Zara Counts to Calm
Zara Counts to Calm
Simple Calming Techniques | Ages 1–3
When Zara sees her favorite blue crayon in her brother’s hand, she feels BIG emotions bubbling up. Her face scrunches, her fists clench—she’s about to shout!
But wait…
Zara remembers a special trick: “Let’s count to calm.”
1… 2… 3… all the way to 10.
With every number, her feelings shrink just a little.
By the time she finishes counting, she’s ready to ask kindly and try again.
This gentle, relatable story helps toddlers learn:
- How to pause during emotional moments
- A simple counting technique to calm down
- That big feelings are normal—and manageable
With warm illustrations and toddler-friendly language, Zara Counts to Calm is a perfect read-aloud for teaching early self-regulation and emotional resilience.
Zara gets upset when her brother has the blue crayon she wants. Just as she’s about to yell, she remembers to count—1, 2, 3... all the way to 10. By the time she finishes, she feels calm and ready to try again. This sweet story introduces toddlers to a simple coping skill they can use when big feelings arise.