How to Improve Getting Along With Others: SEL for Pre-K

A fun conversation between StarBoy and StarGirl commences this lesson, rousing pre-kindergartners' interest. StarBoy tells StarGirl that he is worried about how to make friends with the big brown dog that is coming to class. StarBoy and StarGirl devise a plan – they decide to treat the big brown dog how they want to be treated. They know that everyone wants to be treated well!

Following the conversation between the beloved star characters, the class engages in a discussion facilitated by the "To Get Along" picture of the “Goals” poster. In this picture, two friends who used to fight all the time improve themselves by learning to get along through sharing, cooperating, and playing together.

The example inspires the pre-kindergartners to learn that by using self-improvement tools like believing in themselves, having the courage to try, turning their problems into opportunities, and persisting through challenges, they too can get along with others.

As an activity, pre-kindergartners come up with social and emotional positive action goals to accomplish. They set one for the whole class to achieve during the lesson, then they each set their own goals of treating others the way they want to be treated. They celebrate setting and achieving these goals by promising to practice them often and marking their Positive Behavior Chart.

Finally, the students listen to Positive Action’s "Get Along" music to help them remember the lesson concepts. Pre-kindergartners realize that setting goals and improving themselves makes them feel good about themselves

This lesson is designed to help pre-kindergartners set goals for social and emotional improvement, particularly in treating others the way they want to be treated. By encouraging them to think about others, pre-kindergartners can learn to practice healthy social skills such as empathy, compassion, and kindness. They can also learn to manage their emotions positively by putting others’ welfare before themselves.

When schools foster social and emotional growth in their students, they create a welcoming and supportive environment where positivity flourishes, and everyone can thrive.