📖Social-Emotional Learning for Autistic Kids:
Fun Activities to Manage Big Feelings and Make Friends
●By Emily Mori, MS, LCPC, CAS ●Illustrated by Victoria Stebleva

Upon skimming through this book when I first opened this ARC, I was immediately excited and couldn't wait to be able to try some of these with my Autistic 8 year old son!

The thought, consideration & research in understanding the struggles an Autistic child can go through with Social & emotional development has not only made this a book worth giving a go to help them with those struggles, but it has also made it a book that is fun, exciting & not a chore or work at all. The activities are designed to interest children, not make them feel like they are learning a lesson. There are creative & craft tasks, writing & drawing, scavenger hunts, music, sensory play, breathing techniques, role playing games, Storytelling, ball games, dice games, & so much more.
The illustrations are bright, fun, informative & visually engaging.
The age range for these tasks can very, so if you feel ones might be too hard right now, you can always come back to it at a later date, or maybe at the moment a certain topic may not relate to your child, again you can skip and always come back when you feel your child may need assistance learning and developing in that area.
The complete flexibility of this book means you don't need to do the tasks in order they have been presented in the book, do as little or as many and when ever you want! There is no pressure and best of all, they are easy and fun to do! even for Mum & Dad (or others) helping.

I will definitely be buying a physical copy to use with my son!

5 Stars from this Mother of an Autistic 8 year old Son.


Thank you to Netgalley, Zeitgeist & Emily Mori for allowing me to receive an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review. Everything that I have written is my honest thoughts and feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley, along with the Publisher for the eARC. This is a great resource for special education teachers, and parents with children who have Autism. There are creative ideas to try with kids- and visuals to go along with activities which is HUGE for kids on the spectrum. There are ideas that you can do with children as young as preschool age which I appreciate! I am excited to try some of these ideas with my students this upcoming school year!

I have already ordered my copy! It has so wonderful activities and it is so beautifully illustrated, I can't wait to have it in my hands and to start exploring it with my students.

I'm glad I got a sneak peek at this book through Net Galley. I'm an educator and the parent of a child with autism. I found the activities within this book to be valuable in both arenas. They are clearly explained and have illustrations to assist in understanding. I'm excited to give them a try!

These are SEL activities specific to autistic students, but the ideas are engaging and easy to implement. I’d use this in a whole class setting. I’ll recommend this to our guidance counselor and special educators as well.

Social-emotional skills can be difficult for all of us but especially for children with autism and/or ADHD. Mori, an experienced therapist who has worked with many autistic children struggling with their social skills and emotional awareness, has created the perfect 50-activity workbook to help autistic children, their parents, and other caregivers to know just how to increase these vital skills. With engaging activities, well-thought-out sections, and tons of great added resources, this book has it all. It truly is a complete one-stop resource for social-emotional lessons and activities.

As a speech & language technician, educator, and parent, I found this book to be everything I was hoping for and more! The development of skills from the first section about knowing yourself, to the middle about making and keeping friends, to the last section about dealing with real-life "hard stuff"; like saying your sorry and dealing with sadness, this book has it all. The steps to work on these skills are laid out in meaningful, yet also, developmentally appropriate ways. I wish that I had found this book years ago when I first started teaching! I think this is a must-have for all parents and teachers who work with autistic children.

I received a free ebook copy to review through NetGalley, but I am hoping to get a hardback copy of this for my educational resource library. I also have to mention that the illustrations and workbook activity pages are colorful and engaging, which makes them just right for the target audience of children 5-10.
Thank you for letting me early review this title!

I read this book for free thanks to NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

I reviewed this book because of two reasons.

1. My 5 year old son was diagnosed with autism this past winter.
2. I am a learning centre teacher, and there are always students on the autism spectrum (diagnosed or not) on our caseload.

I was overwhelmed by the variety of activities I can use with different ages of elementary students to practice their social emotional skills. I look forward to trying many if them with my son this summer to prepare him for school and to see how a real child does with them before I use them again at school.starting in September.

Thank you for an amazing resource!

I teach kindergarten and I got this book because it is a rare year where I do not have a child with Autism, but I think this book is great for use with all children of the age I teach. This book has activities for children to explore what makes them unique, how to name and process feelings, role playing, games, how to approach friends - so many awesome things to do with my kinders. I can't wait to do these activities i=with my class next year!
Thank you to Netgalley and Zeitgeist Publishing for an advance copy of this book to review.

A great SEL for kids and caregivers alike!

I found this activity book to be both helpful and a very easily accessible tool. As an after-school and summer camp coordinator, I am always looking for ways to become more inclusive in my teaching as well as with my general interactions with all students and their diverse needs. I found this activity book to have great potential for my to grab a use activities from within its pages for a range of needs in the classroom and beyond.

Thank you NetGalley and Zeitgeist for the ARC of this activity book.

I was looking for a book that could help me understand more about Autism and how to work with Autistic people, as I had a job interview with a company that specializes in this field. I came across this book and I was amazed by how informative, insightful and helpful it was. It gave me a lot of practical tips, strategies and examples on how to communicate, interact and support Autistic people in different situations and settings. It also helped me to appreciate the diversity, strengths and challenges of the Autistic community. This book was perfect for preparing me for my interview and boosting my confidence.👍👍👍

As a ABA therapist I have always been on the search for useful social emotional worksheets and guides for the amazing kids I work with. Naturally when I saw this book, I immediately wanted to access it to see what it offers. I love the layout, the colorful worksheets, the creative design of it. I appreciate the details of it all and how much it offers in terms of getting a child to talk about themselves to getting into expressing feelings and more. It is a fantastic resource and I will definitely need a physical copy.

This book is filled with lots of great information. It is a book for children and caregivers to help them interact and feel comfortable in their skin. This is a great activity book, every lesson has an activity to pair with it.

A wonderful book for young kids who are autistic or anxious or could just use some social- emotional guidance and help! I was aware of most of the strategies used in the book but thought they fun kid centered approach was nice and would be helpful for teachers or parents who are first learning their child is struggling in this area!

Social-Emotional Learning for Autistic Kids is an activity book covering a wide range of activities for social-emotional learning. These activities are common in various therapies for autistic kids, so they would be good for someone who is just starting to understand emotions or learning social-emotional skills, such as making friends and communicating. Some examples are role-playing new social situations, square breathing, and finding solutions to hypothetical problems on the playground.

My favorite activity is the feeling words wheel and marking where "I feel" with a clothespin. Having everyone in the family do it before morning lessons would be a great way to gauge the day's energy. Repeating it over and over can lead to better regulation strategies and integration during the school day.

I also liked that it included accommodations, which is something I find many autistic kids don't understand as to why they are different from their peers and tend to grow up hearing that accommodations are cheating or short-cuts. Instead, this activity focuses on what a child finds challenging and ways accommodations can help.

The book itself is neurodiversity-affirming, meaning it tries to help autistics learn these skills without trying to fix or change them. As an example, there is an activity called whole-body listening. At first, this worried me because it typically meant making eye contact with the speaker and not moving. Instead, the activity was about how the child listens and talks about how to advocate for themselves and their specific style. There were several activities they spoke of self-advocacy of differences and celebrating these differences instead of feeling bad for them. These are all great things.

Overall, the book feels like it's meant for children to do independently rather than as a guide for parents. I would have liked more information on engaging with the child and working together on these activities. A few caregiver tips are thrown in there, and some of the activities require a grown-up, but they are indeed the minority. In any case, it would be a good addition to a home library and home study.

Recommended age: 8-12 years

Writing style: The book is directed at a child, using the word "you" and "we" to explain concepts and activities. Each chapter begins with a theme and a quick overview of the topic and what the child will learn. These overviews often identify feelings a child might have, such as being scared of a new situation. Six activities follow this overview, and a chapter summary goes over how the activities could be used.

Lexile range (unofficial): 1010L - 1200L
Sentence length: 5/5
Word frequency: 5/5

Illustration style: The artwork between chapters consists of fidget spinners, headphones, chewies, teddy bears, and art supplies. I liked these. The style is playful without being distracting.

Reality-based: The skills learned, and the situations covered will help any child, not just autistic kids, learn social-emotional skills.

Disclaimer: Thank you, NetGalley and Zeitgeist, Z Kids, for this title. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to wait to write my review until I had gotten the opinion of my youngest child who happens to be on the Autism Spectrum. Lucky for me, he struggles to sleep. He loved it and asked when I could get him a physical copy so he can do the activities. I also see how this would be very helpful for children who are not on the spectrum to develop social emotional skills. I have always been an avid believer of teaching all children about social emotional things as well as coping mechanisms. I also have a teenager who is on the spectrum that I am going to show this to and see what he thinks. He is at about the same level as his younger brother so I think he might enjoy it as well. I am also a toddler teacher and will be implementing some of these activities into my classroom. I was very pleased with the layout and simply the idea of this! Keep up the great work!

As a mom of twins on the Autism spectrum, I saw this book and knew immediately I wanted it. We're currently at the age with them where they need more assistance with social-emotional skills as they try harder to build relationships with others. This book had a lot of great information, and I truly think it's an incredibly helpful resource.

Social-Emotional Learning for Autistic Kids by Emily Mori, MS, LCPC, CAS, is an invaluable resource for parents, educators, and caregivers of autistic children. With its practical approach and engaging activities, this book provides a wealth of tools to help children aged 5 to 10 manage their emotions and develop social skills in a fun and accessible manner.

Emily Mori, an experienced mental health professional, expertly blends her expertise with a compassionate understanding of the unique challenges faced by autistic children. Through her book, she guides readers through a series of activities designed to promote emotional regulation, social interaction, and friendship building.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its emphasis on playfulness and creativity. The activities presented are engaging and interactive, encouraging children to participate actively and enjoy the learning process. From sensory-based exercises to role-playing scenarios, each activity is carefully explained and accompanied by clear instructions and tips for adaptation.

The author's approach is rooted in evidence-based strategies and incorporates principles from social-emotional learning (SEL). She provides a solid foundation of knowledge on emotions, empathy, and self-awareness, making it accessible to both parents and children. The book also includes helpful suggestions for incorporating these activities into daily routines and educational settings.

Mori's writing style is warm, supportive, and easy to follow. She offers practical advice, reassurance, and guidance for parents, empowering them to support their child's emotional development effectively. The book is well-structured, organized into chapters that cover various topics such as managing anger, understanding and expressing feelings, and fostering friendships.

While the book primarily targets parents and educators of autistic children, it can also be beneficial for individuals working with neurodiverse children in general. The activities are adaptable and can be customized to suit the needs of different children along the autism spectrum.

However, it is worth noting that some activities may require additional adult guidance or modifications to cater to individual needs. As with any resource, it is essential for caregivers to consider their child's specific abilities, interests, and sensitivities when implementing the suggested activities.

In conclusion, Social-Emotional Learning for Autistic Kids is a valuable guide that offers practical strategies for fostering emotional well-being and social skills in autistic children. Emily Mori's expertise and empathetic approach shine through, making this book an essential tool for parents and educators alike. Whether you are seeking to support your child's emotional growth or create an inclusive learning environment, this resource provides a wealth of engaging activities and helpful insights that can positively impact autistic children's lives.

I love the framework of this book. It has great information on many topics and the tips are easy to immediately start using. Great activities teachers and parents can do without a lot of prep work.

Social Emotional Learning for Autistic Kids is a great example of the type of resources that parents, caregivers and teachers of Autistic kids need access to. It is clear about its intention and the activities are equally clear and easy to understand and follow.

The illustrations in this book are colourful without being overwhelming. The simplistic illustration design makes it interesting enough to engage children at the same time as making it easy to digest.

I particularly like the uncomplicated way that this book supports children to explore their emotions, only asking them to focus on one thing per activity. It means that they will experience success every time.

The activities feel best suited to Autistic children who are aged 12 and under (or whose emotional/ intellectual age aligns with 12 and under). There is a great selection which flow from self awareness to awareness of others and create a balanced journal.

This would be the perfect resource for someone new to supporting children in social-emotional skills.

I was excited at the concept of this book, but the execution seemed to fall short. As both an elementary educator and a parent of an autistic child, I had hoped for more of an educator’s guide, and this was… not that. It seems to almost be written as a workbook for children to read/do themselves, but the activities and vocabulary are all over the place in terms of reading level/content. I’m recommending it, as it’s something that’s so very needed in schools right now, but I would love to see something with more specific activities and instructional guides