Preschool is an ideal time to start teaching your children about morals and positive traits to exhibit. A paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association noted that books about morals can be useful tools in conveying to preschoolers the importance of honesty, treating others well and other morals when they are written about familiar places or situations children can relate to. Help your child learn about morality by purchasing books on the subject written for this young audience.
Mice, Morals & Monkey Business: Lively Lessons From Aesop's Fables
"Mice, Morals & Monkey Business: Lively Lessons From Aesop's Fables," by Christopher Wormell, teaches morals using familiar fables and stories that preschoolers may already know. The board book is structured so the morals presented in each story can be read before the story, and you can challenge your preschooler to state the morals as you read through some of the favorite tales.
The Legend of Snow Pookas
Scott E. Sutton's "The Legend of Snow Pookas" helps preschoolers learn about the importance of treating others with care and honesty in an engaging story about the Snow Pookas, a group of creatures who respectfully care for the special talking trees around them. By treating the trees well and always minding their feelings, the Pookas help preschoolers learn that everyone deserves to be treated decently.
Please Is a Good Word to Say
"Please Is a Good Word to Say," by Barbara Jossee, helps preschoolers learn about proper manners and nice words by bringing them into a world of situations that could happen to them, such as talking with strangers, arguing with a friend over a toy or being asked to help by a parent. Children can relate to these situations and can learn from the other "good words to say" featured in this book.
Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners
"Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners," by Laurie Keller, teaches preschoolers about the importance of having good manners, but it also expounds on other moral issues, such as honesty, making friends, being considerate and doing the right thing, even if it seems hard at the time. Illustrated with delightful animal characters, this book combines equal parts silliness and learning to keep your child engaged.
Look at the Size of That Long-Legged Ploot!
"Look at the Size of That Long-Legged Ploot!," by Scott E. Sutton, is designed to teach children about being truthful. The book combines a light, rhyming prose with a story about what happens when one lie becomes another until they spiral out of control. Preschoolers will learn the importance of truthfulness by learning about these strange Ploots and what happens when lies are told.
