12 Picture Books to Strengthen Your Child’s Social Skills
Teach manners
To kids of all ages, it probably seems as if there are an awful lot of rules about what you are and are not allowed to do in the company of other people. Chew with your mouth closed! Cover your face when you cough! Say please and thank you!
Interactive role-playing games (such as a manners party or even dramatic restaurant play) can help kids memorize the basic rules of polite civilization — especially if you read one of these picture books about manners as an introduction.
“Richard Scarry’s Please and Thank You Book”
Richard Scarry’s books are classics, and this one is no exception. Through a series of vignettes featuring the residents of Busytown, kids can follow along as their favorite characters navigate common social situations.
“Do Unto Otters” by Laurie Keller
Teaching the Golden Rule has never been so funny — or so effective! When Mr. Rabbit gets new neighbors (a bunch of otters, obviously), he’s not sure they will all be able to get along. Of course, if he remembers to “do unto otters” as he would like the otters to do unto him, he’ll be just fine.
