Building Bridges: A Guide to Growing Hearts and Minds — The Early School Years, Five to Eight

Every fair trade made is another plank on the bridge.

Building Bridges is Book Three in the Growing Hearts and Minds series, written for parents and caregivers of children ages five to eight. Somewhere in this stretch, friendship changes shape — more than once.

This book follows that real developmental arc across three chapters, from the momentary playmates of age five to the genuine reciprocity and fair-minded cooperation children are capable of by age eight. Six research-backed games give you concrete, low-effort ways to support these growing social skills at home — no special toys, no expertise required.

Like the rest of the series, it's grounded in real developmental science and explained in plain, warm language, so you always know what's happening underneath the squabbles, negotiations, and breakthroughs of middle childhood friendship. Just attention, given consistently, over time.

What's inside:

• Three chapters tracing friendship development from age five to eight
• Six research-backed games and activities
• Plain-language explanations of the science behind each stage
• Practical tools for building cooperation and fairness