Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Picture Books for K-2
Little kids often times have big feelings and sometimes those feelings are difficult to manage. I love using children’s picture books to teach kids how to regulate their emotions and how to appropriately interact with people, especially in difficult situations.
WHAT IS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)?
Social Emotional Learning, otherwise called SEL, is a method of teaching that aims to build positive social and emotional skills and behaviors. In public school, SEL is incorporated throughout all subjects. Students need to learn how to work collaboratively, respectfully disagree, share, speak kindly, and manage emotions. Even as adults we still need to be working on these skills!
HOW TO TEACH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING
One of the best ways to teach SEL is to use literature! Stories promote discussion where you can begin to talk about the choices characters are making. They can decide if they were good or bad choices and what they may do if they were in the situation. Then throughout day to day activities, provide opportunities to work together, pause to listen to each other when there are disagreements, directly teach appropriate ways to manage behavior when they are feeling frustrated or angry. Maybe they take a break in their room or hug a stuffed animal.
Social Emotional Learning is an important life skill everyone needs to continually grow in. Even as we get older, our emotions can get the best of us. Having tools to help us navigate emotions and people can help us make better, healthy decisions for ourselves and others.
So here are some of our favorite books to read about managing our emotions and interacting with friends.
CHILDREN’S BOOKS TO TEACH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING SKILLS
theme: kindness, getting to know people first
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson: Jeremy Ross is the worst friend EVER. Actually he’s not even a friend, he’s an enemy. Upset, his dad gives him his best advice on how to get rid of an enemy. He has to hang out with Jeremy–for an entire day! Ugh! At the end of the day, he no longer has an enemy but a new friend. This is a story of friendship and how it is important to get to know people first.
Read this book: Amazon | BetterWorldBooks | thriftbooks or check your local library
theme: be yourself no matter what people think
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon: Camilla Cream loved lima beans but she didn’t love what the other kids thought of her, so she stopped eating lima beans and woke up the next day covered in stripes! After all the experts and specialists tried to cure Camilla, a sweet old woman came and brought her the one thing she desired the most, lima beans. Fearful, she refused to take them but soon realized the price of not being yourself wasn’t worth it. This is one of my favorites because it teaches children to be your true self no matter what anyone thinks.
Read this book: Amazon | BetterWorldBooks | thriftbooks or check your local library
theme: how to handle sad/angry emotions
When Sophie’s Feelings are Really, Really Hurt by Molly Bang: All the kids laugh when Andrew says Sophie painted her tree wrong. Her feelings get really hurt and she doesn’t want to paint any more. Ms. Mulry helps the class understand that just because something is different, it doesn’t mean it is wrong. Ms. Mulry shows the class how to respect differences in a kind way. This sweet story teaches there is always something good to be found in everything, even if it is different.
Read this book: Amazon | BetterWorldBooks | thriftbooks or check your local library
theme: happiness, sharing
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister: The rainbow fish is the most beautiful fish in the sea. All the other fish love his sparkly scales and wish they could have one too. Sadly, the rainbow fish refuses to share. One day we receives some wise advice and decides he will share just one shiny scale with another fish. When he sees how happy the fish is, he gives more away until he only has one left. This book is another all time favorite to teach the joy of giving and sharing with others.
Read this book: Amazon | BetterWorldBooks | thriftbooks or check your local library
theme: making friends, helping friends
Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry:
Read this book: Amazon | BetterWorldBooks | thriftbooks or check your local library
theme: gratitude, giving is better than receiving
The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau: The king has his villagers bring him something beautiful that will hopefully make him happy. He accumulates tons of treasures but nothing makes him happy. He hears about the quilt maker and wonders why she hasn’t given him one of her magnificent quilts. The king tries to force her to make him one. She tells him she will only make him a quilt if he gives away his treasures. He doesn’t want to but eventually he decides to give his things away. He finds the gift of giving is better than receiving.
Read this book: Amazon | BetterWorldBooks | thriftbooks or check your local library
I love books that teach a life lesson in a beautiful way. What are some of your favorite books to read that teach a life lesson to kids? Leave a comment below!
xo L.
