Board Books to Help Littles Practice Patience

by Miranda Rosbach

Photo Credit: chomplearn/Shutterstock

Patience, like time, is primarily an abstract concept to babies and toddlers. But as babies grow and begin to have their needs met, they soon encounter the inevitability of waiting. Waiting for birthdays and holidays, a loose tooth to pry free, and learning a new skill like reading or riding a bike. Excited parents also wait for their first steps and first words. Waiting and patience are part of this game called life.

“Patience yields many good things” (a line from one of my favorite movies, Yentl) is a universal truth and one that we’ve certainly put to the test during the pandemic. Patience, like most things, takes practice. It’s not acquired all at once, and it needs continual renewal to be effective. As caregivers and teachers, we can help young children implement a few simple strategies to make waiting more bearable for everyone.