Early Childhood Social Emotional: PBIS

Social and emotional skills provide the foundation for our youngest learners in Wayne County to grow and, most importantly—thrive! In Early Childhood PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), teaching, supporting, and practicing the development of social and emotional skills is a foundational element for all children.

Partnering with families to support these skills and manage challenging behaviors is also essential. The classroom and family resources found on this webpage reflect best practices in early childhood education. These materials are designed to be used independently in any classroom setting, regardless of whether the classroom is currently participating in formal PBIS Implementation.

We hope you check back often for additional resources. If you would like to be notified when new materials become available, please fill out this Google Form(opens in new window) to add your email address to our notification list.

PBIS Roadmap

Download/Print an accessible version of the Early Childhood PBIS Roadmap

Young children need intentional, nurturing, classroom supports to develop social and emotional skills. All of the below resources can be thoughtfully incorporated into any early childhood classroom, regardless of the chosen curriculum, with confidence that they will be appropriate for your children and classroom.

Behavior Incidence Reports

Building Emotional Literacy

When children are supported as they explore different emotions, they are building their emotional literacy. This includes naming, recognizing and talking about all of the different emotions that children feel. Children are also building emotional literacy skills as they learn strategies to handle the emotions that they are feeling.

Emotional Literacy Resources

Feeling Faces: Small Cards

Feeling Faces: Large Cards

Feeling Faces Chart: This is how I feel today!

Feeling Wheel

Open-ended Play Dough Emotion Faces

Tucker the Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think

The Turtle Technique

Breathing Strategies

Problem Solving

Young children need support, modeling and encouragement from caring adults to develop the skills needed to work towards solving problems on their own. These resources can also help your classroom further develop problem-solving skills when they are intentionally introduced to children and used in meaningful ways.

Problem Solving Resources

We Can Be Problem Solvers! Social Story

¡Nosotros podemos resolver problemas!

Solution Kit: Small

Solution Kit: Large

Problem Solving Steps

Problem Solving Notes

Whether you are an educator who is looking for resources to share with a family, or a family member of a young child yourself, we’re so glad you found us. When it comes to helping young children learn about their feelings, create healthy relationships and learn positive ways to work past challenging behaviors - we are all in it together!

Becoming a Problem Solver

Did you know that young children need our help to learn how to solve problems? Below are a few ways that you can help your child become a problem solver at home!

Problem Solver Resources

We Can Be Problem Solvers at Home! Social Story

¡Nosotros podemos resolver problemas!

Problem Solving Solution Kit

Kit de soluciones: Edición para el hogar Problem Solving Solution Kit

Developing Routines

When children can predict what comes next in their day it helps them have a sense of security, control and can help reduce power struggles. Take a look at the below materials to help build routines at home for your child!

Developing Routines Resources

Visual Supports for Routines, Schedule, and Transitions

Apoyos visuales para rutinas, horarios y transiciones

Help Us Have a Good Day: Positive Strategies for Families

Making Life Easier: Bedtime and Naptime

Learning Emotions

Young children, just like adults, feel many different emotions! With the help of a trusted adult, children can practice talking about how they are feeling, naming their emotions and learning ways to handle the big feelings that can go along with being little.

Learning Emotions Resources

Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think at Home

La tortuga Tucker toma tiempo para detenerse y pensar en casa

Help Us Calm Down: Strategies for Children

Teaching Emotions: Activity Ideas to Share with Families

Play Dough Emotion Faces

Taking a Break: Using a Calm Down Area at Home

Tomarse un descanso: usar un área calmante en casa

Supporting Behaviors

When challenging behaviors sneak into your home, it can be so hard to know how to respond the ‘right way’. When adults are able to stay calm, we have the best chance of helping our young children become calm too. Once everyone is calm, and safe, it’s important to reconnect again with your child; then, we can share how we are feeling and talk about what happened. See below for more tips on common challenging behaviors for young children.

Supporting Behaviors Resources

Help Us Stay Calm

How to Help Your Child Stop Hitting and Pushing

How to Help Your Child Stop Biting

Skill-Building Opportunities: Playing with Others

Skill-Building Opportunities: Preschool Yelling

Skill-Building Opportunities: Aggression

Skill-Building Opportunities: Sitting for Family Meals

Skill-Building Opportunities: Stressful Play Dates

Skill-Building Opportunities: Preventing Meltdowns

Skill-Building Opportunities: Weapon Play

Tier 1

Tier 1 Resources

NCPMI Resources are listed on this website in English. Please go to challengingbehavior.org(opens in new window) for resources available in many other languages.

EC PBIS Teacher Toolkit for Early Childhood (TTEC Guide)(Word Document, opens in new window)