Little Lessons with Big Impact: Nurturing Children Through Story, Play, and Positive Routines
Raise Kinder, Calmer Kids—One Little Lesson at a Time
An evidence-based parenting and classroom tool for social-emotional growth.
Helps build routines, empathy, and resilience
Created by a registered nurse and award-winning children’s author
Used by parents and educators alike
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“A must-have for early childhood classrooms”
— Daniela R., Pre-K teacher, Chicago Public Schools
As an educator, I’m picky about SEL resources. Many are cute but thin on evidence. Bonnie Kostan bridges research and practice in language that my teaching team can use tomorrow.
The CASEL competencies are woven into everyday moments, rather than being tacked on as worksheets.
Her examples respect diverse cultures and family setups, which helps my students feel seen.
I tried the five-minute “story plus talk” routine and saw quieter kids start sharing feelings aloud.
I plan to make this required reading for student teachers in our classroom next semester.
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“Practical, warm, and backed by solid science”
— Dr. Colleen L., pediatric occupational therapist
I recommend books to parents every day, and this one just made my top list. Bonnie explains brain-body links in plain English, then offers simple tools to build self-regulation.
The routine chapter demonstrates how small cues, such as a sand timer or a special handshake, can lower stress hormones.
Process praise examples help adults shift from “Good job” to feedback that fuels resilience.
Each chapter ends with gentle reminders rather than guilt-laden checklists.
Families in my practice report calmer mornings and more creative play after trying just two strategies. If you're looking for evidence-based tips that feel like advice from a wise friend, start here.
5 printable resources that can be used year-round
To make the ideas even easier to use at home or in the classroom, I’ve created five colorful printable tools that pair perfectly with the book, including:
An Emotion Wheel
Kindness Tracker
Routine Chart
Story Reflection Sheet
and a Bonus Writing Prompt Page
Emotional Wheel
Story Reflection Sheet
Daily Schedule
Kindness Tracker
Summer Schedule
PDF format