Top 10 books for teaching children about sex

Talking to children about bodies and bits and how they fit together isn’t always easy. The earlier you start and the more relaxed you are about it, the easier it will be (see Talking to children about sex, bodies and relationships). The hardest bit is getting started. Luckily, there are some great books for teaching children about sex, bodies and families, which can make launching into those conversations much easier. There’s no need to buy them – your local library will have lots of books for teaching children about sex (and that way you can check them out and find exactly the right one for your family).

To help you along, here’s my top ten list of the best books for teaching children about sex, puberty and relationships.

*This post contains affiliate links

Where Willy Went

Where Willy Went (by Nicholas Allen) is my personal favourite – it’s a jolly good story that just happens to be about a sperm…. Makes potentially difficult conversations very easy!

 

Hair in Funny Places

Hair in Funny Places (by Babette Cole) is a true classic. Great artwork, featuring a girl, her teddy bear and Mr and Mrs Hormone. A lovely book for introducing the idea of puberty to younger children.

 

There’s a House Inside My Mummy

There’s a House Inside My Mummy (by Giles Andreae) is gentle and simple, perfect for preparing young children for a new brother or sister. (Check out these other ideas for books for preparing a toddler for a new baby too!).

 

Let’s Talk About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families & Friends

The Let’s Talk series has a range of books for teaching children about sex, puberty, and families. They are factual and quite detailed and cover those topics that you might be a little scared of broaching. Ideal for starting conversations or for leaving in your child’s bedroom for him/her to pick up when interested. Let’s Talk About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families & Friends (by Robie H. Harris)

 

Mummy Laid an Egg

Mummy Laid an Egg is another great book by Babette Cole. This is a good option for turning the tables on parental embarrassment – no nonsense, straightforward and dispels silly myths people invent to avoid saying exactly where babies really do come from…..

 

King and King

King and King (by Linda De Haan) is a great read with fab pictures that just happens to feature a prince who marries another prince rather than a princess.

 

Discover Families

Discover Families (by Fliss Goldsmith) is a celebration of families and all the different shapes, sizes and forms that families can take – part of the Erin & Roderick series. Perfect for inclusive conversations and answering children’s questions about why/how families don’t all look the same. (For an alternative, The Family Book by Todd Parr is also very good on this topic).

 

Ready, Set, Grow!

Ready, Set, Grow! (by Lynda Madaras) is all about girls’ bodies and puberty. Detailed, but written in a sympathetic way that tackles lots of common fears and worries. Perfect for preparing younger girls for puberty or for girls who have started puberty early. Versions for older girls (What’s Happening to My Body? Book for Girls: Revised Edition) and for boys (The “What’s Happening to My Body?” Book for Boys) are also available.

 

Let’s talk about Body Boundaries, Consent & Respect

Let’s talk about Body Boundaries, Consent & Respect (by Jayneen Sanders) is a great resource for talking about consent in a thoughtful and non-threatening way – so children understand their own body safety rights as well as respecting other children’s.

 

It’s Okay to be Different

It’s Okay to be Different (by Todd Parr) is not so much about sex and as about diversity in general. A great book for introducing young children to the idea that people (and bodies) come in all shapes, sizes and preferences, and that’s great!

 

Have you tried any of these books for teaching children about sex? How did it go? Or have I missed out your favourite? What tips would you share about talking to children about bodies and bits? Please do let us know – and check out this resource list for more advice on talking to children about tricky issues!

*This is not a sponsored post – these are all books that I personally recommend! It does contain affiliate links which means that if you click through from this post and buy a book, the Positive Parenting Project will receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. This helps us keep providing free content. For more info, see  Disclosure Notice.