Workbook

Different Kinds of Friends

Different Kinds of Friends is an engaging workbook designed for Kindergarten and 1st Grade classrooms to teach kindness, empathy, and inclusion in a hands-on way. Each lesson introduces children to a different aspect of special needs and supports understanding through age-appropriate stories, illustrations, and classroom activities.

Throughout the pages, students will see children with a variety of abilities, assistive tools, and learning differences intentionally represented in the artwork. These thoughtful illustrations spark natural curiosity and conversations about friendship and acceptance.

Each topic includes a short lesson followed by a fun, meaningful activity to help students connect what they’ve learned to real-life kindness. At the back of the workbook, a reference section provides simple explanations to guide sensitive discussions and creative ideas for including every child in classroom life. The workbook also encourages celebrating small progress— Inch Stones—as a classroom community, helping students recognize that every step forward matters.

Who It’s For

  • Kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms

  • Parents and caregivers who want to foster inclusion at home

  • Counselors, therapists, and specialists who support social-emotional learning

  • Schools and organizations seeking resources to teach empathy and understanding in age-appropriate ways

How It Helps

This workbook gently opens the door to understanding the many beautiful ways children can learn, communicate, and move through the world. By introducing Down syndrome, autism, and other differences through real-life examples and child-friendly language, students begin to see that every friend has something special to share.

It also helps children notice that some friends use supports — like noise-canceling headphones, crutches, wheelchairs, or AAC devices — to learn or play in their own way. These tools may look different from what others use, but everyone needs help sometimes, and different kinds of help are all okay.

With ready-to-use lessons and hands-on activities, teachers can easily bring inclusion into everyday classroom moments. Most importantly, students are encouraged to celebrate what makes each person unique and to practice kindness, empathy, and friendship daily.