To succeed in school and in life, children can’t just be little mathematicians, readers, and scientists; they need to grow confident in themselves; they need to understand others, and they need to work together with others to solve problems. Educators and pediatricians often refer to this set of skills as “social and emotional” skills and this social and emotional learning (SEL) is a vital part of children's learning and development. It's the process of developing a healthy identity, understanding and managing emotions, making friends, and making responsible, caring decisions that make the world a better place.

Today, Samantha and I discuss Big Heart World.org which is a website initiative produced by Sparkler in collaboration with Noggin, that enables parents, caregivers, and educators to help children explore what it means to have a “big heart” and how to grow one.