, and the panda changed the setting and characters of the story multiple times. At one point, the narrator loses his patience and yells that things can’t get any worse. Students can empathize with the narrator as they practice patience, and eventually, run out of it! Check out these The Panda Problem activities!
7. Bedhead by Margie Palatini
One morning, Oliver woke up to find he had a terrible case of bedhead. His family heard his screams and came rushing upstairs to see if they could help him manage his hair. They could not fix it, so he wore a baseball cap. He had to take off the hat when he found out it was class picture day! The resulting class photo was one to remember! Students will see how Oliver is patient with all of the different ways he has to problem solve. Students can make connections and empathize with Oliver’s feelings as he seems to never get it just right. Check out these Bedhead activities!
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8. Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller
One day at snack time, the main character’s classmate, Tanisha, spilled grape juice all over herself. Everyone laughed except the main character. She was about to but remembered her mother always tells her to be kind. The character goes on to list all different examples of kindness, things that are easy to do. This beautiful message will teach students about the importance of kindness and how small acts of kindness can encourage others to do them too! Students will see how the main character is able to practice patience as she exudes kindness in many different ways. Check out these Be Kind activities!
9. You’re Finally Here by Melanie Watt
The rabbit explains he has been waiting a long time for the reader and asks where they have been. Throughout the book the rabbit explains how rude and annoying it was that he had to wait so long, but is sure to show readers just how happy he is to have them in the book. The rabbit even asks the reader to sign a contract saying they will stay and give him their undivided attention. This story reminds readers that being patient can be hard- even for a rabbit! Students will make connections with patience, waiting, and even manners as they hear this story. Check out these You’re Finally Here activities!
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10. A Tiger Tail by Mike Boldt
The last book on this list of picture books about patience is A Tiger Tail. When Anya gets to her class with a tiger tail, she realizes she isn’t the only one that looks a little different. Ben has bunny ears on his head, another student has ears like a mouse, her teacher has very large teeth, and one student uses a wheelchair. Seeing that everyone has something unique about them helps Anya to feel more confident in herself. Students will learn that when they are confident, they are able to be more patient and understanding with each other. Check out these A Tiger Tail activities!
Integrated SEL and Literacy Activities
Below are some integrated SEL and literacy resources for elementary teachers.
SEL Unit
Our Patience Unit, which is available individually or as part of a year-long SEL bundle, includes lessons for the first four books on this list. This unit is packed with lesson plans, teaching resources, games, and activities. Click an image below to either get this individual patience unit or get ALL 30 SEL units!
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SEL Book Companions
As I mentioned earlier, I love teaching SEL skills using picture books. That’s why I created the Starts With a Story Collection. High quality children’s literature supports elementary teachers in delivering meaningful and accessible SEL lessons. All of the read alouds on this list are part of this book companion collection. Check out the book companions below!
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In closing, we hope you found this list of patience picture books helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in these posts:
