Sharing is not always easy at first, but it's always worth it in the end. The little boy in this story learns this important lesson the hard way. He has spent time building the perfect cave with blankets and furniture. Just when he's ready to slip inside and enjoy his secret hiding place, a bear takes his spot! So the boy brainstorms all the different ways he can get the bear to leave. Finally he realizes that enjoying the space with a friend is a lot less work and a whole lot more fun!
Picture Books For Kids Who Have Difficulty Sharing
Sharing is not something that comes easily or naturally to toddlers. When little ones are learning to navigate the world around them, they can come across as selfish and greedy. Their instincts usually lead them to take what they want without regard for others. Sometimes this behavior can be corrected by reading stories about bullying where characters learn lessons about how to get along with others.
Rest assured that a child's refusal let others play with their toys is something that passes rather quickly as kids develop better socialization skills. As toddlers develop better language skills, communicating, socializing, and getting along with others comes more easily. Physically aggressive behavior, addressed in books about hitting, is replaced by verbal expression. For those who need a bit more than some correction and redirection, reading kids' books about sharing is a good way to teach them a lesson.
Part of the Berenstain Bears Living Lights series, this story is about the value of sharing toys and time with your friends and family. Written in verse, this short and sweet story cover Sister Bear's journey from selfishly hoarding her toys to generously allowing friends to play with her things. She learns that spending time alone is not nearly as fun or rewarding as being with friends, even when that means allowing others to enjoy her precious toys.
The best way to start the new school year is with kindness. Morgan embraces this concept wholeheartedly. As he moves through his brand new classroom, the little boy shares with all of his friends. All the little faces brighten when Morgan showers them with kind gestures. A great book to read before the first day of school and throughout the year to reinforce the value of being generous with others.
There is no one better than Peppa Pig and friends to teach little ones how to behave. In this relatable story, Peppa and Rebecca have a problem to solve. Their little brothers both have toy dinosaurs that they refuse to allow others to use. Their selfish behavior leads to conflict on the playground. Fortunately, their older sisters know just how to restore the peace. Fun, colorful pictures will keep the attention of young Peppa Pig fans. A full page of stickers in the back is an added bonus.
Lots of repetition will certainly get the message through to toddlers who need a lesson about sharing. In this darling story, a very hungry bear collects a huge can full of blueberries that he plans on eating all by himself. A nearby oak tree, with a growling belly, urges the bear to share his juicy haul. What follows is a series of misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and total confusion, which may just cause little readers to shout out in frustration. But then finally, after a lot of circular dialogue, the bear (who happens to be very generous, albeit thick-headed) finally understands and amicably passes around his delicious blueberries for all to enjoy.
The Llama Llama book series is a best-selling collection of stories geared toward the preschool and kindergarten crowd. This book, like all the rest, teaches a valuable lesson that will resonate with little readers. Llama has a brand new next door neighbor, Nelly Gnu, who comes over to play. While this seems like a good idea at first, things quickly take a downturn when Nelly accidentally breaks Llama's favorite toy. Llama was already having some trouble sharing his toys, so this incident only makes things worse. Through some gentle correction and coaxing from his mama, Llama learns how to rebound and play nicely once again.
A sturdy board book built for fumbling little hands, this colorful Karen Katz story explores a variety of social scenarios. The characters work through common situations that arise when two children want to play with the same toy. Kids will learn how to compromise and navigate conflict in this helpful story for toddlers. As an added bonus, a sheet of stickers is included!
Tiny tots learning to navigate daycare have a lot of things to figure out. First and foremost, they have to figure out how to make friends, and that comes hand-in-hand with learning to share. This board book follows one little girl's discovery that it's a whole lot more fun to play with others than to hoard all the toys. A solid board book that is great to read to toddlers getting ready for their first experience in a social setting.
Bear and Hare are the very best of friends. And like lots of buddies, sometimes they run out of things to do. One day they decide to take a walk to see what they can find. Every time something interesting turns up, Hare declares it belongs to him. Ever patient, Bear just plods along by his side. When Hare runs into a beehive, Bear rescues his friend and the two enjoy the rest of their day sharing everything they encounter.
Lala has a lot of fun toys and a bag full of delicious snacks. At first she wants to keep all of these things to herself and refuses to allow her classmates to play with them. But after awhile she finds that she is lonely. Reluctantly, she decides to invite others to play with her toys and discovers that she is much happier in the company of friends. Perfect for kids getting ready to go to kindergarten!
It's no wonder the "How Do Dinosaurs" books are so popular among little kids. In this edition, this giant dinosaur learns the hard way how to get along with others. At first he doesn't play nicely and keeps his precious dump trucks all to himself. But after a little coaxing by his mother, he ultimately learns how to hold his head high even when he doesn't get his own way. And, even more importantly, he lets his friends play with his toys.
Jojo and Ava just can't seem to get along. The toddlers are unwilling part with their toys and frequently fight. One day they even squabble over carrots and asparagus. A helpful teacher intervenes and teaches them how to combine their vegetables to make a delicious stew. Charming pictures along with easy-to-follow text work well in this book about sharing for preschoolers.
Grappling with a greedy kiddo at home? This happens all too often, especially among children who have an abundance of toys. Such is the case with Edward. He has mounds and mounds of gadgets and toys that he will not let his sister touch. Poor Claire can't even hug the teddy bear, ride the rocking horse, or tinker with his prized slinky. Then one day the unthinkable happens. Edward's huge pile collapses on top of him and he cannot escape without the help of another. This particular event trigger and "aha!" moment that opens Edward's eyes to the benefits of generosity and sharing. Packed with funny verse and pictures, this story will quickly become a favorite of every child who struggles.
Cyril and Bruce are not unlike a lot of brothers and sisters who constantly quarrel. Their fighting becomes particularly heated when both fight for the very last pinecone of the season. Told in rhyme, the back-and-forth squabble between the squirrels is funny, even if it hits a little too close to home! Comical pictures add an even funnier touch to this story that will surely encourage kids to think about ways they can be better at behaving themselves.
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Helpful Books for Kids Who Don't Get Along With Others
There is probably a pretty good reason why you are looking for good children's books about sharing. Maybe you've witnessed your child grab a toy from the hands of another friend during playgroup. Or perhaps you have received some feedback from daycare teachers about your toddler's unwillingness to share with others. Consider including kids' books about manners that help reinforce good behavior. This type of behavior is quite normal and can usually be corrected with some guidance and redirection. But with some kids, it can take more than a little gentle prodding to get them on the right track. Reading kids books about sharing is a helpful way to show kids the benefits of playing nicely with others.
Readers Learn from Characters Who Don't Share
(1) Toddlers will learn through the actions of book characters.
When toddlers are in the middle of their own personal dilemma, emotions can interfere and prevent an acceptable resolution to the situation. They may even resort to physical aggression, as addressed in tales about biting. By reading to kids about characters who struggle, young children can view these situations much more objectively. It's the perfect opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about playing nicely with others in a calm, safe, unemotional environment. The lessons they learn in these books will carry over into their own experiences with others.
(2) A variety of solutions for resolving conflict are presented in storybooks.
The concept of sharing may sound like a fairly straightforward one to address. But in the real world of toddlers, there are so many different situations that fall into this category but don't look exactly the same. And as a result, there is not a "one size fits all" solution to the conflicts that arise. To help mitigate the emotions that surface in these situations, read the best kids' books about anger that provide easy-to-understand solutions for toddlers.
For example, during lunchtime at daycare, a child in most circumstances is not expected (or supposed) to pass around their snacks from home to others at the table. And yet, during classroom celebrations, treats need to be divided equally amongst all the students. This sounds logical to an adult, but it's not an easy concept for two-year-old tots to grasp. Among other grey areas that can be cleared up by reading about stealing include invaluable lessons about the importance of not taking things that belong to others.
(3) Reading stories opens up dialogue.
Talking to children about values is instrumental in the learning process. In the heat of the moment, it can be nearly impossible to have a little talk about the situation. But when kids are quietly listening to you read, far removed from an emotional outburst, they are better equipped to talk about all the benefits of sharing. Reading is the perfect opportunity to relate stories in the books to a toddler's own experiences interacting with others. By talking through conflict and how to resolve it, kids will learn how to respond appropriately next them they are asked to share or encounter a child who refuses to get along with others.
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