Peasreads: The Joyful Child: Calm the Chaos, Connect with Your Kids, and Create More Happiness in Your Daily Routines, Kira Willey

  

 I wish I had this book when my children were younger.  This is such a fun resource for parents and educators to engage and connect with children under their care. As a pediatric home health nurse, this will be a great tool for encouraging play and building rapport with my patients.

In The Joyful Child: Calm the Chaos, Connect with Your Kids, and Create More Happiness in Your Daily Routines, Kira – who is best known as the bestselling author of the beloved children’s book, Breathe Like a Bear –  shows readers how to rediscover the pure delight of parenting, help kids focus their attention, calm their bodies, and let go of anxiety. The key? Small moments of presence and play. At its core, Kira is teaching parents practical ways they can raise emotionally resilient children while fostering connection, curiosity, and the ability to feel deeply without being overwhelmed. 

Filled with more than 75 fun songs, mindfulness activities, and exciting tips and tricks, Kira’s enthusiasm is infectious. Some of my favorite examples include:

 The Puppy Shake: Sometimes all you need is a full body wiggle to release excess energy and tension! May I add that this could be a free version of the trendy lymphatic drainage plate making the rounds on TikTok? Plus, who doesn’t want to shake like a wet puppy to let those big feelings out?!

The A-W-E-S-O-M-E Chant: Let’s be honest - we all need a pick me up here and there! This chant empowers children (and adults) to build their self-confidence (and spelling skills!)

Heart Breath: This short and sweet breathing exercise helps children creates pockets of peace during moments of overwhelm or when it’s time to recenter.

Mama Mantras: One of my favorite recurring moments in the book are Kira’s Mama Mantras. These simple reassurances of “yes, you’re a great parent” are threaded throughout each chapter and are easy to remember affirmations that you can do this!

Goodreads reviews.

Thank you Penguin Random House. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own.