I’m Sherrie Rose Mayle, and I’m honored that you chose to spend some time reading about the connection between literacy and social emotional learning. After spending the last 18+ years of my life working with young children in a variety of roles, I have come to the conclusion that the most important learning children do in the early years is social emotional learning. Social emotional skills are the foundation for navigating our world, from self-awareness to social awareness and relationship skills. Children who understand themselves and others’ perspectives are more successful in life from childhood all the way through adulthood. Luckily, books and reading activities lend themselves very well to children’s social emotional learning. I’m excited to share with you some books that I love for reinforcing social emotional learning and for each I have a little extra tip to extend the learning beyond the page.
Books and Tips:
The Feelings Book by Todd Parr: In Todd Parr’s unique artistic style, he details the wide range of emotions we all experience. While I am usually discouraging of flash cards for children, I actually encourage you to also purchase Todd Parr’s Feelings Flashcards. This product has the same colorful illustrations from the book and is a fun tool to encourage children to show how their face would look if they were feeling that way.
Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley: As children turn the die-cut pages of this book, they get to watch the big green monster grow then disappear again. This book helps children gain control over their fears as they get to be the ones to make the big green monster go away. To extend that feeling of control and self regulation, give your child construction paper pieces to match the colors and shapes from the book and allow them to glue them together into their own big green monster.
How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer: Your child can learn about the “bucket filling” metaphor in this children’s adaptation of the adult bestseller. Read and re-read this one and put steps into action to help your child practice kindness and self-control. Then grab a special bucket for each of your family members. Make it a family tradition to write little notes of appreciation to place in each bucket for your loved ones to find.
Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall: In this story about a blue crayon labeled “Red,” the crayon learns to be true to who he is inside instead of the self others tell him he must be. To extend the idea that we can be more than what we look like on the outside, and to use Michael Hall’s use of crayons as a tool, take old and broken crayons and melt them into new colors and shapes. Place peeled crayons in non-stick muffin tins and put in a 250 degree oven until the crayons have melted. Then, turn off the oven but leave the tins in the oven until it is completely cold again.
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires: In this story, a girl decides she will make the most magnificent thing then tries and fails and tries and fails many times over before getting mad and quitting. Her dog encourages her to go on a walk and she finds inspiration to restart her project. This book will encourage your child’s resilience and creativity. In the spirit of the book, create your own tinker station. Include recycled items like cardboard tubes, small boxes, and egg cartons and use tools like scissors, tape, and staplers to create a magnificent thing from your child’s own imagination.
About the writer:
Sherrie Rose Mayle is passionate about working with young children. She has been an early childhood educator for the last 18 years, serving in both teaching and administrative roles in child care center and family child care settings. She currently nannies for two young children in Menlo Park, California. Sherrie Rose advocates for play-based, hands-on, and musical learning on her self-named YouTube channel, Sherrie Rose Mayle (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd_RDY6bhGDctUgKkb_LWDQ).
Watch Sherrie Rose Mayle's webinar about Social Emotional Learning here
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