School has started — time to make friends! Children’s books about friendship and inclusion

How to help a child socialize?

The school year has started, and it’s time for children to meet new classmates, socialize, and make new friends. One of the biggest worries for parents is that their child might struggle to make friends, have trouble fitting in, and end up feeling lonely or isolated. These are understandable concerns, and many parents ask themselves: “How can I help my child socialize?”
Of course, as adults, we should give our children space to be themselves and follow their own pace, but there are some gentle ways to support and encourage them to open up.

Some tips to help your child socialize

Here are some useful tips that can help your child build friendships and feel more confident when meeting new people:

• Respect their pace – your child might be a bit more shy than others and take longer to make friends. That’s okay — they’ll eventually find their way to connect with their peers.

• Encourage social moments outside of school – for example, by signing them up for a sport or activity, inviting classmates over, or organizing playdates at the park.

• Be a role model – talk to other parents, show that you also build new relationships, and create moments of sharing with other families.

• Encourage, don’t force – support your child’s efforts when they try to socialize. Even a smile or a small gesture towards another child deserves praise — it shows they’re moving in the right direction.

• Read books together – choose stories that talk about friendship, inclusion, and emotions, so your child can relate to the characters and find inspiration to form new bonds.

Our children’s books about friendship and inclusion

Here are some of our children’s books about friendship that can help your child learn to connect, include, and welcome others:

• Ring-a-Ring o’ Roses: A book about friendship and inclusion, two of the most important things in life. Friends support us when we need it, share our happiest and hardest moments, and make life brighter — because, without friends, life would be quite dull!

• A Little Mine, A Little Yours: This delightful picture book teaches the importance of sharing what we have, avoiding selfishness, and caring for others. It tells the story of a little blue whale learning how to share — and sometimes, that can be hard! But with the help of friends, everything becomes easier.

• Can I Join Your Club?: A perfect story to talk about acceptance and inclusion, showing children how important it is to welcome and value differences. Duck wants to join a club, but he can’t roar like a lion, trumpet like an elephant, or hiss like a snake — so no one accepts him. How will he make new friends?

• Woolly Wings: A heartwarming story about belonging and courage. Dodo is a fairy born without wings — but that won’t stop her from flying high. As her grandmother says, “All you need is courage, a good friend, and strong arms to lift you up.” A celebration of diversity and friendship.

• The Colours of Kindness: A story that focuses on kindness, helping children recognize how it can appear in many different forms. Martino, a little kingfisher, wants to know: “What colour is kindness?” Each answer he gets is different, and through them, he learns that kindness can have all the colours of the rainbow.

And how did your children experience the start of school and meeting new classmates? Tell us in the comments if our books helped you and your little ones!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/511EcUcdKOc?si=aYcQSGPmuhsmKxdD