Helping Military Kids Through Deployment: Storytime and Support

For military families, deployment is a reality that brings unique challenges, especially for young children. At Tiny Troops Soccer, we support the whole child, not just their athletic growth. One powerful tool for helping military kids cope with deployment is storytelling. Reading children’s books about deployment and separation can offer comfort, understanding, and a sense of connection when a parent is away.

Children process emotions in different ways, and books are a great tool to help them understand and express their feelings. Books provide a safe space to express emotions and let children know that they are not alone in what they are experiencing.

Recommended Books for Military Families

If you’re looking for books to help your child cope with deployment, we’ve put together a list of books. These are just some of the many books on deployment available for children.

1. I Will Be Okay: Adventures of a Military Kid by Amy Schweizer:  When Roman’s dad is deployed, he struggles with the change, but his mom signs him up for Tiny Troops Soccer to help. Roman learns to enjoy the game, make new friends, and feel less alone. As time passes, soccer helps Roman cope, reminding him that everything will be okay.
2. Sometimes I Want a Hug by Erin Winters (mom version & dad version): Take a journey through experiencing deployment in this sweet rhyming story.
3. Over There by LCSW-C Dorinda Silver Williams (mom version & dad version: Perfect for the youngest children, this board book explores the things that your little one does at home that their deployed parent may also be doing.
4. Daddy’s Boots / Momma’s Boots by Sandra Miller Linhart: Beans the bear thinks that if he hides the boots, then Daddy or Momma can’t go away, but he must learn all the jobs each must do while on deployment.
5. Monroe Tales: It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later by Schulyer Croy: Monroe the dog is sad when his owner must go away. Children can experience deployment through a dog’s eyes.
6. Hero Mom / Hero Dad by Melinda Hardin: These books tell all the ways military moms and dads are superheroes.
7. Brave Like Me by Barbara Kerley: Told through photographs, this book moves through all the highs and lows of coping with deployment when mom or dad is away.
8. Coming Home by Greg Ruth: Told mostly through pictures and a few words, follow along with a little boy as he experiences homecoming and finds his mom.

Tips for Reading Books About Deployment 

Consider these tips to make the conversation supportive and meaningful:

• Create a Safe Space: Allow your child to ask questions and share their feelings without judgment.
• Use Open-Ended Questions: Ask, “How do you think the character felt?” or “What would you do in this situation?”
• Validate Their Emotions: Let your child know that it’s okay to feel sad, worried, or even angry about deployment.
• Relate It to Their Experience: Connect the story to your child’s own life. Talk about their emotions and ways to stay connected with the deployed parent.
• Encourage Expression: Let your child draw, write, or act out parts of the story to help them process their feelings.

Why Reading Helps Military Kids During Deployment

Reading stories about deployment helps children process separation, build empathy, and find healthy ways to express their feelings. Through familiar characters, they see that other kids and families experience the same emotions. They see that love and connection remain even across distance.

At Tiny Troops Soccer, we recognize that deployment can be a challenging time for military families, particularly for young children. Through the power of storytelling and discussion, kids can find comfort, connection, and reassurance that they are not alone. We hope this book list provides helpful resources for your family during times of separation.