{"id":4903,"date":"2026-02-20T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abccdc.com\/abc-ault\/?p=4903"},"modified":"2026-02-17T16:51:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T16:51:32","slug":"teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abccdc.com\/abc-ault\/blog\/2026\/02\/20\/teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault\/","title":{"rendered":"The Heart of the Classroom: Teaching Character and Social Skills in Preschool"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>At ABC Ault, the most important lessons in our classrooms often happen between the lines of a storybook or during a shared art project. While literacy and math are vital, the &#8220;heart&#8221; of our curriculum is <strong>social-emotional learning (SEL)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teaching children how to manage their feelings, build friendships, and work as part of a team isn&#8217;t just an &#8220;extra&#8221;; it is the foundation for a lifetime of success. Discover how we weave character building into the everyday fabric of our <a title=\"free preschools near me\" href=\"https:\/\/abccdc.com\/abc-ault\/programs\/preschool-programs\/\">Preschool Programs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The True Foundation for Kindergarten Readiness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For many parents, &#8220;readiness&#8221; means knowing the ABCs and 123s. However, kindergarten teachers often prioritize social-emotional skills above academics. To thrive in a new school environment, children must be able to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manage Strong Feelings:<\/strong> Recognizing emotions like frustration or anxiety allows children to tackle new challenges without becoming overwhelmed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Focus and Persist:<\/strong> Kindergarten requires the ability to listen to directions and stick with a task even when it gets hard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Collaborate:<\/strong> From sharing a bin of LEGOs to taking turns on the slide, cooperation is the primary &#8220;work&#8221; of a preschooler.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Research shows that children with strong SEL skills adapt more quickly to new environments and perform better academically in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Character Building Through Group Projects<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Group activities are one of the most effective ways to nurture positive social skills. Whether it\u2019s building a block tower or a cooperative art mural, these projects teach &#8220;soft skills&#8221; that are essential for life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Teamwork &amp; Communication:<\/strong> To complete a large puzzle or build a structure, children must share supplies, contribute ideas, and listen to their peers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Empathy in Action:<\/strong> When a tower falls, or a friend is upset, group projects provide real-time opportunities to respond with kindness and support.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Conflict Resolution:<\/strong> We don\u2019t just dictate solutions; we guide children to use their words to express feelings and find fair compromises together.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How Structured Routines Reduce Anxiety<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Children thrive when their world is predictable. At ABC Ault, our daily rhythm is designed to make children feel safe, secure, and in control of their environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Consistency Builds Confidence:<\/strong> When a child knows exactly what comes next, circle time, then snack, then outdoor play\u2014their stress levels decrease.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ownership of the Day:<\/strong> Using visual picture schedules helps preschoolers (who can&#8217;t yet read) keep track of their steps, building independence and reducing power struggles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emotional Anchors:<\/strong> Regular rituals, like a &#8220;check-in&#8221; song or a specific way we say goodbye, provide comfort during transitions and foster a sense of classroom community.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Best Kids Activities Ault: Practice SEL at Home<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t need a classroom to build these skills! Try these simple <strong>social-emotional learning preschool<\/strong> activities tonight:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Daily Emotional Check-in:<\/strong> Ask your child to name their &#8220;feeling&#8221; of the day. Labeling an emotion is the first step toward managing it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Turn-Taking Games:<\/strong> Simple board games or relay races help children practice the &#8220;wait&#8221; that comes with being part of a group.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stories with Heart:<\/strong> Read books that focus on friendship and feelings. Ask, &#8220;How do you think that character felt?&#8221; to build perspective-taking skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Takeaway:<\/strong> By focusing on the heart, character, kindness, and emotional regulation, we ensure your child is not just ready for school, but ready for life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ready to see the ABC Ault difference?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a title=\"ault preschool\" href=\"https:\/\/abccdc.com\/abc-ault\/contact-us\/\"><strong>Enroll Now to Secure Your Child\u2019s Spot!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At ABC Ault, the most important lessons in our classrooms often happen between the lines of a storybook or during a shared art project. While literacy and math are vital, the &#8220;heart&#8221; of our curriculum is social-emotional learning (SEL). Teaching children how to manage their feelings, build friendships, and work as part of a team [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mbp_gutenberg_autopost":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-activities","category-resources"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Heart of the Classroom: Teaching Character and Social Skills in Preschool | Ault Preschool<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Help your child thrive! Our Ault preschool focuses on social-emotional learning and character building to ensure kindergarten success.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/abccdc.com\/abc-ault\/blog\/2026\/02\/20\/teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Heart of the Classroom: Teaching Character and Social Skills in Preschool | Ault Preschool\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Help your child thrive! Our Ault preschool focuses on social-emotional learning and character building to ensure kindergarten success.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/abccdc.com\/abc-ault\/blog\/2026\/02\/20\/teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ABC Ault\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-20T09:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ABC Child Development\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ABC Child Development\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abccdc.com\\\/abc-ault\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/20\\\/teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abccdc.com\\\/abc-ault\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/20\\\/teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"ABC Child Development\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abccdc.com\\\/abc-ault\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/44708075e108111f3ae324fd538dec87\"},\"headline\":\"The Heart of the Classroom: Teaching Character and Social Skills in Preschool\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-20T09:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abccdc.com\\\/abc-ault\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/20\\\/teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":565,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abccdc.com\\\/abc-ault\\\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Activities\",\"Resources\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abccdc.com\\\/abc-ault\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/20\\\/teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abccdc.com\\\/abc-ault\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/20\\\/teaching-character-social-skills-preschool-ault\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Heart of the Classroom: Teaching Character and Social Skills in Preschool | Ault Preschool\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abccdc.com\\\/abc-ault\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-20T09:00:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"Help your child thrive! 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