Teaching Peace: Building Conflict Resolution Skills and Emotional Intelligence Through Interactive Books

Nov 19, 2025

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Building Little Peacemakers: How Busy Books Advance Conflict Resolution and Peace Education in Early Childhood

In a world where social-emotional skills determine long-term success more than academic achievement alone, teaching young children conflict resolution and peace education has never been more critical. Research from leading universities demonstrates that children who develop peaceful communication skills and emotional regulation abilities during their early years show significantly better outcomes in academic performance, interpersonal relationships, and psychological well-being throughout their lives.

The Science Behind Early Peace Education

Harvard's Groundbreaking Research

Harvard Graduate School of Education

Harvard Graduate School of Education emphasizes that successful peace education programs focus on helping children develop skills to "get along with others, solve conflicts nonviolently, contribute positively to their communities, respect intergroup differences, and value diversity."

"Children need to practice, from very, very early on, how to take action, to solve the problems in their community, to have a positive effect."

— Diazgranados Ferráns, Harvard Graduate School of Education

The Harvard Program on Negotiation has developed extensive research showing that conflict resolution education can bring about "significant reductions in suspensions, disciplinary referrals, academic disruptions, playground fights, and family and sibling disputes." Their breakthrough work includes the development of age-appropriate materials that help children understand conflict dynamics and resolution strategies from as early as preschool age.

CASEL's Evidence-Based Framework

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) provides compelling evidence for early intervention in peace education.

"Learning is a relational process. We are not simply cognitive. We are not simply emotional. We are not simply social. We are all those things simultaneously."

— Dr. Robert Jagers, Vice President of Research at CASEL

CASEL research demonstrates that Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs provide "a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance as reflected in more positive social behaviors and peer relationships, fewer conduct problems, less emotional distress, and improved grades and test scores." Significantly, their studies show that relationship skills can be "improved through SEL intervention, even in children as young as three."

"There's an 11 to 1 return on investment, so for every dollar invested in programming around social and emotional learning, we see that they're saving 11 dollars."

— Dr. Susan Bunting, Former State Secretary of Education

Georgetown University's Conflict Resolution Insights

Georgetown University Conflict Resolution Program

Georgetown University's Conflict Resolution program emphasizes the principle of "Utraque Unum" (Latin for "both into one"), which speaks to reconciling diverse points of view and creating understanding.

Their research shows that components of children's emotional comprehension are positively correlated with positive conflict resolution strategies - the higher children's emotional comprehension, the more positive strategies they use in peer conflicts.

The Critical Window: Ages 0-5

Neurological Development and Peace Skills

Research demonstrates that ages 0-5 represent a critical window for learning and teaching emotional competence and self-regulation as foundations for long-term academic, personal, and social success. The age range of 4-5 years is particularly crucial for social-emotional skill development, during which children make substantial progress in emotional understanding, expression, establishing relationships, and developing self-regulation skills.

These early years see rapid growth in emotional recognition, empathy, and self-regulation, while children also develop understanding of social rules and perspectives of others - skills that significantly influence later academic success, interpersonal relationships, and psychological adjustment.

The Role of Co-Regulation

Recent findings suggest that emotional competence emerges from co-regulation of empathic social and emotional interactions between caregivers and young children. As co-regulators, caregivers model and support children in learning to pause between feelings and action, helping children think, plan, and develop appropriate responses to intense emotions.

Interactive Dialogue Demonstration

The Four Steps of Peaceful Problem-Solving

Listen

Hear all perspectives without judgment

Understand

Recognize emotions and needs

Respond

Express feelings appropriately

Resolve

Find win-win solutions together

Building Conflict Resolution Skills Through Interactive Learning

The Five Essential Components

Research identifies five skills that can be taught to increase emotional intelligence and conflict resolution abilities:

Recognizing Emotions

In oneself and others

Understanding Causes

And consequences of emotions

Labeling Emotions

Accurately and specifically

Expressing Emotions

Appropriately and safely

Managing Emotions

Effectively in challenging situations

Hands-On Learning Through Busy Books

MyFirstBook busy book collections provide structured opportunities for children to practice these essential skills through engaging, interactive activities. Role play helps young learners take the perspective of another child or book character, boosting empathy, and can assist children in identifying times when they may feel angry or upset.

The ARC Framework in Practice

Attachment, Regulation, and Competency

ARC Framework Research

The Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) framework has three main intervention areas appropriate for all centers caring for young children, focusing on building necessary skills for child success including supporting positive relationships, self-regulation skills, and feelings of competence.

Evidence shows using ARC in early childhood classrooms significantly increased teacher emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support, with significant reductions in internalizing and externalizing behaviors among children, 74% of whom had experienced at least one traumatic event.

The ECSEL Approach to Emotional Learning

Evidence-Based Emotional Competence

Emotional Cognitive Social Early Learning (ECSEL)

The ECSEL approach trains teachers to enhance emotion knowledge by using current emotional situations as opportunities to learn appropriate emotion-regulation strategies. Beginning with infants, ECSEL teaches emotional competence to enhance emotion regulation and self-regulation while promoting positive sense of self, mental health, and well-being.

Peaceful Kids Program Results

The Peaceful Kids Early Childhood Social-Emotional (ECSEL) Conflict Resolution Program was created as a developmentally appropriate, theory-based approach to promoting social-emotional, cognitive, and conflict resolution skills' development in preschoolers ages 2 to 6, with evaluation occurring in 18 classrooms in day care/Head Start centers.

One US study found that conflict resolution training for Head Start children results in increased pro-social solutions to interpersonal problems, which is important because Head Start children are significantly at-risk for maladaptive, forceful behavior due to their home and community environments.

Building Empathy Through Structured Activities

Theory of Mind Development

Research shows that children with positive peer relationships tend to be engaged in and even excel at academic tasks more than those who have peer relationship problems. Fiction-based busy book activities help children develop theory of mind by encouraging them to consider different perspectives and understand how others might feel in various situations.

Practical Implementation Strategies

Conflict resolution education includes negotiation, mediation, and consensus decision-making, which allow all parties involved to explore peaceful solutions to a conflict. Peaceful problem-solving curricula seamlessly integrate conflict resolution education into daily routines of early childhood education settings.

Research-Backed Outcomes

Academic and Social Benefits

Studies show positive associations between conflict resolution skills and emotional and behavioral self-regulation, with appropriate emotion-related knowledge and self-regulation leading to better cognitive and social competence as well as fewer negative classroom behavior issues.

Multiple studies have found improvements in social problem-solving for children who received the intervention, with relationship skills being improved through SEL intervention, even in children as young as three.

Implementing Peace Education with MyFirstBook Collections

Age-Appropriate Progression

MyFirstBook busy books provide developmentally appropriate activities that build upon children's natural curiosity and desire for hands-on learning. The structured progression allows children to practice conflict resolution skills in safe, supportive environments before applying them in real-world situations.

Family Engagement

Research emphasizes the importance of consistent messaging between home and school environments. MyFirstBook collections enable families to reinforce peace education concepts at home, creating the comprehensive support system that research shows is essential for lasting behavior change.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age should children begin learning conflict resolution skills? +

Research from Harvard Graduate School of Education and CASEL demonstrates that children can begin learning foundational conflict resolution skills as early as age 2-3. According to Diazgranados Ferráns from Harvard, "Children need to practice, from very, very early on, how to take action, to solve the problems in their community, to have a positive effect." The critical window for social-emotional development occurs during ages 0-5, with ages 4-5 being particularly crucial for substantial progress in emotional understanding, expression, and self-regulation skills.

How effective are busy books compared to other conflict resolution teaching methods? +

Studies show that children regularly exposed to narrative books demonstrate increased ability to identify and label emotions, an important aspect of emotional intelligence (Zinsser et al., 2020). Fiction or narrative-based books help children develop theory of mind and elicit emotional reactions and empathic connections. The hands-on, interactive nature of busy books provides practical social-emotional strategies that research shows helps children develop abilities to communicate effectively, share cooperatively, and use strategies like turn-taking to avoid conflict.

What specific skills should conflict resolution activities target in early childhood? +

CASEL research identifies five essential skills: recognizing emotions in oneself and others; understanding causes and consequences of emotions; labeling emotions accurately; expressing emotions appropriately; and managing emotions effectively. Georgetown University research shows that components of children's emotional comprehension are positively correlated with positive conflict resolution strategies. Activities should focus on teaching children to use positive strategies like negotiation and exchange rather than negative approaches like grabbing and yielding.

How can parents support peace education at home? +

Research emphasizes that children who have positive relationships with adults typically have more access to interactions that support social and emotional learning. As co-regulators, caregivers model and support children in learning to pause between feelings and action, helping children think, plan, and develop appropriate responses to intense emotions. Parents can use busy book activities to create opportunities for practicing these skills in low-stress environments.

What does research say about the long-term benefits of early peace education? +

CASEL research demonstrates that SEL programs provide "a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance as reflected in more positive social behaviors and peer relationships, fewer conduct problems, less emotional distress, and improved grades and test scores." Dr. Susan Bunting notes an "11 to 1 return on investment" for social and emotional learning programs. Harvard research shows conflict resolution education can bring about "significant reductions in suspensions, disciplinary referrals, academic disruptions, playground fights, and family and sibling disputes."

How do busy books help children develop empathy specifically? +

Role play through busy book activities helps young learners take the perspective of another child or book character, boosting empathy, and can assist children in identifying times when they may feel angry or upset. Picture books depicting characters in diverse emotional scenarios foster understanding and encourage children to reflect on similar emotions they've experienced. Children's literature can teach a wider range of emotion vocabulary and scenarios when children might feel different emotions, supporting the development of emotional understanding and empathic responses.

Are there specific research-backed frameworks that guide effective peace education? +

Yes, several evidence-based frameworks guide effective peace education. The ARC (Attachment, Regulation, and Competency) framework focuses on building necessary skills including supporting positive relationships, self-regulation skills, and feelings of competence. Evidence shows using ARC significantly increased teacher emotional support and classroom organization with significant reductions in problematic behaviors. The ECSEL (Emotional Cognitive Social Early Learning) approach trains educators to use current emotional situations as opportunities to learn appropriate emotion-regulation strategies, beginning with infants.

How can educators integrate conflict resolution into daily classroom routines? +

Research shows that peaceful problem-solving curricula should seamlessly integrate conflict resolution education into daily routines of early childhood education settings, emphasizing the cultivation of a positive classroom culture where children feel secure expressing their thoughts and opinions. Early childhood conflict resolution approaches should respect children's thoughts and embrace empathy and perspective-taking, with educators facilitating by modeling communication skills and helping children express thoughts and recognize others' emotions.

What evidence supports the effectiveness of hands-on learning for peace education? +

Research demonstrates that when young children are provided practical social-emotional strategies and modeling by adults, they develop the ability to initiate and join groups of peers, cooperatively and spontaneously share with others, communicate in ways others understand, and use strategies like turn-taking to avoid conflict. Encouraging children to act out scenes from stories after reading helps them practice social behaviors, emotional responses, and conflict resolution. The Peaceful Kids program evaluation in 18 classrooms showed that conflict resolution training results in increased pro-social solutions to interpersonal problems.

How do cultural and individual differences affect peace education approaches? +

Research emphasizes the importance of approaches that allow children to celebrate identities, understand and regulate emotions, and form healthy relationships within supportive environments characterized by warm, responsive adult-child interactions. Georgetown University research shows that 3-year-olds are still self-centered, making it difficult to empathize with others' experiences, but with age growth, children gradually reduce using negative strategies and adopt positive ones. Programs must be developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive, recognizing that children from different backgrounds may need varying levels of support.

Conclusion: Building a Foundation for Lifelong Peace

The research is unequivocal: early childhood represents our most powerful opportunity to build the conflict resolution and peace education skills that will serve children throughout their lives. As Dr. Robert Jagers from CASEL reminds us, "Learning is a relational process" that encompasses cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions simultaneously.

Through evidence-based approaches using interactive tools like MyFirstBook busy books, we can provide children with the practical skills, emotional vocabulary, and empathic understanding they need to navigate conflicts peacefully. The investment in these early years yields dividends not only for individual children but for the communities and societies they will help create.

By implementing research-backed peace education strategies during these critical early years, we're not just teaching conflict resolution – we're nurturing the next generation of thoughtful, empathetic leaders who will carry these values forward into an increasingly complex world.

Ready to Begin Your Child's Peace Education Journey?

Explore MyFirstBook's collection of research-backed busy books designed to build conflict resolution skills, emotional regulation, and empathetic communication in developmentally appropriate ways. Each book is carefully crafted based on the latest research from leading universities and child development experts.

Explore Our Peace Education Collection

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