Calm little stories for big little feelings.

Two-minute watercolour stories for ages 2 to 3, in English and Spanish. Each one carries a gentle idea from Marcus Aurelius.

Get the free bedtime packWatch a story

Try a story tonight

Sit close. Press play. When it ends, say the last line together.

Tall Like a Tree. For grumpy mornings.

The Little Marcus Way

Three small steps that turn two minutes of screen time into something you both keep.

  1. Grandma and Little Marcus snuggled in bed

    1Watch together

    A slow, gentle story where Little Marcus meets a real toddler moment and makes a kind choice. No loud cuts, no flashing. Made to watch with you, not instead of you.

  2. Grandma and Little Marcus stretching their arms up high

    2Say it together

    Every story ends with one short line your child can say, like “Enjoy your breakfast, birds!” Next time the hard moment comes, you both have the words ready.

  3. Little Marcus giving Papa a high five in the kitchen

    3Do it today

    One tiny thing to try at home: no materials, no preparation, under a minute. Small habits, repeated, grow into a good heart.

How the method works

Five stories to start with

Each one is about two minutes long and made for one everyday moment.

See all 15 stories

An old notebook, a sprig of laurel and a wooden toy horse on a desk by an open summer window

Where the ideas come from

Nearly two thousand years ago, the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius kept a private notebook. He wrote to himself about patience, kindness and staying calm when things go wrong. We turn those ideas into stories small enough for a two-year-old.

Very little indeed is necessary for living a happy life.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.67 (trans. George Long)

In English, y en español

Every story comes in English and in neutral Latin American Spanish, with the same pictures and the same calm pace. Watch in one language, or in both.

Little Marcus hugging his mama in the kitchen

Five calm stories for five calm bedtimes

The free Little Marcus Bedtime Pack: five story links, say-it-together cards, a three-minute bedtime routine and a do-it-today chart for the fridge. In English and Spanish.

Five small story cards, a mug of warm milk and a moon night light on a blanket
Stories in

A teacher reading a picture book to toddlers sitting on a rug

Bring Little Marcus to circle time

A ready-to-run daily story for nurseries and preschools, with a five-minute circle-time guide and a short note for families. Read aloud first; the video is optional.

Ask about a free pilot

Made with care

  • Original stories

    Written and painted for this series. Every story starts from a real line in Meditations.

  • Calm by design

    Slow pacing, soft voices, no flashing and no shouting.

  • Grown-ups only here

    This website is for parents and teachers. We never collect anything from children.

  • No ads on this site

    No trackers, no pop-ups, no one selling your attention.