Making friends, waiting patiently and resolving conflicts are all part of the social emotional skills that your little one cultivates, starting at birth. These inter- and intra-personal skills are developed in small chunks over time, but research has shown that teaching social skills and encouraging the emotional development of preschoolers is a very important part of school readiness. Helping your child in their emotional growth doesn’t have to take a lot of thought, it can be as simple as reading a story. Finding the right stories is as simple as reading this blog…
Guess How Much I Love You By Sam McBratney & Illustrated by Anita Jeram.
What it’s about… In this uplifting story, Little Nutbrown Hare tries to prove how big his love is for Big Nutbrown Hare.
How it helps… This book encourages your child to think about how people show their love. You can discuss with them who they love and different ways to demonstrate how “big” their love is for these special people.
Llama Llama Misses Mama By Anna Dewdney.
What it’s about… Little Llama is attending his first day at school and is sad and misses his mamma.
How it helps… Little ones learn what it means to miss someone and feel alone or lonely. Ask them if they have ever missed someone and discuss how to tell if a friend or family member is feeling alone and what to do to make them feel happy again (maybe a hug?).
Mouse Was Mad By Linda Urban
What it’s about… A young mouse stomps his way through the forest searching for the perfect way to show that he is feeling mad.
How it helps… This story communicates to kids that it is okay to feel mad and even though we all feel mad sometimes, there are different healthy ways to express feeling mad and to help the feeling go away (like a walk through a forest).
Pat Them Gently By Melanie O’Brien
What it’s about… This book is a wonderful introduction for young children to begin to understand what it means to be gentle to animals and other creatures.
How it helps… Discuss with your child times when they might need to be gentle (like if they are hugging someone or when there is a baby around) and what it means to be gentle.
Too Loud Lily by Sophia Laguna
What it’s about… Everything Lily Hippo does is too loud! She laughs too loud! She sings too loud! She even reads too loud!
How it helps… Children learn about loud and soft voices. You can have your child demonstrate what a loud voice and a quiet voice sound like and when are good times to use loud voices and quiet voices.
Glad Monster Sad Monster By Ed Emberley & Anne Miranda
What it’s about… This book about feelings, contains fun monster masks that children can try on and talk about times when they felt glad, sad, loving, worried, silly, angry and scared—just like the monsters in the story!
How it helps… Children identify with the monster’s feelings. Encourage them to discuss times they have had similar emotions. For example, you can ask if they feel glad when they get to play ball like the yellow monster.
The Rainbow Fish By Marcus Pfister
What it’s about… Rainbow Fish is the most beautiful fish in the ocean, but because he is selfish with his beautiful scales, his friends soon become upset and begin to ignore him.
How it helps… This book opens up a discussion about friendship and sharing. Ask your little one what they think it means to be a good friend and how sharing can build up a friendship.
Social emotional development is one of the Essential parts of our ACE (Adaptive Coordinated Essential) Customized curriculum. We truly believe that building up your child’s social emotional development will not only prepare your child for their time in school, but it will prepare them for life.
