Waiting can feel like the longest part of a child’s day. The muffins are still in the oven, someone else is on the swing, or Grandma’s house is still half an hour away. To us, it’s a short wait. To a child who’s excited, it can feel like forever.
Picture books give us a chance to talk about those moments when everyone is calm. Children can laugh at a dragon who wants one more bedtime story, see their own frustration in an impatient elephant, or discover how much there is to notice while sitting by a window.
Here are five picture books about patience to read with preschoolers and children in the early years of primary school. Each one comes with a simple question you can ask during or after the story.
Why Reading Aloud With Children Matters
Reading together gives children a chance to hear words and ideas they might rarely come across in everyday conversation. They can point to a picture, ask what a word means, or guess what happens next. Those little exchanges help build vocabulary and early literacy skills, and sharing a story gives you time to connect. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages families to start reading together from birth.
Stories also give children a way to talk about feelings through someone else’s experience. It can be easier for a child to say, “Gerald looks frustrated,” while pointing to an elephant on a page. Later, when waiting feels hard, you have a character you can both remember.
A few pages after lunch or one picture book at bedtime is a lovely place to start. Let your child choose the book, turn the pages, or tell you what they see in the pictures. If they ask for the same story again, try letting them join in with a familiar line.
10 Picture Books About Patience for Kids
1. Waiting by Kevin Henkes
Five little animal figures sit on a windowsill, watching the world outside. The owl waits for the moon, the pig waits for rain, and the rabbit is happy simply to look out the window. The quiet illustrations give children time to spot what changes from page to page.
Read it when your child is waiting for something they can’t hurry along, such as a visitor arriving or the rain stopping.
Ask your child “What would you look for if you were sitting on that windowsill?”
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2. Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat
On the way to his grandmother’s birthday party, a boy feels as though the car ride is taking so long that time starts going backwards. Before he knows it, the family’s journey takes them past pirates, knights and dinosaurs. Some pages even turn upside down, so give your child a chance to work out which way to hold the book.
Read it when you have a long car trip coming up. Afterwards, make up a road-trip game together. You could each choose one thing to spot through the window or take turns adding a line to a silly story.
Ask your child “If our car could drive into another time, where would you want it to take us?”
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3. Again! by Emily Gravett
Cedric the dragon loves his bedtime story so much that he wants his mum to read it over and over. When storytime comes to an end, his frustration gets the better of him, with a fiery result. Children who have ever asked for one more book, one more turn, or five more minutes will recognise the feeling.
Read it when your child finds it hard to stop doing something they enjoy. You can try a phrase together, such as “Can we read it again tomorrow?”
Ask your child “How can you tell Cedric is getting upset? What could he say to his mum?”
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4. Old Rock (is not boring) by Deb Pilutti
Old Rock’s friends assume that sitting in one place must make for a dull life. Then Old Rock starts telling stories about volcanoes, dinosaurs and glaciers. This one is especially fun for children who like collecting rocks or asking what the world looked like long ago.
Read it when your child is bored and wants something to do. Afterwards, pick one spot in the garden or at the park and see what you notice when you stay there for a little while.
Ask your child “If a rock in our garden could talk, what stories might it tell us?”
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5. Waiting Is Not Easy! by Mo Willems
Piggie has a surprise for Gerald, but Gerald has to wait to see it. His dramatic reactions make the story fun to read aloud, especially if you give each character a different voice. If you’re reading it together for the first time, let your child guess the surprise before you turn to the ending.
Read it when your child is counting down to a birthday, a visit, or another exciting day.
Ask your child “What could you and Gerald do together while you wait?”
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6. The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach
A chatty caterpillar is excited to become a butterfly, but the wait inside his chrysalis feels endless. His questions make for a funny read-aloud, and the story gives children an introduction to how caterpillars become butterflies.
Read it when your child keeps asking how much longer they have to wait. Afterwards, think of a little game you could play together the next time a few minutes feel like forever.
Ask your child “What would you do to pass the time if you were inside that chrysalis?”
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7. I’ll Wait, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
Mr. Panda is making a surprise. The other animals wander away when they realise they’ll have to wait, but one little penguin sticks around to see what he’s making. Pause before the reveal and see if your child can guess what’s in the mixing bowl.
Read it when you’re baking together and your child is eager to taste what’s in the oven.
Ask your child “Why do you think Penguin stayed when the other animals left?”
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8. And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead
A boy and his dog plant a garden after a snowy winter. He checks the soil for signs of green and wonders what might be happening beneath it. The illustrations give children a reason to slow down and look closely as the garden begins to change.
Read it when you’ve planted seeds together. Take a picture of the pot each time you notice something new, then look back at the photos once the first leaves appear.
Ask your child “What do you think is happening under the soil before we can see a sprout?”
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9. Waiting for Snow by Marsha Diane Arnold, illustrated by Renata Liwska
Badger is ready for snow and tries all sorts of silly tricks to make it fall. His friends join in, even putting their pyjamas on backwards. Eventually, the animals find other things to enjoy while they wait.
Read it when the weather changes your plans. If a picnic gets rained out, ask your child what would make an indoor picnic fun while you wait for another sunny day.
Ask your child “What would you do with Badger while you waited for the snow?”
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10. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson
A little boy plants a carrot seed. Even though others doubt it will grow, he keeps tending the soil. It’s a short read-aloud about the small things we can keep doing while we wait for something to happen.
Read it when your child is learning something that takes practice, such as tying their shoelaces or riding a bike. Talk about one small thing they can try again tomorrow.
Ask your child “What did the boy do to care for his seed while he waited?”
Simple Ways to Help Children Practise Waiting
- Give the wait a clear ending. Try “You can have a turn when your sister finishes this round” or “We’ll open the parcel after lunch.” A concrete moment gives your child something to look forward to.
- Start with a short wait you can do together. If the toast is nearly ready, ask your child to choose a plate and listen for the pop. Next time, they can help think of something to do while they wait.
- Name the feeling. Say, “You’re excited to see Grandma. This drive feels long, doesn’t it?” Then you can decide together what might make the next few minutes easier.
- Notice what helped. Try “You watched for the timer while the muffins baked,” or “You found something else to play with while you waited for the swing.” That gives your child an idea they can use again.
If you’re choosing just one book to start with, pick the one that feels closest to your child’s day. Again! fits a bedtime full of “one more,” while Are We There Yet? is a fun choice before a family road trip.
Looking for more books to share with a younger child? Browse my favourite books for two-year-olds.