Did you know that Al’s Pals qualifies for ESSA & ESSER funding? View ESSA & ESSER Resources
A Preschool SEL Curriculum for the Whole Child
Al’s Pals is a nationally recognized, evidence-based social–emotional learning curriculum designed for children ages 3 to 6. This comprehensive curriculum empowers young children to learn how to make healthy decisions, resolve conflicts, manage their feelings, and build positive relationships. Educators who implement Al’s Pals can build a nurturing classroom environment with activities such as
- lessons that facilitate large-group interactive discussions and problem-solving experiences,
- original songs that reinforce lessons and core concepts, and
- puppets and puppet scripts to engage preschool children.
A Nationally recognized, Evidence-based
Preschool Social-Emotional Curriculum
- The National Center on Quality
Teaching and Learning
Rated highest level of evidence of effectiveness - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Designated Model Program - Department of Education
Designated Effective School-Based Prevention Program
A Social–Emotional Learning Curriculum You Can Trust
Aligned to Early Learning Standards
Our SEL curriculum for preschool is aligned to early learning guidelines in each state and the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework, so you can demonstrate that your program is meeting all requirements while focusing on the needs of individual children.
Research-Informed. Evidence-Based
Al’s Pals is one of the only SEL curricula that has been investigated using rigorous methodologies and found to have a positive impact on social-emotional competence and coping skills.
Transformative Professional Development
In-depth, skill-building, and collaborative professional development is at the core of Al’s Pals and provides educators with the skills, tools, and strategies they need to promote positive SEL development.
Based on Resiliency Frameworks
Al’s Pals was developed with research from cross-cultural studies on risk, protective factors, and resiliency to identify the types of classroom strategies that truly have an impact on children’s lives.
The Making of the Al’s Pals Original Songs and Music
Learn how we created the brand-new Al’s Pals songs and music to reinforce core social–emotional learning concepts, language, and vocabulary while providing an authentic musical experience that will be loved by children, families, and teachers.
Featured Resources
Learn more about how Al’s Pals promotes resiliency in children ages 3–6 through the development of social–emotional skills, self-control, problem-solving abilities, and healthy decision-making.
Discover simple yet powerful messages educators can send throughout the year to foster relationships and encourage children to see themselves as empowered participants in a community of learners.
Learn how to support children and families in the aftermath of traumatic events and get strategies for providing responsive care and encouraging resiliency.
Frequently Asked Questions
A social–emotional curriculum provides tools, resources, and guidance for teachers to help children develop the social and emotional knowledge, skills, and abilities important for success in school and in life. Ideally, a social–emotional curriculum intended for use in preschool programs is developmentally appropriate and engaging for children and includes important related professional learning for teachers.
Al’s Pals is designed to be implemented in programs that serve children ages 3 to 6.
Al’s Pals is an evidence-based, comprehensive social–emotional learning curriculum and professional development program designed to meet the specific needs of preschool children. With both print and digital curriculum resources, Al’s Pals promotes resiliency in children ages 3–6 through the development of social–emotional skills, including self-control, problem-solving, and healthy decision-making.
Al’s Pals has been recognized by several important organizations for its effectiveness.
- Designated CASEL SELect Program by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
- Rated highest level of evidence of effectives in the Social–Emotional Preschool Curriculum Consumer Report by The National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning
- Designated Model Program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Designated Effective School-Based Intervention Program by the Safe, Disciplines, and Drug-Free Schools Expert Panel of the US Department of Education
Al’s Pals includes 52 lessons that guide educators in facilitating group activities through interactive lessons, engaging puppets, original music, and impactful teaching approaches. Curriculum content covers a broad range of important social-emotional skills that children need for success in school and in life. Content is divided into four categories.
- Identification and expression of feelings
- Relationships and respectful communication
- Safe and unsafe substances and situations
- Problem-solving
Al’s Pals is intended to help young children develop knowledge, skills, and abilities that will prepare them to tackle life’s inevitable challenges.
With engaging lessons and effective teaching approaches, Al’s Pals
- helps children learn to manage feelings and behaviors;
- cultivates conflict-resolution and problem-solving skills;
- builds positive relationships;
- helps prevents bullying;
- creates caring, cooperative classrooms;
- teaches children to make healthy choices; and
- promotes authentic partnerships with children’s families.
Yes. Al’s Pals is an evidence-based prevention program. Here’s a link to a peer-reviewed journal that supports the effectiveness of a social–emotional learning curriculum for young children.
With 52 lessons to choose from, educators can engage preschool children in large-group settings twice a week for 20 minutes each. The flexibility of the lessons enables teachers to implement social–emotional learning instruction in ways that complement their other curricula.
The SEL curriculum provides family letters, which are available in English and Spanish and include social–emotional learning topics that families and caregivers reinforce with children at home. The letters also include links to Al’s Pals songs, allowing children to sing and listen to it outside of the classroom.
Al’s Pals guides educators to identify and celebrate different identities and cultures in the classroom. The curriculum’s resources help teachers encourage children to discuss their own experiences and learn to embrace others and their uniqueness.
Foster Resiliency When It’s Needed the Most
Give young children the skills to prepare for life’s challenges with Al’s Pals, an evidence-based comprehensive social–emotional learning curriculum designed to meet the specific needs of preschool children.