These cute picture books help teach/reinforce those social skills that toddlers and preschool-aged children are learning.
(You can always find these books at your local library for free. However, if you choose to purchase them, you can support your local bookstores (and this blog) from the affiliate links below.)
Working Together
These adorable characters, although very different in temperament and ability, are able to learn about each other and work together to make beautiful drawings.
Friends AND Shapes
This is such a pun-ny book! Watching all the clever pictures these shapes make, will make you think of tangrams. Although friends may get “bent out of shape” from time to time, there are many wonderful things about friendship your child can learn from this book.
Reciprocity
This beautiful book shows your child that we need each other. You could review different animals that have a symbiotic relationship such as rhinos and birds; sharks and remoras; etc. You could also pair this book with a Montessori texture sensory material. They can explore various textures and put them in order from smooth to rough. OR, you could use this book as an introduction to the “i” sound…so many possibilities!
Thoughtfulness
Thank You Bear is a great book to read if a gift-giving holiday is coming up. As you read through this book, each character judges Bear’s gift based on what THEY would like, and not for WHOM the gift is for.
Making Friends
This is a well-known favorite for many. Your child will enjoy the colorful illustrations and the “shimmering scales.” If you’re not familiar with it, it is a great book to show why sharing is important when trying to make friends. There are TONS of craft ideas on Pinterest to pair with this book. (For crafts, I usually lay out various materials for my child to explore in an “Invitation to Create” manor, from the Reggio Emilia approach to learning.)
Empathy
Empathy is such a hard concept to explain to young children. The Rabbit Listened, by Cori Doerrfeld, beautifully simplifies this concept. My daughter only wanted to read this book once because she thought it was a “sad” book. But, I still put it on my top ten, even if they only read it once!
Positivity
With a positive attitude and determination, this snail is repaid with new friendships. Snail Crossing is such an adorable and silly book you both will enjoy reading.
Sharing
This is a beautiful and rhythmic book that is perfect to read to those toddlers who are just beginning to learn social skills. My daughter and I loved shaking the book when the tree shook and shouting, “Share, Big Bear, Share!”
Generosity
This is one of Julia Donaldson’s books that are so wonderfully written (and illustrated). A generous giant gives away his treasured new and “spiffy” items to help others in his town and is rewarded with friendship.
Best Friends
This another one of Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s pun-filled stories that is so fun to read. It shows how rewarding having a best friend can be. However, you can have just as much fun when you are apart. We all like our comfort zones, but when we challenge ourselves, we will find many new opportunities.
