Making Friends, PreK–3

Book excerpt: Helping students develop healthy social skills is child′s play Research shows that a child′s social and behavioral skills affect the development of cognitive and physical abilities. Set students on a path to success and have fun doing it with this newly retitled edition of the popular Wanna Play. The authors provide hundreds of activities that help children learn how to behave appropriately and make friends. Included are tools for teaching emotion regulation, team playing, and body safety to all children, making this resource ideal for use in inclusive settings. New features include: A social interaction checklist for identifying learners′ strengths and weaknesses Teacher-friendly activities that can be used in small groups or with the whole class A chapter on teaching emotions and communication skills Students with social challenges benefit from direct instruction, and early intervention helps prevent behavior problems and pave the way to academic success. This hands-on guidebook gives teachers, counselors, behavior therapists, and caregivers a wealth of easily implemented and fun-filled ways to enhance children′s skills in all areas of social interaction.