Human Skills™ Curriculum for Early Learning
Second Step® Early Learning helps young children develop foundational human skills—like listening, focusing attention, managing emotions, showing empathy, and getting along with others—so they grow confidently and are ready for kindergarten.
Program highlights
- Comprehensive teacher’s guide
- 28 Weekly Themes
- Boy and girl puppets
- Brain Builder games
- Sing-along songs (CD and digital)
Evidence-based curriculum with measurable results
Second Step Early Learning teaches human skills like self-regulation, helping children enter kindergarten better prepared to learn.
Strengthening executive function and self-regulation
- Builds focus and attention
- Strengthens working memory
- Supports self-control
- Improves following directions
Developing relationship-building skills
- Builds empathy and care
- Helps identify feelings
- Teaches calming strategies
- Encourages positive interactions
Supporting kindergarten readiness and transition
- Builds classroom confidence
- Strengthens routine skills
- Supports new friendships
- Eases kindergarten transition
Weekly Themes
The program includes 28 Weekly Themes, each consisting of five activities. Skills and concepts are taught through the short, daily activities that take 5–7 minutes each, with little or no preparation time needed.
Unit 1: Skills for Learning
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- Welcoming
- Listening
- Focusing Attention
- Self-Talk
- Following Directions
- Asking for What You Need or Want
Unit 2: Empathy
- Identifying Feelings (happy, sad)
- More Feelings (surprised, scared)
- Identifying Anger
- Same or Different Feelings
- Accidents
- Caring and Helping
Unit 3: Emotion Management
- We Feel Feelings in Our Bodies (worried)
- Strong Feelings (frustrated)
- Naming Feelings
- Managing Disappointment
- Managing Anger
- Managing Waiting
Unit 4: Friendship Skills and Problem Solving
- Fair Ways to Play (play together, trade, take turns)
- Having Fun with Friends
- Inviting to Play
- Joining In with Play
- Saying the Problem
- Thinking of Solutions
- Speaking Up Assertively
Unit 5: Transitioning to Kindergarten
- Learning in Kindergarten
- Riding the Kindergarten Bus
- Making New Friends in Kindergarten
Sample a lesson
Visit our resource library to explore sample lesson resources.
The all-in-one classroom kit
- A “complete system” ready to use right out of the box
- High-quality boy and girl puppets to model positive behaviors (a student favorite)
- Durable, large-format lesson cards designed for circle time
Engaging songs and Brain Builder games
- Resources that make learning active, not passive
- Games that teach executive functions through active play
- Sing-along songs that reinforce lesson concepts
Comprehensive staff training
- Two versions of the Kick-Off Meeting—one for groups, one for individuals
- Engaging videos on problem behaviors, executive function, and self-regulation
- Infographic-like handouts that reinforce key concepts
The concepts are presented in age-appropriate puppet scripts, and the songs are easy to memorize. My students’ reactions were immediate, and I saw them generalize their understanding to classroom interactions within days.
Alisa Dunn
PreK Teacher, Irving, TX
Why early learning leaders trust Second Step® programs
Evidence-based and developmentally appropriate
Play-based and high engagement
Proven kindergarten readiness
Easy, structured implementation support
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