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What to Do When You Feel Like Hitting: A No Hitting Book for Toddlers

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Teach toddlers safe ways to express big feelings

Toddlers are still learning how to speak, socialize, and understand their emotions. It’s common for them to react with their hands when they get frustrated―but hitting is never okay. What to Do When You Feel Like Hitting helps toddlers understand why hitting is not allowed and shows them how to react to their feelings with actions that are safe and kind.

This illustrated entry into no hitting books for toddlers features:

Alternatives to hitting―Kids will learn how to use “gentle hands” to squeeze a stuffed animal when they feel upset, scribble a picture to get out their frustration, and practice taking deep breaths to calm down.
A light touch―The language is kid-friendly and positive, encouraging toddlers to understand and communicate their feelings, not just keep their hands to themselves.
Engaging illustrations―Big, beautiful pictures help kids see the ideas in action and keep their attention on the page.

Get the best in no hitting books for toddlers with a storybook that helps them learn empathy and compassion.

50 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2020

92 people are currently reading
109 people want to read

About the author

Cara Goodwin

6 books2 followers

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5 stars
282 (69%)
4 stars
78 (19%)
3 stars
29 (7%)
2 stars
12 (2%)
1 star
7 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Kristin Wickham.
155 reviews2 followers
December 15, 2023
It’s a cute book but a little too wordy and old for Carter man who is the hitter. I’d say it’s more for 3-4 year olds and my goodness let’s hope we grow out of it by then. There’s some good alternatives in there and we are reading it everytime he hits in the hope that he just gets so annoyed that he stops😂
Profile Image for Ali.
1 review
November 29, 2023
Did a really great job explaining how to channel big feelings into constructive play and breathes.
Profile Image for Emma.
3 reviews1 follower
August 16, 2024
Great book! Super simple concepts to help little ones with processing emotions. Offers different things to do with hands as well as labeling emotions and using sign language!
Profile Image for Nadiyah.
71 reviews
May 2, 2024
Written for toddlers and those still working to gain control over the desire to hit or strike a person due to anger, this book gives helpful tips on how to diffuse the anger and not hit or strike when in a frustrated or angry state. I thought some of these tips could actually be helpful and some may not be as helpful.
This little story was enjoyable. I think it was quite instructive for the adults who are likely reading to the toddlers. The illustrations were nice and I would put this little read on my sjelf.
Profile Image for Jessica M..
24 reviews10 followers
August 1, 2024
We’re reading this at least three times a week with my two-year old. It is making difference, if at least to teach him about gentle hands and all the things he can do with them when he has big feelings.
His hitting and throwing problem has less to do with emotions and more to do with sensory seeking, but this book still offers helpful tools for him to learn and practice. Our little one is already hugging himself, squeezing his hands tight, and using gentle hands to pet the cats when he needs to express himself physically, and we only started reading this a month ago.
Profile Image for Srujan.
616 reviews65 followers
April 22, 2024
Available in Kindle Unlimited India catalogue. Quite simple & clear language for my 3 YOs to understand. We have read it 3-4x in the last month. Conveys the important pointers well. Understandably, they don't start implementing these practices overnight, but they are pausing and thinking about it as we read. There is no story as such. There are clear and simple illustrations to show various Big Emotions and what to do when one is overcome by those big emotions.
43 reviews1 follower
November 6, 2024
Anger and hitting behaviors

This is a valuable resource for guiding children in situations where they experience strong emotions that are often challenging for most of us to cope with. My grandson and I have read and talked about the content of this book fairly often as a regular tool for helping him cope with his feelings. As a child with Autism, life has challenges that are greater than the average child ever deals with making these lessons very important.
8 reviews
January 19, 2024
Tells WHAT To Do

I love this book for a few reasons but the biggest reason is it validates that it's ok to feel like hitting. And then tells WHAT to do instead of hitting vs the biggest message being DON'T hit. I'm an adult and will use these calm down tips. My 3 year old loves the book, too. Simple and clear message with easy coping skills to practice.
Profile Image for Ellena.
21 reviews
February 16, 2024
Good book for toddlers

Just reviewed this to purchase a hard copy for my 2 year old. The language is simple, the pictures are colourful and simple enough for a toddler to understand the facial expressions.
Profile Image for Hippie Nic.
16 reviews3 followers
March 25, 2024
3.5⭐️ rounded up.

A decent book for helping toddlers use their bodies in different ways when thinking about hitting. I’ve read better on this subject, but it gives good ideas none-the-less. A little wordy and a lot of pages with just illustration, but it gets the job done.
3 reviews
May 31, 2024
My Toddler Loved This Book!

I read this book with my two your old and she loved it! It's really easy to follow and understand and we practice some of the suggested ways to handle anger while we're reading.
Profile Image for Kait Boyd.
103 reviews3 followers
September 7, 2025
Love this series! Loved the tips at the end to help parents with toddlers who are biting.
Profile Image for Gleddys González.
11 reviews
February 9, 2023
¡Bellísimo!

Es útil para adultos cuando nuestros niños entran en esa etapa en la que sus emociones son fuertes y no sabemos qué decir cuando pegan, y para niños, porque da herramientas reales y respetuosas qué hacer cuando quieres golpear. La cantidad de texto es el justo para que los niños de 3-4 años presten atención, las imágenes son una belleza, y es muy valioso que no solo explican qué es lo que les sucede que les hace golpear, sino también tips reales de cómo sí pueden usar sus manos o pedir ayuda a algún adulto en momentos dificiles para ellos. ¡Me encanta!
3 reviews
September 16, 2022
I love this book it’s great about Reminding kids why we don’t hit

My four year old son and I read this, and it is a good idea on how to get back in touch with your body and your emotions and why people hit. Often kids will get in trouble for hitting but the actual issue is not being addressed. Which are the emotions underneath.
Profile Image for Courtney.
4,298 reviews
January 31, 2023
❤️

My children love these little books. They thoroughly enjoy each and every story, as if they are all unique and individual without any cause for similarity among them. Even though sometimes, they might seem tedious and repetitive to me as a parent, I do enjoy being able to read short-stories to my children that are clean and respective.
64 reviews
August 25, 2021
Great book to help with hitting

Read me a book to help young children express there's a great way to practice ways to help them calm down and a great way to explain that hitting hurt others.
159 reviews
August 27, 2021
Children Understanding Feelings

Great information regarding sign language to communicate regarding feelings.
Young people are always seeking ways to communicate with adults.
As adults we are to be watchful to help our children.
This book provides ways in which to communicate.
Profile Image for Leland Reiss.
9 reviews2 followers
October 27, 2021
Read this to my grandson!

My 4 yr old grandson had a rough day at school today, we read this book together and hopefully he remembers what to do the next time he feels mad, sad, or angry!
Loved this book! And it kept his interest!
Profile Image for Gladys.
4 reviews1 follower
March 26, 2022
This is a great read for parents and adults who work with children. I have read this book to little ones, and as I read I ask reflective questions throughout the book. Its a good way to validate feelings, teach healthy coping skills, and teach problem solving skills.
Profile Image for Jen H.
198 reviews3 followers
June 30, 2022
I like this

I hope the toddler will also like this. gives specific examples. kind of boring, since it's nonfiction. wish I could find a fictional fable that would help with hitting without traumatizing
Profile Image for Nicole Nowinski.
13 reviews
July 23, 2024
I could see my older daughter really understanding how to express her feelings in ways she has not really done before. I recommend this book when your kids are old enough to understand why they might be hitting! Really well done book.
1 review
August 6, 2021
I love this book leard alot for my kids


Very very nice book. To teach kids rigth from wroung an how to behaved they self an to help other to do rigth
Profile Image for janna rippey.
6 reviews
Read
June 6, 2022
Fantastic book! I enjoyed reading to my 3 year old daughter! She’s in the tantrum stage and really needed to learn from this book! We would definitely recommend to other families!
Profile Image for Christine  Ledden.
15 reviews1 follower
August 14, 2022
helpful

Helpful hoping this will work. Good calm down techniques which will be useful i think.

Very gently told story book
Profile Image for Clarissa.
26 reviews3 followers
October 29, 2023
Good book for learning

Good book for learning what to do instead of hitting. I look forward to reading this with my kids today.
Profile Image for SamSamSam.
2,117 reviews8 followers
December 8, 2025
The content for caregivers is the most valuable part of this book, I don't know that the text would be super impactful for a young child. But lots of great ideas in here!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews