Life Lesson Library

Our exclusive social-emotional development program teaches important skills to help children become good humans.

Life Lesson Library is unlike any other social-emotional development curriculum because it uses storytelling and Goddard’s F.L.EX.^® framework (Fun Learning Experience) to help children build a strong social-emotional foundation. Through great books and playful learning activities, children are provided with natural and authentic ways to learn and develop five core skills^[1]:

• Relationship Skills • Responsible Decision Making
• Self-Awareness • Self-Management • Social Awareness

Teachers then bring stories to life by applying the skills children are learning to real-life scenarios that unfold in the classroom. This practice strengthens relationships among the children and allows them a chance to engage with natural consequences. And the learning won’t stop at school! Families will receive engaging at-home activities to do based on what the children are practicing in their classrooms.

Life Lesson Library Books

There are 60 books currently in the Life Lesson Library curriculum: 30 for infants/toddlers and 30 for preschool/pre-K, which span across the five social-emotional skills.

Sample Book List – Self-Awareness

I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by David Catrow
Red, a Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Lots of Feelings by Shelley Rotner
The Monster Who Lost His Mean by Tiffany Strelitz Haber and illustrated by Kirstie Edmunds

Strengthening the Home-School Connection

Teachers will provide resources that will help you extend your child’s learning at home. By engaging with what your child is learning, you will build deeper, more meaningful bonds.

Relationship Skills
Responsible Decision Making
Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Social Awareness

A mother holds her smiling young son outside.

Relationship Skills

Relationship skills are essential to getting along with others. They include collaboration, communication, listening, dealing with conflict, seeking and giving, all of which support building healthy interpersonal relationships. Teaching children about how to get along with their peers is crucial to childhood development, and it's a great way to build parent-child relationships. Read more about it in our parent-child relationship blog article.

Responsible Decision Making

Understanding how the decisions you make have an impact on yourself and others. These skills include developing personal ethics and understanding social norms. One way to build a child's responsible decision-making skills, is with a balanced routine that they have a part in. Read more about it in our blog article How Routines and Schedules Help Calm and Comfort Your Child.

A young boy in a bucket hat reads a book, seated next to a plush monkey at a table.

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness involves building a sense of self by recognizing your own emotions, your strengths and limitations and the consequences of your actions, which supports the development of confidence and personal well-being. Read more about emotional intelligence in our blog post Nurturing Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence: Teaching Them To Understand & Manage Their Feelings.

Little Girl Indoors In Front Of Books. Cute Young Toddler Sitting On A Chair Near Table and Reading Book. Child reads in a bookstore, surrounded by colorful books. Library, Shop, Shelving In Home.

Self-Management

Self-management is about the self-regulation of your emotions and actions. It includes the ability to adapt in different circumstances, managing stress and motivation, as well as planning and organizational skills. Starting a new routine like kindergarten or daycare can be a stressor for children who aren't used to self-management yet. To help prepare for these big transitions, read up on how to manage attention-seeking behaviors and separation anxiety.

A loving father of African descent sits on the couch at home and reads a storybook to his preschool age daughter. The child is sitting on her father's lap and is smiling while looking at the book.

Social Awareness

Social awareness is about recognizing the people around you and in the world at large. These skills include building empathy, caring and social behaviors and appreciating diversity and inclusion. Read our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging blog article for more ideas on how to teach your child to embrace empathy and belonging.

1. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). What Is the CASEL Framework? https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework/