Books to Help Kids Be Includers

Inside: Teaching our kids to be includers, to welcome and include other kids, is incredible. These books about including others will help teach that.

Imagine a playground full of loud, happy, busy kids.

Everyone is playing basketball or on the jungle gym or eating their snack under the shade of a tree.

Well, almost everyone.

Most of the kids are engaged and laughing and talking or being a little too competitive.

But what about the kid off by themself. Standing in the corner. Or bouncing a ball by themself? Or eating snack alone on a bench?

The playground, as full as it is, can be a lonely place for kids who don’t feel like they have somewhere to be or someone to be with.

But the kids who are busy and playing and happy can make a difference for those kids who feel lonely.

So we teach our kids to be includers.

Kids who on purpose, invite others to join in. To sit with them. Or to play with them. Or to eat their snack together.

Is your kid an includer? Here’s why they should be.

Being an includer also helps bully proof our kids.

But it can be tricky to help our kids know what to say or how to say it.

One of the easiest ways to help our kids be includers is with books.

We can read these books, talk about them, and use them as a jumping off point for meaningful conversations with our kids about the importance of including others.

Books to Help Kids Be Includers

One (one of my absolute favorite books!)

The Invisible Boy- This boy feels invisible because no one will play with him. When a new boy comes to class, he knows just what to do to not feel invisible anymore.

The Big Umbrella– There’s always room for everyone under the umbrella.

Strictly No Elephants – Being left out of a group is no fun. Good friends invite you to join in, no matter what. Even if you have a pet elephant.

Pink Tiara Cookies for Three- It’s hard to invite a new friend into a friendship to make the group a trio. But including new friends to join in is important.

How to Be a Friend- Practical how-to ideas for kids to be a good friend and find good friends

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade

Nothing Rhymes with Orange- It can be super tricky when you feel lonely when you’re left out. But being an includer is a great way to be a friend.

Two– It’s super tricky when a new friend is friends with your best friend and suddenly you’re left out.

Enemy Pie-When kids have an “enemy” the quickest way to turn them into a friend is by serving Enemy Pie

Peanut Butter and Cupcake– It can be so hard to find a friend to play with. When Peanut Butter asked, “Can I play?” he doesn’t always get the kindest response.

Stick and Stone– True friends stand up for each other, even when it feels scary to do it.

You are Friendly– This showcases how simple it really is to be friendly

Rainbow Magic Fairies– Esther the Kindness Fairy and Florence the Friendship Fairy are just two of the Friendship Fairies that two best friends help (early chapter book/series)