Finding My Calm

Finding My Calm - a practical tool to help your children calm down by Rebekah Lipp and Craig Phillips

At the heart of the book is the playful and effective 'Five, Four, Three, Two, One' rhyme – a simple, sensory-based mindfulness technique that children can easily remember and use to regain calm in tricky moments.

But, it doesn’t just teach mindfulness; it also boosts emotional literacy, helping tamariki recognise, name, and manage their feelings. With its vibrant illustrations and empowering message, this book is an essential resource for parents, teachers, and caregivers dedicated to raising emotionally intelligent and resilient kids.

Add Finding My Calm to your child’s emotional toolkit today and watch them embody the concepts and support them to thrive!

Why We Love It

Each page offers simple, evidence-based strategies to calm the body and mind, making mindfulness accessible for little ones.

Craig Phillips’ artwork captivates tamariki and brings calm to life in every page turn.

While designed for young children, the strategies can benefit parents, teachers, and caregivers too!

How You Can Use It

Here are three thoughtful ways to incorporate Finding My Calm into daily life and support tamariki wellbeing:

Create a Calm-Down Corner: Use this book as the centre-piece of a special calm-down space at home or in the classroom. Pair it with soft cushions, sensory toys, and calming music, and encourage tamariki to head here when they need to reset.

Daily Mindfulness Practice: Read the book together as part of a morning or bedtime routine. Practice the suggested techniques—like deep breathing or imagining a peaceful place—together to build mindfulness habits that stick.

Tackle Stressful Moments Together: Practice the mindfulness strategy throughout your day - in the car, grocery store, on the way to preschool. Then when your child is feeling big emotions, turn to this strategy to work through the feelings together, creating a safe, supportive environment for emotional regulation.

What Results Have We Seen?

Families and educators rave about the impact Finding My Calm has on their tamariki’s ability to manage stress and anxiety. Parents report fewer meltdowns and a smoother transition to calm. Teachers love how it provides a practical strategy to practice and helps create a positive, peaceful environment in the classroom.

Anna from the Real Parents team reviewed this book for the Mental Health Foundation - see her review here