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Strategies to Support Social and Emotional Development in Early Learners
Early Learner News
February 2023
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Kids sitting with their arms around each other
Strategies to Support Social & Emotional Development in Early Learners
From infancy through adulthood, social-emotional skills are intertwined with every aspect of our daily lives. These skills enable us to communicate our needs, wants, and ideas; build relationships; communicate emotions; and handle conflict effectively. To assist families in understanding the importance of social-emotional development, Trying Together created this family guide that includes strategies caregivers can use at home.
Healthy social and emotional development supports positive interactions and relationships, as well as progress in other areas. Check out these strategies from the SD Statewide Family Engagement Center to help with social and emotional development in Infants and Toddlers and Preschool Age Children.
A girl and boy reading together.
Reading to Build Social & Emotional Skills
“Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.”
– Malorie Blackman
Reading children's books is a great way to help kids recognize and learn about a variety of different social and emotional skills. While reading about a character's experience in a story, children can learn about healthy relationships and making friends, recognizing and working through emotions, and more.

When looking for books to support your early learner's social and emotional development, keep these suggestions from SDStepAhead in mind:
Choose books...

  • with pictures of babies, children, adults
  • that show relationships with peers, adults, family, friends, grandparents, parents, etc. or make your own book using family photos
  • that focus on self-expressions and self-regulations: how they are feeling, how they are working through feelings, and controlling emotions
  • that focus on individual emotions and how the characters work through them: anger, sadness, fear, jealousy, happiness, and excitement, etc.
  • about social actions: how to act in school, how to act in a library or grocery store, etc.
  • about empathy, kindness, love, friendship
  • about self-help skills: potty training, getting dressed, buttoning, zipping, eating, cleaning up, etc.
  • about new settings, such as preschool and kindergarten, and responsibilities in those settings.
Need book recommendations?
  • Social Emotional Learning Book Recommendations
  • Top 10 Children's Books to Encourage and Inspire Social Skills
  • 20 Children's Books About Feelings Every Kid Should Read Before Turning 8
Upcoming Events
Power Hour: Virtual Learning Event
February 13th at 6:30-7:30pm MST

Growing Hearts and Minds -
Strategies to Support Positive Behavior and Mental Wellness

Want to learn more about supporting positive behavior and mental wellness? Black Hills Reads, the SD Statewide Family Engagement Center, and SD Association for the Education of Young Children will be hosting the next Power Hour for childcare providers and other early learning professionals on February 13th at 6:30pm MST. Join us for amazing speakers, interactive breakout conversations, prizes, and more!
REGISTER
Early Learner Rapid City Community Meeting
February 16th at 5:30pm MST

Learn more about Early Learner Rapid City's efforts, and how you can get involved in its new sub-committees! Dinner will be provided. Register by February 10th.
REGISTER
imagination BOOK STOP

Check out our Imagination Book Stop guide for Night-Night Forest Friends by Annie Bach! For more Imagination Book Stops, visit Black Hills Reads Resources. Each Book Stop features information about the book, discussion ideas, activities, and more!