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Una Guia Para Padres, El Personal, Jovenes

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Una Guia Para Padres, El Personal, Jovenes

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La Red Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio

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La Red Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio

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Disney Animation Academy: Learn to Draw Disney Characters

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Disney Animation Academy: Learn to Draw Disney Characters

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Learn how to draw your favorite Disney characters!

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JOIN THE IMAGINATION CONVERSATION: Problem Solving with the Fire Pirates!

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Hello from The Imagine Neighborhood! This week on the show, we helped Cap’n Marion resolve her eternal feud with Fieryous George the Lava Monster. This week’s activities will build upon important problem-solving skills and themes to help you and your kids better solve those tough problems that come…

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Kit de herramientas para padres de familia

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Kit de herramientas para padres de familia

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Parent Toolkit te permite encontrar en un único lugar una serie de recursos producidos y desarrollados especialmente para los padres.

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This family bonding challenge contains two weeks of simple, fun activities that take a short amount of time but can build a lifetime of memories.

Life swirls at a hectic pace all around us, so I wanted to provide parents creative activities or rituals that capture a child's attention. This family bonding challenge can work for families of all sizes and with children of varying ages.

The challenge is adapted from my book, Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day. In it, you'll find hundreds of tips-arranged conveniently by time frames or special occasions.

For example: activities that take five minutes or less; treats or activities for when parents are out of town; creative birthday rituals; special circumstances; and new holiday customs that foster family togetherness.

Yes-I'm challenging you! I'd love to hear how it's going and, more importantly, how your kids liked these ideas.

For a PDF version you can easily print, click here.

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The 14-Day Family Bonding Challenge - Parenting Expert, Susan Newman Ph.D.

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This family bonding challenge contains two weeks of simple, fun activities that take a short amount of time but can build a lifetime of memories. Life swirls at a hectic pace all around us, so I wanted to provide parents creative activities or rituals that capture a child's attention.

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In today's post: Find 11 easy cards games that are super fun to play! Each of these games is easy enough for kids and fun enough for adults or teens.
Do your kids get grumpy when they've spent too much time on screens? Mine do! When we need an hour or two of electronic free time we often turn to card games. They're easy to learn and easy to play anytime and anywhere. And if you know a variety of games you can choose a quick one or a longer one depending on how much time (and parental energy) you happen to have at the moment.

Easy card games

Today I'm sharing some of our favorite easy card games. Each of these games can be learned in five minutes or less, making them easy enough for kids, but they're also really fun, unlike some card games I've suffered through as parent (I'm talking about you, Go Fish).

Each card game requires nothing more than a deck of cards. And maybe some other easily accessible items, like a paper to keep score on, or in the case of Spoons, some spoons. The point is that these card games are easy to play anytime and anywhere!

Spoons Card Game

Spoons has got to be the best easy card game of all time. Game play is ridiculously simple - you just pick up and discard cards until you get four of the same number - so even young kids can play. But the addition of spoons turns a normal card game into an exciting, fast paced competition that's super fun! Teens especially love this game, which can be played with as many people as you'd like. Watch the video below to learn how to play, and try not to break anything once you get started ?. Find full instructions + strategy tips here: how to play the Spoons card game

California Speed

California Speed is our very favorite two player card game. As the name implies, it's a fast paced game where speed is of the essence. Each player starts by laying four cards on the table, face up. Then players race to cover any cards that have a match showing with new cards, continuing until all matches have been covered. At this point players pick up the piles in front of them and play starts over, with the object being to play all of your cards before your opponent plays all of hers. It's a fun game because it goes so fast there's no chance to get bored, and each round is relatively quick (although rounds between two opponents who are both good will go longer!) Watch the video to learn how to play, and get more tips here: How to play California Speed

War

War may be the easiest card game around, which makes it great for playing with kids. However, since it moves quickly it doesn't get boring like other "kids" card games. War is generally played between two people, although you could play with three of four (you'd probably want an additional deck of cards for 4 players). Watch the video for instructions:

Spit Card Game

Spit is a fast paced, easy card game for two players. Both players play down whatever cards they can at the same time, so if you're a person who doesn't like waiting for other people to take their turns this is the game for you!

Kings in the Corners

Kings in the corner is a game for 2-4 players that is based on luck and skill, not speed. Each player plays in turn, drawing a card and then playing as many cards from their hand as they can. Cards are played on piles with numbers going down, alternating red and black, and piles can be moved on top of each other when the right number is reached. The first person to play all her cards wins.

Golf

Golf is an easy card game for 2-4 players. Each player has four cards in front of them and the object of the game is to get your 4 cards to total a lower score than your opponent's 4 cards. The catch? Your cards are face down and you only get to look at 2 of them, plus you never know what cards your opponent has. Each round is fairly quick, with the idea being that you play 9 rounds and total your scores. Watch the video for full instructions:

Scat

Scat is similar to golf, in that game play consists of drawing and discarding cards, but in this game you are trying to get a higher score than your opponent, and you can only score points if the cards in your hand are all in the same suit. This is a great one to play with kids to help reinforce early math skills!

Egyptian Rat Slap

Rat Slap is another super fun card game that involves speed. It can be played with two or more players, and you begin by dividing the cards between all the players. The object of this game is to collect all the cards in the deck by winning them from your opponents. When players lose all of their cards they are out of the game, but there's always a chance to slap back in when two cards of the same value are played, meaning you can come back from nothing to win the game. Rounds can go quickly, or they may take up to 45 minutes or so.

Crazy Eights

Crazy Eights can be played with 2 or more players, although you'll want additional decks of cards for more players. It shares a lot fo similarities with the game UNO but can be played with a standard deck of cards. Additionally, it's usually played in rounds with your score carrying over from one round to the next.

Garbage

Garbage is a great card game for 2 or more (you'll want to use an additional deck for 4 players). Each round is fairly short, but you'll need to win 10 rounds to complete the game, so it's a great game to play when you have some time to kill. Of course, if you don't have that much time, you can just play until someone has won 3 or 5 rounds. Watch the video to see how to play:

Slap Jack

We can't forget Slap Jack! This is another super easy card game that is great for kids to play on their own with no adult help needed. Players take turns playing down one card at a time, and whenever a Jack is played all players slap it. The first to slap gets that pile of cards. Play continues until one player wins all the cards.
Want more fun ideas for kids? Visit these posts: How to play the dice game 25 fun water games Ultimate Rock Paper Scissors 50 best indoor activities for kids

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11 Fun + easy cards games for kids and adults! - It's Always Autumn

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In today's post: Find 11 easy cards games that are super fun to play! Each of these games is easy enough for kids and fun enough for adults or teens. Do your kids get grumpy when they've spent too much time on screens? Mine do!

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These 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch

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Google teamed up with more than 1,200 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world.

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Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor

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Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor

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Crisis Text Line | Text HOME To 741741 free, 24/7 Crisis Counseling

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Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. We're here for everything: anxiety, depression, suicide, school. Text HOME to 741741.

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Fresno County Behavioral Health - WARM Line

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Fresno County Behavioral Health - WARM Line

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Fresno County Behavioral Health - WARM Line Spanish

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Fresno County Behavioral Health - WARM Line Spanish

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All information entered on the Care Solace website is completely confidential and securely stored. They do not share specific user information to any third parties or even the district itself.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Email us at Call us 24x7 at (888) 515-0595 weserve@caresolace.org
We speak English, Spanish (Hablamos Español), Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Tagalog and Korean
or Video Chat

Please note, Care Solace is not an emergency response service nor mental health services provider. In the event of a life threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Hotline (800) 273-8255.

Please allow access to your camera to get connected with a Care Companion™️

We apologize, but no Care Companion™️ is available right now.

You can try again in a few minutes or in the mean time, you can email us at weserve@caresolace.org and expect a response within 15 minutes.

This call is recorded and may be reviewed for quality and training purposes.

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Fresno Unified School District : Care Match

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All information entered on the Care Solace website is completely confidential and securely stored. They do not share specific user information to any third parties or even the district itself.

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If you have concerns about your social/emotional well-being, fill out this FUSD referral form.

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Si tiene preocupaciones acerca de su bienestar social/emocional, complete este formulario de referencia del distrito de Fresno.

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Activities to Make Daily Activities Learning

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Activities to Make Daily Activities Learning

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As I write this blog post, my 4-year-old is spraying me with a water sprayer while I am desperately protecting my computer from a direct hit. Earlier, while I was listening in on a meeting, she yelled out "hi!" anytime I took myself off mute. Balancing work and raising kids in this bizarre situation we find ourselves in is an overwhelming experience. When schools started closing, some parents resorted to posting suggested schedules for kids to keep up a routine and deliver academic content during the day. These were wonderful suggestions. As someone whose dissertation focused on how people learn, I should be applauding such posts, but instead, they filled me with a sense of anxiety and guilt. How am I supposed to balance getting my work done while also designing a rigorous curriculum of reading, writing, and math instruction for a kid whose attention span lasts about 10-20 minutes and who needs guidance and adult interaction to learn effectively? Let's take a step back and recognize that this situation is not normal. We adults are filled with anxiety for the future. We are trying to manage an ever-growing list of things-do we have enough food? Do we need to restock medications? What deadlines do we need to hit at work?

So here is my message to you, parents, who are managing so much and trying desperately to keep your kids happy, healthy, and engaged: recognize that learning experiences exist in even the simplest of interactions between you and your kids. For example-

When doing laundry, have your child help! Have them sort the laundry into categories, find the matching socks, name colors. Create patterns with colors or clothing types (for example, red sock, then blue, then red, which comes next?).

Find patterns in your environment, in language (for example, nursery rhymes), and when playing with blocks or Legos. Researchers have shown that patterning is strongly related to early math skills.

Talk about numbers when baking. I did this with my daughter yesterday morning. We made muffins and had a blast talking about measuring cups, the number of eggs in the recipe, and even turning the dial on the oven to the correct numbers. Older kids might be interested in learning the science behind baking.

Take a walk down your street (practicing good social distancing of course!) and look for different things in your environment to count or talk about.

Bring out the scissors and paper and learn to make origami along with your kids, both for its benefits for spatial thinking and as a fun, relaxing activity! In this project, researchers developed and pilot tested Think 3d!, an origami and pop-up paper engineering curriculum designed to teach spatial skills to students. The program showed promise in improving spatial thinking skills.

If you choose to use screen time, choose apps that promote active, engaged, meaningful, socially interactive learning.

If you choose to use television programs, there is evidence showing that high quality educational programs can improve students' vocabulary knowledge.

Hopefully these examples show that you can turn even the most mundane tasks into fun learning experiences and interactions with your kids. They may not become experts in calculus at the end of all of this, but maybe they will look back fondly on this period of their life as a time when they were able to spend more time with their parents. At the end of the day, having positive experiences with our kids is going to be valuable for us and for them. If you have time to infuse some formal learning into this time, great, but if that feels like an overwhelmingly hard thing to do, be kind to yourself and recognize the value of even the most simple, positive interaction with your kids.
Written by Erin Higgins, PhD, who oversees the National Center for Education Research (NCER)'s Cognition and Student Learning portfolio.

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Activities for Students and Families Stuck at Home due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

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As I write this blog post, my 4-year-old is spraying me with a water sprayer while I am desperately protecting my computer from a direct hit. Earlier, while I was listening in on a meeting, she yelled out "hi!" anytime I took myself off mute.

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Skip to main content

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988

¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!
Haga clic aquí para obtener información sobre cómo acceder a todos los servicios en español.

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Stock photo by iStock.

The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

About The Lifeline

Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Find more specific resources below.

I'm Struggling With Individuals with Neurodivergence

We understand that every struggle is different. Experience the stories of people like you, and how they overcame crisis to find hope and recovery.
read stories of hope & recovery

First, you'll hear an automated message featuring additional options while your call is routed to your local 988 Lifeline network crisis center.

We'll play you a little music while we connect you to a skilled, trained crisis worker.

A trained crisis worker at your local center will answer the phone.

This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and get you the help you need.

988 Lifeline Center calls are free and confidential, and we're available 24/7.

Show What Happens When You Call The Lifeline

Everyone Plays A Role In Suicide Prevention

Get in touch

Call the Lifeline

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Skip to main content We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. 988 ¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!

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The other day, I shared 11 DIY art activity pages to make for kids based on their interests. But sometimes you just don't want to do anything more than press the print button. So, while the make-your-own versions are endlessly customizable, printable art activities are quick and easy and more professional looking.

Today, I'm sharing other art activity printables that you can offer your child.

All except one are free, and the one exception is still super cheap.

My aim was to think beyond coloring pages and find printable art activities that encourage creativity. Or, as in the case of the color and shape printables, provide art skills and knowledge.

I hope you and your children have fun with these!

Free Printable Art Activities
(Pictured clockwise from top left)
More Printable Art Activities

Printables to Learn about Colors and Shapes

Printables for 3D Art Activities

How about printing one out for now and a couple others to have up your sleeve for next time you need a quick and easy art activity?
Which printable art activities will you try? Pin It for Later
Children's Art Enabler, Mother of Two, Lover of Cherry Pie and Nature

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16 Printable Art Activities for Kids to Encourage Creativity

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The other day, I shared 11 DIY art activity pages to make for kids based on their interests. But sometimes you just don't want to do anything more than press the print button. So, while the make-your-own versions are endlessly customizable, printable art activities are quick and easy and more professional looking.

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Hey there! I'm Liz! A busy wife and mother who is always on call for my family. I love sharing recipes, crafts, DIY projects and free printables to help make a busy parent's life easier on my blog Liz on Call. I'm super excited to be here to share a fun summer project, perfect to do with your kids who love helping in the kitchen.

My kids love helping in the kitchen. My daughter loves it so much that she tells me she wants to be a cook when she grows up. She has been taking some cooking classes and has loved them. She is always excited to share with us her creations. She has a folder with all the recipes she has made in her cooking class and it's in the drawer with all of my recipes.

I thought it would be fun to help her create her own recipe book with recipes she knows how to make all on her own. Of course, supervision is always required with younger kids. As a parent, you will know at what age it's appropriate to let your kids cook alone.

I worked with my daughter in creating this free printable kid's cookbook. I let her write all the words for the cover and recipe cards and scanned them into my computer. Then I created the cute faces, inspired by my kids. Once I had them all printed, I needed to decide how to put the kid's cookbook together.

I found these photo books at the dollar store and knew they would be perfect for the cookbook.

This kid's cookbook has a cover, a belongs to page, 3 pre written recipes that my daughter has made and loves, and blank recipe cards to add your own kid friendly recipes. There is even a space at the bottom to check if the kids can make the recipe on their own, or with a parent's help.

You can download the free printable kid's cookbook by using the link below. These are for personal use only.

I printed this out on card stock, cut them apart and then added them to the pages of my dollar store photo book.

My daughter was super excited when she saw the finished kid's cookbook. I then had to make one for my son and my other daughter. They can't wait to start adding recipes to their cookbooks and making yummy things in the kitchen with mom.

What kinds of recipes do your kids like making with you? Here are some other ideas of things to make with the kids.
Beach Ball Donuts Tiger's Blood Popsicles
Happy Cooking!

Liz

Find more cooking with kids ideas here!

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Hey there! I'm Liz! A busy wife and mother who is always on call for my family. I love sharing recipes, crafts, DIY projects and free printables to help make a busy parent's life easier on my blog Liz on Call.

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​Every family needs routines. They help to organize life and keep it from becoming too chaotic. Children do best when routines are regular, predictable, and consistent.

One of a family's greatest challenges is to establish comfortable, effective routines, which should achieve a happy compromise between the disorder and confusion that can occur without them and the rigidity and boredom that can come with too much structure and regimentation, where children are given no choice and little flexibility.
As a parent, review the routines in your household to ensure that they accomplish what you want. Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Weekday Mornings:

To make the household function well in the morning, everyone needs to know what has to be done to get ready for the day. Try the following:

Put as many things in order as possible the night before.

Keep wake-up routines cheerful and positive.

Be sure your child eats breakfast, even if he or she is not hungry in the morning. See Breakfast for Learning.

Finally, round out each morning by saying goodbye to your young child. A simple hug and a wave as he or she heads out the front door or slides out of the car are extremely important. They will give your child a positive feeling with which to begin the day's activities. See How to Ease Your Child's Separation Anxiety.

After School:

During middle childhood, children need adult supervision. While some parents have their children return each afternoon to an empty home, these "latchkey" kids are more susceptible to misbehavior, risk-taking, and anxiety. For this age group, the AAP recommends that a child come home to a parent, other adult, or a responsible adolescent.

Evenings:

Dinner should be an important time for your family. As often as possible, all family members should eat together at the dinner table, without the distraction of television or radio. During dinner the family can share the day's activities and participate in enjoyable conversation. Everyone should be encouraged to take part, and negative comments and criticism should be discouraged.

Bedtime:

On school nights, children need a regular time to go to sleep. Lights can go out at different times for different children in the family, depending on how much sleep each child needs. Nighttime rituals can help ease a child to sleep. These rituals can include storytelling, reading aloud, conversation, and songs. Try to avoid exciting play and activities before bedtime. See Brush, Book, Bed: How to Structure Your Child's Nighttime Routine.

Weekends:

Weekends are good times for family togetherness. You might go grocery shopping as a family, visit museums and zoos, do chores​ that everyone participates in, go on hikes or bike rides, or attend religious services. On weekends children in the middle years can usually be allowed a later bedtime than during the week. Keep in mind that, although family time is essential, it is equally important for parents to set aside some time just for themselves, too.

Additional Information from HealthyChildren.org:

Caring for Your School-Age Child: Ages 5 to 12 (Copyright © 2004 American Academy of Pediatrics)

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routine~ family rituals~ morning routines~ family routines~ bedtime~ weekends~ spending time with children~ keep routines consistant

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​Every family needs routines. They help to organize life and keep it from becoming too chaotic. Children do best when routines are regular, predictable, and consistent.

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Family night is a wonderful way to spend quality time with the kids, especially after everyone's had a busy week.

If you're not careful, though, family night can end up being a movie and a snack....every single time.

How can you keep family time fun, even when the kids are little? An indoor scavenger hunt!

This is a perfect activity for burning off energy, particularly when the weather isn't awesome.

And that's why these printable indoor family night scavenger hunt cards are so great!

These scavenger hunt cards make it easy to organize an indoor hunt without too much work.

Plus, they feature adorable little rhymes that the kids can use to find each clue and eventually win the prize!

Read on to see how to get your set free! And for more ways to spend family night, don't miss this roundup of fun family night ideas to try!

Printable Indoor Family Night Scavenger Hunt Cards

To use these family night scavenger hunt cards, you'll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

This set includes 16 cards in all.

Each card contains a short clue written in rhyme form, so they'll be easy for the kids to remember as they search.

All you'll need to do is to read each clue, tape or hide the next clue in location described, and let the kids have at it!

To start the game, just read off the very first card.

From there, the kids can find each clue that follows by reading the directions. (Of course, if your kids are very young, you might want to give them a hand.)

If you feel the hunt is a little too long for your little ones, just shorten it by removing some of the cards in the middle and saving them for another day.

Once they find the YAY! card, they're done! Then they can get a fun prize. Goodie bag prizes are great for this, by the way.
Scroll down to get your copy of our printable indoor family night scavenger hunt cards!
Don't miss these other indoor play ideas for kids!

To get your copy of our printable indoor family night scavenger hunt cards, click the image or the link below to download them to your computer!

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Printable Indoor Family Night Scavenger Hunt Cards

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Family night is a wonderful way to spend quality time with the kids, especially after everyone's had a busy week. If you're not careful, though, family night can end up being a movie and a snack....every single time. How can you keep family time fun, even when the kids are little?

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If free printable games is what you're looking for, you're in the right place! Moms & Munchkins has loads of games that you can print for free. We have a variety of games like charades, scavenger hunts, word scrambles, word searches, trivia games and more.

We have general games that are fun to play on any day of the year plus themed games for all the special holidays. We've sorted the games below by type. Simply click on name of the game you want and it will open up for you in a new window. Enjoy!

Printable Games - Charades:

All of these charade ideas come with a free printable game that you simply print, cut out the charades and then place them into a bucket to use during the game. Each team takes a turn selecting a team member to be an actor. The actor randomly selects a charade from the bucket and then acts out the charade while trying to get his team to guess the correct answer.

Printable Games - Scavenger Hunts:

These free printable scavenger hunt games include ideas for both indoor and outdoor fun. Many of these ideas can be taken along on road trips to help pass the time while traveling. Have your little ones simply point out each item as they find it on the scavenger hunt list. You may also want to have a few small prizes on hand for some of these fun games.

Printable Games - Word Searches:

All of these free printable word searches come in a PDF format for easy printing. Simply print and have your little ones search for the hidden words.

Printable Games - Word Scrambles:

These word scrambles can sometimes be more tough than they look! The answers are always included on the free printable game just in case you get stumped on an answer.

Printable Games - Trivia:

How good are you with fun trivia questions? These are all family-friendly games that you can play with your kids.

Printable Games - Crossword Puzzles:

These crossword puzzles come in a PDF format for easy printing. The answers are always included on the free printable game.

Printable Games - Bingo:

These bingo games are very similar to the scavenger hunt games. The difference is that in bingo you try to find all of the items in any straight, horizontal or diaganol line.

Printable Games - Other:

Here at Moms & Munchkins we're always trying to think of new free printable games to create. Sometimes they don't fit into one of the main categories above. Here are some more fun games to enjoy with your little ones.

As always, we love to hear your ideas! If you have ideas for free printable games you'd like to see on Moms & Munchkins, feel free to contact us!

If you enjoyed any of these free printable games then please take a few seconds and pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to play some of the free printable games take a picture during the games and tag us on social media as we love seeing when others use our free printables.

We're always adding new freebies for you! Stay updated on the latest ideas by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Bloglovin'.

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Printable Games for the Entire Family - Moms & Munchkins

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If free printable games is what you're looking for, you're in the right place! Moms & Munchkins has loads of games that you can print for free. We have a variety of games like charades, scavenger hunts, word scrambles, word searches, trivia games and more.

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My Daily Learning Projects - Big Life Journal

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We're Hosting Free Digital Cooking Classes For Parents And Kids Every Week Day-And You're Invited

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Join Delish editorial director Joanna Saltz and her kids every week day on Instagram at 1p.m. EST. We'll be making kid-friendly recipes that parents will love, too.

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When you're a parent, self-care often slips to the bottom of the list. But taking care of yourself isn't a luxury. It's essential. And during this difficult time, when children are home and stress is running high, it's more important than ever. Here are five tips from our clinicians that can help.

The pandemic has been long, and even though the end is in sight, we're all struggling to maintain our mental health. Even now, much of the personal time that was part of daily routines pre-pandemic - commutes, time alone at home or at the store, social time with friends, sitting in a restaurant - is not available for folks with kids at home. Without it, we have to be intentional about creating space to recharge and decompress. This could look like taking a shower or bath, walking around the block alone (or with your dog), or designating time to read or simply zone out after the kids have gone to bed.

The colder weather and ongoing stress we're all experiencing right now can make it easy to slip into habits that feel good in the moment but can be detrimental in the long term. "Make sure you're eating properly, try to get enough sleep (but not too much!), and create a routine that includes physical activity," recommends Jill Emanuele, PhD, Senior Director of the Mood Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute. This doesn't mean pressuring yourself to get into tip-top shape, or not eating ice cream or binging your favorite shows. It does mean being thoughtful and intentional about how you're treating yourself and your body. Small changes like making time to take a walk, do a short exercise routine, or choosing to go to bed a little earlier than usual can reduce stress and help you feel more relaxed and resilient.

"Perfectionism and the coronavirus don't mix," says David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. "It's time to be exceedingly realistic, both at work and as a parent." Avoid burnout by setting realistic expectations and giving yourself grace if you can't meet them. "Practice forgiveness and self-compassion," says Dr. Anderson. Parents should remind themselves that these are unprecedented times. "There's no playbook for this. Remember you're doing your best during a very difficult time. Cut yourself some slack."

It's been long (long long long) year and anxiety is, understandably, rampant. With so much worry and uncertainty floating around it can be easy to absorb other people's fears and concerns without even realizing it. If you have a friend or family member who's in the habit of sending worst-case-scenario news or is prone to sending anxiety-provoking text messages, practice a little emotional distancing. Let them know you sympathize but that you're taking a break from worrying news, or simply hit the Do Not Disturb button. You can always reconnect when things are calmer.

Self-care can be as simple as taking a shower, but it doesn't have to be. Finding time to get back in touch with hobbies or activities you enjoy or making the choice to learn a new skill can be a great way to practice self-care. Maybe there's a knitting project you've always wanted to try, or you've been meaning to learn how to needlepoint. If young children at home make solo activities unrealistic, seek out activities you can enjoy together, like baking bread, or making art.

Finally, remember, being kind to yourself will not only help you stay calm during this difficult time, it will help ensure that you have the bandwidth you need to take good care of your family. When you're running on fumes, caring for others can tax your already depleted resources to breaking point. But when you prioritize your needs, you're filling the tank, emotionally and physically, and that means you'll be in a position to offer comfort and care to others when they need it most.

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Self-Care in the Time of Coronavirus - Child Mind Institute

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When you're a parent, self-care often slips to the bottom of the list. But taking care of yourself isn't a luxury. It's essential. And during this difficult time, when children are home and stress is running high, it's more important than ever. Here are five tips from our clinicians that can help.

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Whether the weather is too cold or too rainy outside, these 10 easy indoor gross motor activities for kids are the perfect way to blow off excess energy. The best part is that all of these activities use items from around the house, making them simple enough to do when you need an activity like right now. Or like five minutes ago.

And if you have multiple children, then this activities are perfect for encouraging teamwork and a little healthy competition too!

1. Bedsheet Parachute

I remember loving parachutes as a kid and my kids certainly love parachutes too! You can quickly make a DIY parachute using a bedsheet. So grab a twin-sized or even smaller (like a crib or toddler bed sized) bedsheet for this easy gross motor idea!

Get the kids (or even you!) to hold onto the end of the bedsheet and work together to try and shake a small stuffed animal or ball off of the parachute!

2. Balloon Sports

Balloons are always a go to for us when I need to get the kids moving and blowing off excess energy! You can play volleyball, basketball, soccer, and tennis with just a simple balloon.

3. Balloon Waddling Races

For this activity, you just need one balloon. You could blow up multiple balloons if you'd like to have your kids race against each other at the same time. Otherwise, you could just time each child with a stopwatch or let the kids work on their social skills by taking turns.

To play, simply hold the balloon between your knees and waddle from point A to point B without dropping the balloon. Waddle just like a penguin, which is what my five-year old literally did!

Don't have a balloon on hand? Try it with a small ball instead!

4. Obstacle Course

Another favorite way to blow off energy indoors is with an obstacle course. We use tunnels, gym mats, mini trampoline, chairs, couch cushions, and really anything else that we have on hand. So use whatever you have and make it into an obstacle course to get the kids moving!

You'll Also Love: Indoor Boredom Buster - Make Your Own Balloon Cannon

5. Animal Walk Races

When my kids need a body break at home, we like to do animal walks. Think crab walks, bear walks, or even the wheelbarrow walk (okay, I know it's not an animal, but you get the point). All of these animal walks are great for providing calming deep pressure to joints in addition to burning off energy!

6. Cardboard Box Hurdles

For this activity, all you need are a variety of cardboard boxes that the kids can jump over. Set up a row of boxes to hurdle over and let them jump, hop, or skip over the boxes. So inexpensive, but totally fun!

7. Couch Cushion or Pillow Jumping

Pull out all of your decorative pillows and couch cushions for this easy gross motor jumping activity! Set up a path of cushions and pillows and tell your kids that the floor is lava. They have to jump from cushion to cushion without falling into the lava! Such a classic activity!

8. One Leg Balancing

We have balance cushions at home for both of my boys. We use them mostly as a substitute for buying balance stools to sit on. However, we also like to use them for simple balance activities like this one. If you don't have a balance cushion, then just use a small pillow instead.

Encourage your kids to try balancing on one leg while standing on the balance cushion. It's harder than your kids will think it is! Try timing your kids to see who can balance the longest.

9. Stuffed Animal Throw

Grab a laundry basket (a large bucket or cardboard box can be used as an alternative if your laundry basket is currently overflowing with laundry waiting to be folded) and your kids' favorite stuffed animals. Then have them throw their beloved stuffies into the laundry basket. Keep score if you want or encourage your kids to back up each time they make a successful toss.

10. Laundry Basket Push

This simple gross motor activity is a great heavy work activity for kids and can be calming for many kids because of the sensory input that it provides. Simply fill a laundry basket up with toys or books or even a small toddler and have your child push it across the room. The heavier it is, obviously, the hard it is for them to push. So if the basket is too heavy, then encourage your kids to work together to push it. Nothing like sneaking in a little social skills learning like teamwork!

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10 Games to Play Inside That Get Kids Moving | CBC Parents

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Whether the weather is too cold or too rainy outside, these 10 easy indoor gross motor activities for kids are the perfect way to blow off excess energy. The best part is that all of these activities use items from around the house, making them simple enough to do when you need an activity like right now.

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Inside you'll find a giant list of 98 indoor activities for kids, especially if you're on break, experiencing a school closure, summer break, or actual quarantine right now.
98 Kid-Approved Indoor Activities for Kids During School Break/Closure

If you're a parent in the United States, or even across the world right now, you may be experiencing school closures, confinement, or even quarantine.

I know the thought of being stuck inside with three kids for three weeks is a daunting prospect for me, but I can't do anything by embrace this time we have to be together.

Here are 98 activities and ideas you can pull out anytime if you're at home with kids.

Use these ideas for the weekends, school breaks, school closures, summer and winter breaks, and actual quarantine.

This list goes beyond the basic, "arts and crafts" and gives you creative, education-based, life-skills, and of course fun ideas to make the time you and your family have together a memorable experience.

👉 You can download a printable list of these activities at the bottom of this article.

Giant List of 98 Indoor Activities for Kids

Give your kids lessons on cooking. Start with small things like oatmeal, making toast, scrambling eggs, and sandwiches. Then work your way up to harder level meals and cutting fruit and vegetables. (kid-safe knives also make this easier.)

Have a mystery food taste off! This can get spicy, gross and a little funny too! Each team will create one mixture of 4-6 different ingredients. Then a person on the other team will taste it and try to guess all the ingredients. The person who gets the most right gets a point.

Facetime Grandparents and check in on them regularly.

Learn sign language (look at youtube for great ideas and Tiny Signs is excellent for teaching babies and little ones.)

Build animals with play dough.

Have a game night at home.

Build giant structures with building toys.

If You're Curious or Looking for a Screen-Free Activity Plan...

Check out movies on Disney+.

Pull out board games and try a new game or game you haven't played together in a while.

Have a LEGO building competition (airplanes, boat, house, a car, etc.).

Help your kids write letters to friends and family members.

Have an old-fashioned backyard race (sack races, three legged races, egg on a spoon carry (or use a ping pong ball or golf ball), crab crawl, hopping on one foot, etc.

Create kindness bags you can keep in the car and pass out to others in need.

Build a volcano out of sand, play dough or molding clay. Put baking soda inside the volcano with a few drops of food coloring, and when you're ready, drizzle in vinegar to make an erupting volcano.

Learn how to sew or work on a project you've been putting off.

Make homemade cards you can use later for birthdays, holidays and teachers.

Write a short story and illustrate it, then bind it together for your own book masterpiece.

Make an indoor fort and reading cave.

Get your garden ready. You may need to get seeds, an indoor grow kit and create a plan for your garden this year.

Find an art project to do (Pinterest is great for ideas) and complete it together.

Let your kids pick out your outfit for a day.

Head to the library and stock up! Grab picture books, animal books, science books, learning resources, story books and novels, magazines, videos and books on tape. Be sure to get some things for yourself when you're there!

Put on a play or puppet show.

Make gingerbread houses (it's not just for the holidays!) Decorate a funny house, a beach house, an Easter Bunny's house, or anything else around this time of year you can think of.

Choreograph a dance (my kids love to do this together and then get dressed to put on a show for their Dad and I to watch as a live audience.)

Play with cornstarch and water (oobleck) and figurine toys.

Help with yardwork between playing outside.

Learn the names of plants and flowers in your yard.

Have a tea party and help your child make their own tea.

Work on a family puzzle together.

Practice washing hands and singing the Happy Birthday song two times to get a good scrub and germ removal in.

Go through closets and dressers to get rid of small, holey or ruined clothes and organize clothing spaces.

Make up your own fairytale for bedtime. There once was a girl who loved to fly airplanes and go on jungle adventures with monkeys....

Give your dog or pets a bath.

Make a folding picture story.

1) One person draws a small picture across the top of a paper,

2) The next person writes a sentence that describes that picture and folds over the paper top of the paper hot dog style to cover the picture.

3) The 3rd person only sees a sentence and they have to draw a picture. They fold over the sentence, and keep going until everyone has had a chance to add to the picture / story.

4) Unfold the paper and read the story aloud for everyone to hear, and show the pictures, too!

Pair all the single socks in your house together.

Have each child pick a topic they're interested in learning about and then spend 30 - 45 minutes researching the topic and sharing what they've learned.

Have a hula hooping contest.

Go through all your books and pick out the ones that've been outgrown, and donate the rest.

Dress up for dinner. Mom can wear her wedding dress, Dad can put on a suit and let the kids get dressed to the nines (or in Halloween costumes is pretty cute, too.)

Have a spa day and pamper yourselves.

Find a local hike all your kids can do (take into consideration the length and difficulty level) and go on a family hike.

Take a dance class online (youtube) or learn a popular dance.

Find a good kid's podcast to listen to.

Go for a family walk outside. Look for animal tracks, and name birds, flowers, and plants you see along the way.

If your school is going on #quarantine and running #schoolonline, get #GlobalKids for the special price of just $10.98.Take a screen-free, curiosity + creativity boosting, global empathy + engagement trip around the world, from comfort of your home

Use the Calm or Headspace App and practice meditation and mindfulness together (even if it's only three minutes long!)

Get dressed up and go take family pictures together (use a timer on your phone or camera so everyone is in it!) or just pictures of your kids.

Hold a family handstand contest and see who can hold their handstand the longest.

Have a smoothie making contest for best flavor (or just make smoothies together.)

Let your kids have a sleepover together on the floor in one of their bedrooms.

Have a puzzle race! See who can build one of your 48-piece puzzles the fastest. (we have a lot of these Melissa & Dough 48-piece puzzles and they hold up well and are perfect for 3 - 6 year olds!)

Cut out old magazines and create vision boards for the year.

Create necklaces or bracelets with beads, rolled paper beads, noodles or cereal.

Many educational websites are waving fees if your students school is closed

Here's a list of all of them that are waving fees

Outschool is waiving their fee for kids who are affected by school closures right now. It's online video learning for kids ages 3 - 18.

GoNoodle! Is great for guided & mindful movement, yoga, relaxation, etc.. geared specifically for kids.

Find a place on a map you want to learn more about and do a deep dive into that location. Look at pictures, search history of the area and find landmarks to learn about.

Learn how to make __________ (sushi, a pasta dish, a yummy dessert, etc.)

Declutter your toys - toss broken toys, donate or give away outgrown toys.

Bake cookies to have milk and cookies for a yummy snack.

Have match car races to see which cars go the furthest off a ramp.

Rearrange a room in your home.

Learn a new language. Of course, starting with the basics such as hello, goodbye, how are you, my name is... Outschool is a great (and free) resource for this.

Wash and clean out your car.

Create a solar system with planets and moons out of objects and items you have at your house.

Create a new photo album from the past year, event, birthday, etc. since you have the time! (and always shop for coupons when you use a service like Shutterfly to get at least 50% off.)

Play minute to win it games.

Create a scavenger hunt in your house or through your neighborhood.

Listen to books on tape - Audible is a great resource!

Host a popcorn & movie marathon with blankets and pillows on the floor. Be sure to shut all your windows and make it a special movie-watching experience.

Clean out your fridge and check expiration dates of everything in there, as well as your pantry and spices. Wipe everything down with a safe, non-toxic cleaner before you put everything back in.

Frame your kid's artwork and put it up around the house.

Look at baby books and share stories to your kids about what they were like in those first few years of life.

Organize your kid's school work and artwork into bins by grade in school. Here are 15 organization ideas to keep all their stuff nice & tidy in one spot.

If you're up to get away (and stay away from others of course), then camping could be a fun experience for the entire family. Here are 10 genius camping hacksyou'll wish you knew sooner, as well as 21 camping games, and 30-make-ahead camping mealsthat aren't hot dogs to ensure your family camping trip is fun, and stress-free for parents.

MORE RESOURCES FOR ACTIVITIES & BEHAVIOR YOU MAY SEE WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME ON BREAKS OR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME:

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98 Kid-Approved Indoor Activities for Kids During School Break/Closure

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Inside you'll find a giant list of 98 indoor activities for kids, especially if you're on break, experiencing a school closure, summer break, or actual quarantine right now. If you're a parent in the United States, or even across the world right now, you may be experiencing school closures, confinement, or even quarantine.

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There are no words to describe everything that is going on in the world. I am personally finding strength in the world doing their best to work together. But it is all so crazy. Every time I turn on the news, more people are being infected and something else is closing.
Update:

There is a new Activity Calendar (+Free Printable) here.

These Activity Jars are great to do with older kids. There are 75 Activity Ideas to add here.

With the newest release of schools and daycares closing in Alberta, I thought it was important to create an activity list to do with kids while you are stuck at home with them. Print it off and then message me or tag @BorntobeAdventurous in your activities. I would love to check in with you and make us feel closer together instead of feeling so far apart with all the social distancing. Just remember that when you are doing the outdoor activities to keep your social distance from other groups.

It is hard not to feel like everything is shutting down but just remember, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. We are all finding this together. I know that for mamas, isolation can be the worst for Post Partum Anxiety and Post Partum Depression. I have also heard that resources like counselors and psychologists are no longer able to see clients because of the virus. I know that I cannot offer much but if you have not already joined the Born to be Adventurous Mamas group on Facebook then get connected here. If you need anything because you are isolating then please do reach out.

Find the 28 Days of Activities for download on the link below

By Annika Mang

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Activity Calendar for Kids | Born to be Adventurous

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There are no words to describe everything that is going on in the world. I am personally finding strength in the world doing their best to work together. But it is all so crazy. Every time I turn on the news, more people are being infected and something else is closing.

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Pair the images on the cards in this memory game. Fun brain training for both children and adults!

Instructions to play memory

Test your memory with this memory game. First select the difficulty level. The higher the number, the more cards are in the memo game. On the game board, there are always two identical images. Start the game by flipping a card. Then try to find another card that has the same image as the first. If you can't find a pair, the flipped cards will be flipped back with the face down. Try to remember these images as it becomes easier to find pairs the longer you play. When you find a pair they are removed from the board and when you find all the pairs in this memory, you have completed the level.

Memory and children

Children should periodically return to this memory until they are easily capable of solving at least the most basic levels. It is common that the child will make significant progress by developing memory strategies. In order for children to remember the strategies in this memory game, it is good if the children are encouraged to go back here on several occasions and not only played once. Appropriate moments can be on weekends and school holidays!

Calculation of knowledge points

Each completed game level gives 2 knowledge point in Memory. The maximum number of points (12 knowledge points) is achieved when you pass all 6 levels. You'll get a bronze medal when you complete a level 2 times and a silver medal after 5 completed rounds. A gold medal will be received after 10 completed rounds. In Memory, the maximum number of collectable gold medals is 6. You only earn knowledge points for levels that has not been cleared before. A cleared level has a green background above. Even when you have completed a level, you can continue practicing at that level, but it gives you no more knowledge points.

Additional game information

Reviews

Report

If you find a spelling mistake or something else that should be corrected, feel free to contact the game creator or us at Helpful Games.

Comments

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Memory: Play Free Online * Brain training - Helpful Games

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Level up your memory for free with this online memory card game. Flip the cards and match the tiles together in pairs. This knowledge game for the brain has 6 difficulty levels.

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Maintaining your Mental Health During Covid-19

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Maintaining your Mental Health During Covid-19

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"Doo-doo diaper-head!" That was the name Michael, age 5, called me in my first interview with his mother and him. Frustrated, and not wanting to be in a psychologist's office, Michael was angry and showed it the only way he knew how. Embarrassed, his mother calmly scolded him, "Don't say that, Michael. That's not nice." Not knowing what else to do with her misbehaving son, she soon directed her attention back to me.

As a psychologist, I want to see the behavior in my office that parents often have trouble with at home. While Michael's outburst was helpful for me to see, I knew that his mother was disturbed by it. During the third session, Michael again became upset, but instead of resorting to calling me names, he took on a sour face, stared for a moment at me, turned abruptly away from me, and faced the window. "Michael, that's rude! Now turn around and stop that pouting." Again his mother was upset by his inappropriate behavior.

"I know you get frustrated with him, Mom," I responded, "but he's showing better behavior and doing a child's version of a self-imposed timeout. Actually, it's better than calling me names."

"I guess so," his mother replied hesitantly, "but he can be so rude. How do I stop him from being so rude and mean?"

While Michael's mother is at a loss about how to handle her difficult child, she is also somewhat hesitant to reinforce a small but positive change in his behavior. "But it's still inappropriate," his mother commented when I noted the change from the first to the third session.

How children and adolescents learn

Children and adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often have social and behavior problems along with their learning and attention problems. Rarely do their difficulties occur in isolation of other manifestations. Many parents, teachers, and therapists try rewards or punishments to change much of their defiance or inappropriate behavior. All too often we excuse these children because we believe the myth that they "can't" behave and that it is not within their capabilities. As a result, many grow up thinking the world will tolerate their unruly or just plain "rude" behavior.

As children grow, most children "get it" or seem to incorporate the subtle nuances of our social dance. They understand that when another child rolls his eyes, it is usually a sign that he has had enough of your behavior, or that a sigh means move on to another topic. While these subtleties are often naturally intuited, when a child doesn't easily pick up on them, we often become frustrated and try to teach these skills with our endless lecturing, scolding, and comparison to a sibling or another child. All of our attempts usually fall on deaf ears. Our children's "deaf ears" are not out of defiance, although it often looks like that, but due to a disability. These disabilities are similar to a math or a reading disability and should be handled accordingly. The problem with our approach is two-fold: first, we don't reinforce small changes, and second, we tend not to teach skills but use punishment instead. This article will deal with the first problem.

When students fail a subject, say math, we don't expect them to immediately make an A. Instead, we look for slight improvements like a D- with our tutoring. This signifies they are moving in the right direction. From a D we look for them to improve their grade up to a C and so forth. If I asked any teachers of a student who was failing what the first sign of change would be, they would all indicate a D or thereabouts. Yet when it comes to behavior, we expect children and adolescents who misbehave to immediately right their wrongs and exhibit perfect behavior, hence, go from an F to an A.

One cause of misbehavior

One such patient, Ryan, an oppositional 16-year-old, was continually late on weekends, violating his curfew. His mother would ground him but first engage in a lengthy lecture that usually ended up in a screaming match between the two. Later, to cut down on her worry, she purchased a cell phone for him and instructed him to call her if he was going to be late, hoping the cell phone remedied the situation. The following weekend Ryan took the phone as instructed but didn't turn it on. Again, on returning home late, he was grounded along with a lecture on how insensitive and selfish he was. Several weekends later, he was permitted to go out again. Ryan took his cell phone, turned it on, and when his mother called, had his girlfriend answer it. Ready to pull her hair out, his mother later consulted me on why he does this and why he just can't follow the rules. "Doesn't he see how much easier life would be if he just followed the rules?"

One reason Ryan wasn't following the rules is that he felt whatever he did wouldn't be good enough for his mother. His exact words were, "What's the use?" He was not only dejected but demoralized. He demonstrated his demoralization in even more defiant behavior. "It doesn't matter what I do," Ryan retorted. "Mom will find something wrong with everything I do."

I've heard this cry of demoralization over and over again in my practice from kids 3 years old to late adolescence. In their attempt to get better and improve their behavior, they often move up a step or two on "the ladder of better behavior" only to have their improvement not acknowledged but criticized. Children with ADHD and LD especially need to know what behaviors we want to see instead, not just what not to do, as we so often let them know through our punishment. Being specific about expected behaviors and movement in the right direction is vitally important and essential to kids with LD. If we are not clear with our expectations and simple encouragement, they relapse to their original poor behavior.

Reinforcing small changes for improved behavior

An easy and extremely effective way to change a child's behavior is to note the small improvements or steps that he takes. The psychological term for this is "successive approximations." Successive approximation, or reinforcing small changes, as we refer to it in my practice, involves picking a single misbehavior, determining the smallest sign of change, and then noting when the child has displayed that behavior. For many inappropriate behaviors, or misbehaviors, this is an effective tool to instigate change.

For instance, many parents hate the insolent and disrespectful tone with which their adolescent often talks to them. "How do I make him stop talking to me like that?" is often the response of a parent. Instead of just telling your sullen adolescent not to talk to you that way, find a time he is talking to you with a respectful and appropriate tone, and then say, "Jeff, see how you're talking to me now? That's how I want you to talk to me when you are angry or upset with me. I can hear you much better. Please do more of that." Even if your teenager is talking to you about new computer games or a sports event, he is less defensive and better able to register what he is doing and how he is communicating with you so he can replicate it.

Now just commenting on better behavior once will not ensure that all future problems are solved. Remember, kids don't go from F's to A's in one quick motion but rather with persistence, encouragement, and over time. Hence, you will have to find several times over the course of many days that your adolescent is talking in a respectful tone. Also, the next time he is upset, note after the argument any slight changes you may have perceived; i.e., "Brett, I noticed earlier today when you were upset with me, you didn't use any cuss words. Keep going on that track. You are in the right direction." Your adolescent not only hears what you want him to do more of, but he doesn't get discouraged.

How to reinforce a small change

Decide what behavior you would like to change.
For example, a child has awful table manners, including wiping his mouth on his sleeve and using his hands instead of utensils.

Determine the smallest sign of change.
For example, the child uses his napkin or fork once or twice. (Note: Here is where most parents and teachers fail. They set the bar too high and look for a moderate, not small change, such as good table manners most of the time. In effect, this is expecting your child to go from F to B+. Not looking for smaller changes will be a guaranteed lesson in demoralization for your child.) Also, remember that a sign of change doesn't necessarily have to be a behavior your child has never exhibited before. Your child may have used his napkin or fork. You just want to increase the likelihood that he will do it more.

Let your child know what the problem is and what behavior you eventually want to see.
For example, "Cory, your father and I would like to see your table manners improve. We would like to see you use your napkin and your fork and chew with your mouth closed." (Tell your child what you want to see, not what you don't want to see. Be specific.)

Notice the smallest sign of change that you can comment on.
For example, "Thank you, Cory. I noticed that you used your napkin." (Even if he only used it once or twice the entire meal.)

At a later date, let your child know the positive behavior change you observed with a message that you want him to continue and you want to see more of it.
For example, "Cory, again I noticed that you were trying to use your napkin more. Also, there were several times that you were chewing with your mouth closed. You are on the right track; do more of that!"

Small behavior changes become big changes

Remember, big behavior changes are a conglomeration of smaller changes and don't occur without those building blocks. In the earlier example of Ryan violating his curfew, what could his mother have done differently? First, she should continue to ground him for violating curfew. Reinforcing small changes does not mean allowing misbehavior to slide. Second, she could have noted the small changes that he exhibited, such as, taking the cell phone with him, having his girlfriend answer it, or coming in 1.5 hours late instead of his usual 2.5 hours late. Acknowledging any or all of these steps towards better behavior would have amounted in continued, but slow, improvement with Ryan instead of his abject resentment and demoralization.

While improved behavior doesn't occur instantly, we often inadvertently discourage it by not noting small changes. By setting the bar lower, and raising it consistently over time, we are much more likely to get better behavior from our obstinate youngsters.

Finally, as far as Michael calling me a "diaper-head," I've been called worse.
Updated: December 2, 2019

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Reinforcing your child's small behavior changes | GreatSchools.org

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"Doo-doo diaper-head!" That was the name Michael, age 5, called me in my first interview with his mother and him. Frustrated, and not wanting to be in a psychologist's office, Michael was angry and showed it the only way he knew how. Embarrassed, his mother calmly scolded him, "Don't say that, Michael.

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It can be difficult to think of effective consequences that actually teach BETTER BEHAVIOR than simply punish a child for a discipline problem! But after teaching 28 years, I have come up with quite a few ideas that I have tucked away in my bag of discipline tricks, and I am excited to share them with you today! These are all (well, mostly!) positive consequences that I have used successfully in Transitional Kindergarten (TK), Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. And now since we are a PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) school, it will be handy to have a fresh look at this list. I hope that it's helpful to you, too!
Consequences That Teach Better Behavior Instead of Punish 1. Start with the Positives!
Of course, we always start with the positives, right? We offer praise and encouragement. We recognize the children that are making good choices with statements such as, "____ is helping us by lining up quietly." Or, "_____ is following directions by cleaning up the first time he was asked." In addition, I am working on avoiding phrases, such as "I like the way ______..." unless I am VERY specific on what the child is doing that helps our class. Also I want the children to work towards making our classroom a better place for everyone, rather than just pleasing ME!
2. Redirect When Positives Fail
When the positives fail, I redirect children to other activities if possible. For example, if the children are having trouble at recess or inside playtime, it's fairly easy to explain that their behavior with that toy/game was not okay, and then interest them in a different activity as an alternative. I tell them that they can try that first activity again tomorrow to see if they can remember the correct way to use it, etc.

If the child is misbehaving during a lesson, such as talking with a neighbor, it can be tough to redirect that child, because you have to continue with the lesson, and the child needs to see it. So I first remind the child that they cannot talk during a lesson, and they may miss something important. Telling a child the reason WHY is important! I also tell them what will happen if they continue- that I will not be able to allow them to continue to sit there, because that won't be a good learning spot for him or her. It's not a punishment; it's a way to help the child learn.

During a whole group lesson, if a child is still misbehaving after a verbal reminder, the next step is redirecting or moving him or her. But this does NOT have to be a "TIME OUT" moment! Simply don't treat is as a punishment! Spin it as a second chance to learn better and try again in a different place. I tend to move kids around, giving them assigned seats on our colored carpet rug until I figure out the best seating configuration for everyone anyway.

For more severe behavior issues that cannot be solved by a simple seat change, here are some redirection types of things to try that I have had success with.

Send a restless child to go and draw a picture at a table of what the teacher is teaching, rather than just sit and listen with the rest of the group.

Send a child to a center to do something calming, such as stare at a relaxation jar or squeeze a fidget, etc.

One child I know responded to the fine motor exercise of clipping clothespins on the edge of a bowl. When the bowl was empty, he was usually calm enough to rejoin the class.

Another child had a book with a social story in it to read. It was customized for her with her rules and consequences. When she was having a tough day, she would go and "read it" (she had it memorized in no time!) and color a page!

The key to making redirection work is that you cannot let the problem get too big before stepping in to take care of it. Otherwise, it could just wind up making you look weak.
Proactive Redirection? Yes! Solve It Before It Begins!
In the past , I have had a few children that just behaved and learned better in certain locations in the room during whole group lessons- especially when they were just plain separated from other students in back at a table, but alone! So in order to PROACTIVELY AVOID an issue that might come up. I told those certain children quite clearly and gently that they were NOT in time out or in trouble in any way, but that I was HELPING THEM stay OUT of trouble, so that they could have a great day! If they object, I tell them that I want to try it this time, and then we can compare it to their learning behavior in their regular seat next time. Wherever they learn and behave best is the best spot!
3. Remove the Child and Private Chat
When these other steps fail, I have my class play The Quiet Game if necessary and then pull the child aside for a little chat. Then I ask the child to look me in the eyes and tell me what they were doing, and whether or not it was a good choice. We talk about it for a minute. Then they have to tell me what they will do differently next time. I do try to connect with the child during this time, and really try to understand what caused the behavior, and what the child's underlying message is. Remember, all behavior is communication! So what is the child trying to say?

All that being said, there are times when these chats have to happen during recess, only because we have to preserve our instructional time. I do believe in consequences that teach, but I also believe that the rest of the class is entitled to their chance to learn, and that no child should have the power to take our learning time away by regularly disrupting the class on purpose.

But this is the key: the child cannot rejoin the group until they have told me what they did wrong and what they will do differently next time. That's the learning piece! And it's also one of the most difficult things for some children- and not because they don't KNOW what they did wrong- they just don't like to ACKNOWLEDGE it!

Other points to remember: Give the child a chance to save face. Never publicly humiliate a child. Preserve the relationship between you and the child or things will get worse and worse for you, not better! Treat all children with the compassion and grace that you would want for your own children.
4. Beyond "The Chat": What to Do With Severe Problems
As unpleasant as it is to think about, there are occasionally children that are hurting so much that they present very severe discipline problems. These are the ones that NEED you to form a relationship with them the very MOST! Try to talk to them each day, making eye contact with them as they come through the door and greeting them personally. Children who need love the most usually ask for it in the most unloving ways! Comment on how hard they are working or congratulate them for getting to school on time. Just get to know the child. It makes a difference!

Here are some consequences for these children that have worked for me:

When children are upset about something that happened, sometimes I have the child draw a picture of what happened, and of what they will do differently next time.

Another idea is to have the child draw a picture of why he is angry.

A "Thinking Chair" is a good place for a child that just needs to STOP for a few moments, calm down, and think about redirecting HIMSELF. Even adults are entitled to a time out now and then and should be able to ask for it.

Have child sort pictures of good choices and bad choices. There is a wonderful set I found here!

Have the child play ALONE for a day or a week, since she or he is a danger to the other children. I put a jumprope around the area that the child could play in, and told the other children that they could not enter it. This is usually QUITE effective and can bring about a big change in behavior.

Send the child to another teacher's classroom for some time to think. Often, this makes kids uncomfortable enough that they prefer to avoid it and are motivated to change their behavior.

If a child has reached the point that he/she is on a daily behavior contract, then at that point, the rewards and consequences have usually been agreed upon by the parents, teachers, and administrators. Sometimes, this may include loss of some recess or playtime. It could also be a home consequence. But whatever it is, it is a consequence that the child responds to and cares about. Loss of recess/playtime is the LAST thing I do, not the first.

Older children that can write may respond to writing complete sentences telling "Ten Reasons Why" whatever they had done was a bad choice.They could not go onto any of the more fun things, such as iPad time, computer time, reading with friends, etc., until this was finished.They really hated it, but if they wanted to do ANYTHING fun for the rest of the day, they had to do it. It was an effective deterrent.

Older children with writing skills can write down why they are angry, what happened, and what they will do next time.

Older children can fill out a that indicates the causes and effects of each of their choices so that it's clear that they understand which choices caused their current predicament, and another flow chart that shows what better choices they can make that will result in things they like.

5. What to Do With Children That Keep Hitting, Hurting, etc.
If you wind up with a child that is continually hurting other children by hitting, kicking, spitting, pinching, etc., then you have your work cut out for you! Of course, you can NOT allow the child to hurt the other children. That's a given. So even if that aggressive child doesn't really seem to be doing any real damage to the others, you'll still have to deal with it and put a stop to it or it will likely just intensify until you do. I think that this is because behavior like this is usually a cry for help (or a message of some kind), at least in my opinion. We teachers may not have the expertise to identify the underlying problem, but we can be sure that there is one. Start observing, take some notes, and get the parents in there and try to figure it out! Look for consistent triggers that precede the behavior as well. Eliminating those may help you eliminate the undesired behavior.

So what's the REAL problem? Does the child seem to have friends? If not, why not? Is mom having a baby? Is everything alright at home? Are the parents getting along? Did mom just go back to work? Has dad been recently deployed? Did they just move? Did a grandparent pass away? Are these behaviors allowed at home? (Because if so, those behaviors will probably continue at school!) Is there a disabled sibling in the family? How much sleep is this child getting regularly?? What does he typically eat before school, if anything? Is this child just DYING for ATTENTION, ANY KIND OF ATTENTION??? Any of these things can trigger behavior problems in young children! Get to the bottom of it and you're halfway there!
When a child's behavior is regularly SO BAD that there is a problem several times a day, it's time to put the child on a daily contract. A Behavior Contract in Which You Focus on the Positives
In cases like these, I have the child work ONLY for the POSITIVES rather than call out the negatives continually. If she did something But if the child did minor wrong, I marked it on her contract, but that's it. nothing wrong, he/she was pronounced GOOD!!! This worked very well for me one year recently.I had the day written out like a schedule on her contract, and she would try to earn a stamp to put on each time slot (such as story time, walking in line, or reading table, etc.) orby following the rules during each one.

She enjoyed putting the stamps on, and I tried hard to remind myself to praise her each time we transitioned into something new- assuming she had behaved.If she had trouble, then I marked it on her contract and reminded her to try again next time, because I KNEW SHE COULD DO IT! I am including a copy of this contract here as a free download for you. Unfortunately, it is not editable unless you happen to use QuarkXpress on the Mac. If you do, just let us know and we'll send you an editable version!

If an apology was needed, I asked her for it.Sometimes, I asked her to explain what she did wrong, and what a better choice would be, and why.HOWEVER, my policy was that if she HURT someone, then I would take away recess or playtime- in five minute increments only- because playtime is crucial for children.

So the main take away here is that the contract was really for ME! It kept ME, the TEACHER, faithful in giving her positive feedback after every subject before we transitioned to the next one. And she got the extra attention that she seemed to want so desperately, in the form of my praise and the stamps on her contract. In addition, her parents did an excellent job following through with things at home.

And guess what? After a few months, she didn't really need all of the extra praise and constant attention any more! Sometimes we both forgot about the contract and the stamps for a couple of hours! Her better behavior won her some friends and she started getting the regular kind of positive attention that everyone truly enjoys. She went from hitting/hurting two to four times per day to perhaps one or two times per week. And I call that a HUGE success!
What about the rest of the kids? Don't they want it too?
This behavior contract has worked for me in very difficult situations about five different times over the years. It has never NOT worked to improve behavior! Yes, it is time consuming in the classroom, and yes, all of the children would like the stamps. But when a child is having so many problems in the classroom, it's usually quite obvious to the other children that he/she needs help. They really DO understand! Just give them some chances to try out the stamps, or whatever it is, and they'll get over it. Mine always do. :)

I hope that this was helpful to you in some way! Have a wonderful school year!

- Heidi

P.S. Here are a few blog posts with some more behavior management tips! And be sure to check our Classroom Management collection on Heidisongs.com!

When You're OVERLOADED with DISRUPTIVE Kids Who JUST WON'T STOP!

Getting Control of Classroom Transitions

Getting Control of a VERY Difficult Class, Take Two

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Consequences That Teach Better Behavior (Instead of Punish)

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It can be difficult to think of effective consequences that actually teach BETTER BEHAVIOR than simply punish a child for a discipline problem! But after teaching 28 years, I have come up with quite a few ideas that I have tucked away in my bag of discipline tricks, and I am excited to share them with you today!

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51 Rewards to Motivate and Inspire Your Kids

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51 Rewards to Motivate and Inspire Your Kids

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According to Nemours, rewarding a child for good behavior will help him learn to make positive choices and can make your life a little easier. Using positive reinforcement can encourage your child to make the choices that lead to a happier home. One of the ways to use positive reinforcement is a reward jar. The reward jar works in several different ways, depending on the needs and desire of your child.

Marbles

Place two jars on the table. Mason jars, vases and cylindrical storage jars work well for a reward jar. Decorate one jar with stickers, paint or markers to distinguish it as the reward jar 1. Have your child help with this task to get him excited about using the reward jar system.

Fill the undecorated jar with marbles, and place both the filled jar and decorated jar on a high counter or table within your child's sight but out of her reach. Marbles may present a choking hazard to young children, and the use of the reward jar should be supervised at all times by an adult.

Discuss the reward jar with your child and outline some of the behaviors that will result in him earning a marble. These behaviors could be sharing, using good manners, cleaning his room, being kind, doing chores or any other behavior you want your child to exhibit.

Explain that she will earn a marble for every good behavior she exhibits, and when the rewards jar is full or has met a certain level, she will get a reward. Some good reward ideas are a new book, a day out with mom or dad or a trip to the park. Let her help you choose the rewards she will earn.

Put a marble into the reward jar or let her place the marble into the reward jar whenever she exhibits a good behavior 1. You can do small rewards on a daily basis -- which works best for children preschool age and younger -- or larger rewards for a week's worth of good behavior if your child is older. When the jar is full, empty it and begin the process again.

Toys

Decorate a jar with stickers, paint or markers with your child's help to distinguish it as the reward jar.

Fill the reward jar with small toys and trinkets such as toy cars, stickers, jewelry, accessories for a doll and other items you know your child loves. Don't purchase items so small that they might pose a choking hazard for a young child. You can also add strips of paper with rewards written on each strip 1. Choose activities such as staying up late, reading an extra book at bedtime, picking dinner or a trip to the park.

Discuss the reward jar with your child and outline some of the behaviors that will result in him earning a toy. Explain that each time he exhibits a good behavior, he can pick something from the reward jar.

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According to Nemours, rewarding a child for good behavior will help him learn to make positive choices and can make your life a little easier. Using positive reinforcement can encourage your child to make the choices that lead to a happier home. One of the ways to use positive reinforcement is a reward jar.

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Mindful Schools has created ten free mindfulness classes for kids (as seen on CNN) . Join us online - for mindful activities, mindful movement, read-alouds - and let's have fun exploring mindfulness together.

Free Online: Mindfulness Class for Kids!

Sign up to receive classes and mindfulness resources in your inbox .

Mindful Schools has designed these online mindfulness classes with K-5 students in mind - AND please know that students and adults of all ages are welcome to participate. We are aware that many families are away from school and work, and we hope this is a resource that families can enjoy together.
Sign up above to receive the online classes and mindfulness resources in your inbox! What to Expect:

10 classes with fun and interactive activities for kids such as mindful eating, movement, and more

30 minutes of mindfulness and a restful break from the busyness of daily life

Experienced teachers from the Mindful Schools Training Team

About Mindful Schools

Mindful Schools is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and our everyday work is training educators to bring mindfulness to their K-12 classrooms - we've trained over 50,000 teachers, parents, and school leaders. We created these online kids classes as an immediate resource for families that may be away from school and work during these challenging times.

If you enjoy these classes, please share with friends and explore professional development programs for educators to start bringing mindfulness to your school community. If you'd like to support Mindful Schools and you have the capacity, consider a donation to Mindful Schools Thank you for your support.

Extra Credit!

Students, did you enjoy class today? Send us your notes, photos, and drawings to community@mindfulschools.org, or tag us online:

Educators and parents, tell us how we're doing. Your feedback is important to us so we can continue to create helpful resources for our community. Please email us at community@mindfulschools.org.

FAQs

What age group is this for? While we welcome all age groups including adults, we are designing these classes to be age appropriate for K-5 students. Friends, siblings, parents, and even grandparents are welcome to enjoy the class together!

Can I share this with my community? Yes absolutely - we hope these classes are a helpful resource for everyone in your school community.

How do I watch the classes? All classes are posted on this page, see below. Sign up to receive an email when we create new online resources.

What Is Mindfulness?

At Mindful Schools, we define mindfulness as being present in the moment here and now, paying attention to our thoughts, bodily sensations, and external environment with kindness, nonjudgment, and curiosity. Mindfulness can provide immediate tools to meet challenges with more openness, care, and compassion, as well as strategies that promote everyday self-care and well-being.

It has a variety of research-backed impacts, including reduction in stress, and improvements in emotional regulation, and focus. Learn how the benefits of mindfulness can be transformative in education.

Watch the Mindful Schools Kids Classes:
#1 to #10!

About Mindful Schools
Mindful Schools is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and our everyday work is training educators to bring mindfulness to their K-12 classrooms - we've trained over 50,000 teachers, parents, and school leaders. We created these online kids classes as an immediate resource for families that may be away from school and work during these challenging times.
If you enjoy these classes, please share with friends and explore our programs to find out how you can bring mindfulness to your school community. If you'd like to support Mindful Schools and you have the capacity, consider a donation to Mindful Schools. Thank you for your support.

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Free: Online Mindfulness Class for Kids!

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Mindful Schools has created ten free mindfulness classes for kids (as seen on CNN). Join us online - for mindful activities, mindful movement, read-alouds - and let's have fun exploring mindfulness together. Free Online: Mindfulness Class for Kids! Sign up to receive classes and mindfulness resources in your inbox.

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Sesame Street Monster Meditation #1: I-Sense with Cookie Monster and Headspace

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Live a happier, healthier life with just a few minutes of meditation a day on the Headspace app.

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Mindfulness Exercises Games at Home for Kids

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Mindfulness Exercises Games at Home for Kids

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Let's look after ourselves, and each other. - Calm Blog

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As days of isolation turn into weeks, many of us are feeling increasingly uprooted from our normal lives. In a world on lockdown, it isn't just our routines that are being disrupted, but our relationships too. Thankfully, distance doesn't have to mean disconnection.

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SEL Video Lessons | Lessons For SEL | What is SEL | SEL Videos | School | Teach

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Welcome to Lessons For SEL. We provide educators with Social Emotional Learning resources, tools, lessons, and strategies to boost core social-emotional learning (SEL) skills. Our SEL resources help teachers, counselors, social workers, school psychologists, & more! #SEL #socialemotionallearning

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Looking for fun social skills activities to boost your kid's socio-emotional development?

Social skills are an important part of kids' socio-emotional development. Every day, we use our social skills to communicate and interact in society.

Children learn about norms and acceptable behaviors through their social interaction with parents, teachers and, later in childhood, peers. There are also a number of social skills activities for kids that will help us support this learning process.
(Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. You can also read our Disclosure & Disclaimer policy here)
Social Skills Activities for Kids

The following activities are not just fun family or classroom activities. They are also great tools to help you work with kids on their social skills.

I've organized them in broad categories (communication, listening, emotions, participating and caring - following this social skills checklist). For each social skill mentioned below, you will find a suggested activity.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION Skill: Starting, maintaining and finishing a conversation
Activity 1: Role-playing conversations

What is role-playing? It is acting out a particular person, character or situation. It is a technique used often when training new skills and in psychotherapy.

It works really well when you are training kids in social skills, as it allows them to practice a new skill in a safe environment before they expose themselves to real-life situations. Consequently, you will see it mentioned in several suggested social skills activities.

In this activity, you will be roleplaying with your kids or students different everyday communication situations like:

starting a conversation with the kid sitting next to you

wrapping up a conversation so the kid agrees on meeting/playing again.

Just a few examples that you can use:

Conversation startersGive them a few lines that they can use at school:

What did you do this weekend?

What games do you play at home?

What is your favorite (food, game, place)?

Finishing / Wrapping up a conversation
We should play this again sometime?

If you run out of ideas, or would like to make it a bit more fun, you can use these conversation cubes (foam cubes with 36 engaging questions and activity guide)
Skill: Giving and receiving compliments Activity 2: Role-playing giving and receiving compliments
In groups of two, each kid takes a turn saying something nice to the other person (e.g. I like your t-shirt, you did great today at maths), and the child that received the compliment responds "thank you very much"
Activity 3: Puppet show
This is just a variation of a role-playing situation. You may use the puppet show idea for any of the previous social situations that we have mentioned (conversation starters, giving and receiving compliments).

Just as an example. I sometimes use my kid's favorite soft toys (Puppy Dog Pals) and represent conversations in which Bingo is having problems controlling his emotions and Rolly helps him through some of the calming strategies that we use at home.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Skill: Respecting personal space Activity 4: The personal space circle
Draw a circle on a big sheet of paper. The inner circle will be the intimate space (1.5 feet radius), surrounded by personal space (4 feet radius) and the area outside is the social space.

Put that paper on the floor. Take turns to roleplay conversations where kids speak to each other without trespassing in their personal spaces. (You may also use a string to create the circle or a hula hoop)
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION & EMOTIONS /FEELINGS Skill: Learning about facial expressions and body language
Activity 5: Identifying facial expression and body language in Emotion Cards

You can use emotion cards to work on emotion recognition. These ones here are great.

The set includes 80 cards. Half of them are faces on white background (different ages, genders, and ethnicities) showing five different emotions (happy, sad, angry, disgusted and scared). The other 40 cards are real-life emotion-provoking situations. It also includes an activities booklet that provides instructions and ideas on how to build emotional awareness and social skills.

This Emotions & Facial Expressions workbook can be a great activity for younger kids, too (we developed this one ❤️)
LISTENING Skill: Listening with complete attention
Activity 6: Continue my story

We love storytelling at home. I make up new stories every single day for my child.

Stories can also be used for a fun activity that involves listening attentively.

One person in the group starts a story, and at some point of time stops and chooses who will continue the plot. The next person will take the story from there and will pass it to another one afterward.

Everybody needs to listen with full attention because they don't know when their turn will come up.
EMOTIONS Skill: Expressing and recognizing feelings Activity 8: Drama workshop.
Write down different emotions on slips of paper and put them in a bag. Taking turns each of you will take a slip of paper and role-play the emotion written on it.

The person roleplaying practices the skill of expressing feelings

The people guessing are practicing emotion recognition.

Activity 9: Keeping a feelings journal

Some kids may find expressing their feelings a bit difficult. A good way to get comfortable reflecting about feeling could be writing a feelings journal. This one is a great one for girls. And this one could be a nice guided journal for teens, with prompts and fun design.
Skill: Expressing feelings
Activity 10: Emotion cards and real-life situations

With a set of cards portraying different situations, take turns to explain how would do you feel in when you are in that specific situation. The cards we mention in our activity 5 could be used for this activity.
PARTICIPATING Taking turns
The beauty of this skill is that it can be practiced with any game you have at home. But just to give you another idea:
Activity 11: Answer the question when you get the ball
Conversation balls are great tools to help kids know about each other. There are several ways to play with them. You usually toss the ball and check under your thumb the question you need to answer.

You can also choose one of the questions and toss the ball around so that the kids wait for their turn to answer that question.
CARING Making friends
Group Activity 12: Brainstorming what makes a good friend

Some ideas to mention: kind, helpful, talk nicely to people, don't exclude others, don't say ugly things about others
Skill: Showing interest for others
Activity 13: Ask questions about the other person.

Organize the kids in pairs, and ask them to take turns asking questions about each other.

If the kids run out of ideas you can use conversation cards like these ones ? (120 questions divided in three kids' theme topics)
Skill: Teach Empathy
Activity 14: Talk about different situations and ask your child how other people may feel.

Social Skills Activities for Kids with Autism

One of the diagnostic criteria in Autism Spectrum Disorder is persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts:

Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity

Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction

Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships

As social skills deficit really comes with the diagnosis, helping our kids with autism develop social skills is an important part of our work as parents, educators and health professionals.

Apart from the activities that you have already gone through, you may also consider helping your kid with the following activities:
Activity 15: Joining a Social Skills Group run by professional therapists
Check out if this type of activity is available in your community. We were really happy to discover that this was an actual possibility for us
Activity 16: Joining a Social Club for Kids with Autism Activity 17: Organize Play Dates at Home (guided play if your kid needs help in social interactions)
If you are looking for lots of activities ideas, make sure you check this book below:

➡️ Recommended reading (FREE in Kindle Unlimited when I wrote this post!!):
Social Skills Handbook for Autism ( 50 fun and simple games and activities help the child on the spectrum with social skills like making friends, being part of a group, interacting with peers, expressing feelings or dealing with bullies)
➡️➡️Try Kindle Unlimited Free HERE

Social Skills Activities Ideas in Books

These books come with lots of ideas and activities to practice social skills at home, at school or in therapy setting:

A picture book with 64 scenarios that build social-emotional learning, critical thinking, mindfulness, self-confidence, empathy, executive function, and critical consciousness.

List of Social Skills for Kids

Just in case you missed my previous post, make sure to check out this comprehensive list of Social Skills for Kids ? and grab the FREE poster included in that post.

Other Coping Skills Activities in this Blog

17 Social Skills Activities for Kids (Young Children, Teens & Kids with Autism)

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17 Social Skills Activities for Kids (Young Children, Teens & Kids with Autism)

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Social skills are an important part of kids' socio-emotional development. Every day, we use our social skills to communicate and interact in society. Children learn about norms and acceptable behaviors through their social interaction with parents, teachers and, later in childhood, peers.

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Social Skills Games | Everyday Speech - Everyday Speech

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Get our latest social skills games, videos, and worksheets as soon as they're available. No spam, ever - just the best resources for social skills development you'll find anywhere.

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Animated Online Stories that Explore Social Skills

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Animated Online Stories that Explore Social Skills

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I've recently started to incorporate online read-aloud stories to my daily routine, and discovered there are so many great books online out there!

Howard Wigglebottom Stories

My favorite find in the last year is the site dedicated to the Howard Wigglebottom stories. These cute animations focus on character building, social and emotional development, and lots of other essential ingredients for the primary classroom.
And guess what? They are all animated on one website! We use one story each morning as a springboard for our discussions. The animations (which we also have in hardcover books) are cute and funny - my students really adore them.

Howard Wigglebottom Songs

Not only are the animations wonderful, but there are adorable little songs to go with each story.

My students beg for them each day and love to sing along. Their favorite is "Mind Your Manners" (bottom left), but they are all fun to sing along with. Many of them have the lyrics on the screen for a bit of extra reading practice!

I will be using these videos as the basis for week-long social skills activities. There are also posters to print, coloring sheets, and other valuable resources on the same website.
Check out the entire collection of stories and songs ; all free and truly wonderful!

Storyline Online

My students also really enjoy the read alouds from Storyline Online. A great selection of stories read aloud by famous actors - my students are captivated! Click HERE to visit - it's all free!

If you are looking for more help teaching social skills, you can take a look at what I'm using in my classroom this year. The Kindness Classroom Full Year Curriculum has teacher scripts and tons of interactive lessons, activities, art projects and printable stories to support your lessons!

Click HERE or the picture below to view the extensive preview with free resources inside!

Pin the book list for later!

Pin the SEL resources for later!

Pin this post for later!

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Animated Stories for Social Skills - Whimsy Workshop Teaching

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I've recently started to incorporate online read-aloud stories to my daily routine, and discovered there are so many great books online out there! My favorite find in the last year is the site dedicated to the Howard Wigglebottom stories. These cute animations focus on character building, social and emotional development, and lots of other essential ingredients for the primary classroom.

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Everyday Activities to Build Social Skills

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Everyday Activities to Build Social Skills

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Social Emotional Learning Journals FREE-

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Home learning guide during school closure

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Home learning guide during school closure

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Home learning guide during school closure | Parenting

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School's out but not on vacation? These tips will help you keep your child on track.

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There are a myriad of benefits to journaling, and everyone should consider keeping a journal.

However, one of the obstacles that people face when they want to pick up the practice of journaling is that they don't know what to write about. In this post you'll discover 119 journal prompts to help you get started in keeping a journal, or as additional inspiration for dedicated journalers.

I recommend that you do the following:

Below you'll find 119 journal prompts for your journal jar.

Sunday Scribblings

Sunday Scribblings is a site that posts a writing prompt every Saturday. The idea is that on Sunday you create a piece of writing inspired by the prompt, post it on your blog, and leave a comment on the "Sunday Scribblings" site letting them know that you've participated. These can also be used as journal prompts.

Here are some of their prompts:

Create Lists

You can create lists of many things, such as the following:

Places you've enjoyed visiting.

Things you've done that you previously thought you could never do.

The people you most admire.

Your favorite books.

Your favorite movies.

Your favorite songs.

Your top five short term goals.

Your top five long term goals.

As a bonus, here's an infographic with 60 lists to make when you need to lift your mood (you can download a PDF with these 60 list ideas at the end of this blog post).

Confessions

Do you have anything you would like to confess (even if it's just to the pages of your journal)?

Nobody knows that I . . .

Dear ____, it weighs on me that I never told you . . .

The biggest lie I've ever told is . . .

Is there anything you feel guilty about? Is there anything you need to be forgiven for?

What's the worst thing you've ever done?

What's your secret desire?

What's the most outrageous thing you've ever done?

Use Quotes as Journal Prompts

Look at the following quotes and write whatever comes to mind when you read them:

The Most . . .

Visual Journaling Prompts

Leaf through a couple of magazines and cut out any images that catch your attention. Use each one as a prompt.

Look through your photographs and choose a few to write about.

Buy art books that are at a discount and cut them up for images.

Three Things

Three things you can't go without.

Three celebrity crushes.

Three favorite book characters.

Three favorite things to wear.

Three things you want in a relationship.

If you had to evacuate your home because of a natural disaster, what three things would you take with you?

Three pet peeves.

Three things you'd do if you weren't so afraid.

Three favorite TV shows.

100 Things I Love

You're going to make lists that will add up to 100 things you love. Make sure you give an explanation for each of the things you add to your list. For example, don't just list your favorite restaurants, write down what you enjoy about each one (the warm bread they serve before the meal, the waiter who always remembers your favorite dish, the whimsical decor, and so on).

10 Activities

10 Restaurants

10 People

10 Foods

10 Games

6 Drinks/Beverages

4 Desserts

10 Paintings

10 Web Sites

10 Writers

10 Famous lines from books/movies

Express Your Emotions

Rituals and Traditions

My favorite Sunday ritual . . .

The Holiday traditions I most look forward to . . .

Things I always did with my dad when I was small . . .

Things I always did with my mom when I was little . . .

Ask "If" Questions

These prompts were inspired by the book If... (Questions For The Game of Life).

Memories From Your Childhood

What was your favorite toy?

Did you ever get lost?

Who was your best friend in elementary school?

Did you ever run away from home?

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

What was your favorite subject in school?

Who was your favorite teacher?

What's your first memory?

What was your favorite cartoon?

What book did you read over and over again as a child?

What is your most vivid memory of the kitchen in your childhood?

As a child, who was your favorite relative?

Thinking of the Week That Just Ended

Who made you feel good this week?

What was the biggest mistake you made this week?

What did you do this week that moved you closer to reaching your goals?

Is there anything you did this week that you wish you'd done differently?

What did you most enjoy doing this week?

How did you procrastinate on important tasks this week?

What did you learn this week?

What's the funniest thing that happened to you this week?

Write a Letter

Landmark Events

The Sky's the Limit

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

What would you do if money were no object?

What would you ask for if a genie granted you three wishes?

What's your wildest dream?

What would you do if you could live a day without consequences?

What grand adventure do you wish you could go on?

If you could become an expert in any subject or activity, what would it be?

What would your perfect day be like?

Close your eyes and imagine the kind of world you would like to see. What is it like?

An Ode To Your Uniqueness

What makes you unique?

How do you stand out from the crowd?

What are your best character traits?

What are you really good at?

How would you describe yourself?

How would your best friend describe you?

What character traits do you need to work on?

What are some of your idiosyncrasies?

How do you indulge yourself? Do you need to indulge yourself more often?

How do you think others see you when they meet you for the first time?

Dream Triggers

Use your journaling sessions to think about your ideal life. Ask yourself dream triggers, such as the following:

You'll find 1000 dream triggers, covering 10 different life areas, here.

Memory Triggers

My eBook, "Create Your Life Story", contains 444 memory prompts, covering several life areas, to help you get started recording your memories and writing your life story. They can also be used as journaling prompts.

Here are three of the prompts that you'll find inside:

Was there anything noteworthy about your mother's upbringing -she grew up in extreme poverty or extreme wealth; she grew up during the Great Depression; she grew up surrounded by artists, philosophers, or politicians; her family moved around a lot when she was growing up; and so on?

Write down three of your father's favorites (it could be his favorite singer, his favorite book or author, his favorite movie, his favorite time of the year, his favorite basketball player, his favorite artist, his favorite meal, his favorite dessert, and so on).

Do you have any famous or high profile family members? If so, write about them.

Conclusion

Keeping a journal is a great tool for changing your life for the better. In addition, keeping prompts in a journal jar will make journaling easier. The prompts above are a great place to start.

As promised above, here's the PDF with the 60 lists to make when you need a mood lift. Download it, print it, and put it somewhere you can grab it when you feel like making lists. Just fill in your name and email in the form below.

Related Posts:

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119 Journal Prompts for Your Journal Jar -

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There are a myriad of benefits to journaling, and everyone should consider keeping a journal. However, one of the obstacles that people face when they want to pick up the practice of journaling is that they don't know what to write about.

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One of my favorite ways to sneak social emotional learning into the classroom is by doing crafts. These activities can be hands-on, engaging, fun, and creative. Meanwhile, kids are still learning the critical skills they need. In particular, a coping strategies wheel is a great tool to help teach coping strategies to help manage stress. So often, we just assume kids know how to calm themselves down when they really don't! That's why teaching calming activities explicitly can be so helpful.

A coping strategies wheel is a spinner craft that reveals several different coping strategies kids can choose from. Kids can even make their own individualized wheel with strategies specific to them. This helps kids to "buy in" to coping strategies, since they have control over which strategies they want to try and use. After making the craft, kids can spin and practice the strategies. Later on, when the child or young adult is upset, they can even use the wheel to remind them about which coping strategies to use to help them become calm again.

Use these directions to make your own coping strategies wheel with kids and young adults. Feel free to use this Coping Strategies Wheel activity if you want to skip the directions and get to making your own wheels right away with directions, templates, and over 30 coping strategies ready to go.

1. Draw a circle. This will be the base of the wheel. Divide the wheel into fractions. The number is up to you. I prefer to have around five coping strategies to give kids several different choices and ideas for managing emotions. Cut out the circle.

2. Add coping strategies to each fraction of the wheel. You can have students add their own individualized strategies. It might help to use this free list of coping strategies to brainstorm ideas for each student.

3. Create the top of the wheel by drawing another circle of the same size but leaving a fraction of the wheel out. This will allow the bottom piece to show one coping strategy at a time. Have students design the top of the wheel. Encourage them to color it and write "My Coping Strategies" on the top of it.
4. Cut out the top of the wheel.
5. Place the top of the wheel and the bottom of the wheel together. Make sure it aligns to show one coping strategy at a time.
6. Place a fastener through the middle so the wheel can freely spin.
7. Encourage kids to spin their wheel to practice and discuss strategies as they go. Remember that kids will need lots of time practicing their coping strategies when they are already calm to effectively use them when they are stressed. That means you will need to dedicate time to practicing those strategies. Know that it's truly not a waste of time. Instead, it's an investment in social emotional health and learning.

Best of all, kids can keep their coping strategies wheels in their binders, in their desks, or in a calm down area. Encourage them to use their wheel when they are upset to choose a strategy that will help calm them down.

Feel free to make your own coping strategies wheel or use this Coping Strategies Wheel activity to print and make with your students right away. It includes over 30 unique coping strategies to include in each wheel or you can add your own! I also have a Managing My Emotions Wheel activity if these are crafts your learners love!

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One of my favorite ways to sneak social emotional learning into the classroom is by doing crafts. These activities can be hands-on, engaging, fun, and creative. Meanwhile, kids are still learning the critical skills they need. In particular, a coping strategies wheel is a great tool to help teach co

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This is an #ELSAFREEFRIDAY resource. It consists of a display poster for you to use to talk about coping strategies. It also has a worksheet for children to come up with their own coping strategies.
Download: A TO Z OF CALMING TECHNIQUES

Other Resources you will love!

Calming down resource pack for pupils to learn different coping strategies for emotional regulation. This consists of: 24 Posters to put in your calm down...

£3.00

Emotions Intervention This emotions intervention is written for a group of six children and is led by an ELSA or teaching assistant. It covers recognising,...

£3.00

The My family workbook can be made up to suit the child. Work on families can be very useful as it helps children to understand...

£1.50

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A to Z of coping skills - ELSA Support . Coping Strategies

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This is an #ELSAFREEFRIDAY resource. It consists of a display poster for you to use to talk about coping strategies. It also has a worksheet for children to come up with their own coping strategies. Download: A TO Z OF CALMING TECHNIQUES Other Resources you will love!

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To give people ideas of ways they can play, and places they can go online to play and connect with others, I wrote a blog post over on Encourage Play with awesome play ideas for families at home. I'm going to continue to update it as I find new helpful online resources.

"Play and unscheduled downtime are central to our emotional well-being throughout our lives." - Play = Learning
edited by Dorothy G. Singer, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek

Do some Movement

People always talk about exercise as a central pillar of mental health. Why? First of all, the human body is fantastic. It allows you to think, move, and interact with the world. It allows you to express yourself. How your body feels can have an impact on how you are emotionally feeling.

Exercise releases chemicals called endorphins. These "feel-good chemicals" trigger positive feelings in your brain. So by releasing endorphins, you are tapping into a natural way to improve your state of mind. After a long run or an exercise class, your body might be tired, but your endorphins are running high. You don't have to run a 5k to get it, either. Any type of movement will do this.

You can take a walk around your neighborhood while you practice social distancing. You can do some stretches at your house. You can do a GoNoodle indoor recess video. You can play video games that involve moving like Just Dance or Arms. Keep yourself active even during this time.
Before you start any exercise routine, please check with your doctor to get recommendations about what to do and what to avoid, based on your own body and medical needs.
Practice gratitude

There's a lot of research around gratitude, which shows that being grateful can improve psychological health, reduce toxic emotions, and increase empathy.

You can take a few minutes and write down a few things you are thankful for. If you find it challenging at first, focus on just 2 or 3 things. It doesn't have to be significant. It could be that you're grateful for how the sun feels on your skin, or that your friend makes you laugh, or that your mom made your favorite breakfast.

Or it could be big things like you're grateful for your family, people who love you, or your support system. You can write them on a slip of paper and put them in a jar. That way, you can physically see them all. Or you could take strips of paper and make a paper chain of gratitude that you hang in your room. Or you can write it in a journal.

The coping skills I shared earlier are ones that you can do too. There's a lot on you now. Constant caregiving is a challenge on good days. This is a tough, exhausting time. For you, figuring out self-care strategies when you are surrounded by others is a challenge. But here are some ideas that may help you:

Talk to other adults about how you're feeling

You may be having a ton of emotions and thoughts about this whole situation. You may be worried about your parents or grandparents, or concerned about someone in your life with a compromised immune system. Please talk to someone. Call or text your friends. If you don't have anyone at your home, there are online communities you can join. There are Facebook groups for everything. Here are some of my favorite online parenting communities.

AT Parenting Community with Natasha Daniels, LCSW, Child Therapist & Author - specifically for parents of kids with anxiety and OCD

We Turned Out Okay Parent Coaching Community with Karen Lock Kolp, MEd - especially for parents of little kids

Growing Up Confident Community with Kim Lange, Child & Adolescent Therapist - Focused on the emotional lives of children.

The Neighborhood at Imperfect Families from Nicole Schwarz, Parent Coach and LMFT focused on a positive parenting approach.

The Village from Happily Family - Run by Cecilia & Jason Hilkey with a focus on mindful parenting.

Take a quick walk or go outside for a few moments if you can

If you can just take a moment for yourself, because that's all you have, do it. Take a few deep breaths. If you have a partner, try to tag team, and make sure you each get breaks. If you don't, put on a new show for your kids and have tea in the other room for a moment. Here's a great post about self-care for people who don't have time for self-care.

I'm having Nutella & wine, what are you going to have?

As for me, I'm also going to indulge a little bit. I made chocolate chip muffins the other day, and they were terrific! I'm supporting my local wine store by ordering delivery. I have some of my favorite treats in the house, like Nutella, of course. And my husband got ice cream. We're not going to go crazy and eat dessert for dinner all the time. But it will happen 🙂

I've been collecting great resources from my colleagues who are recording videos and sharing their thoughts and strategies on coping with COVID-19. I will continue to update this list as I find more things.
How To Cope with Anxiety about Coronavirus
VIDEO Natasha Daniels: What is the Coronavirus for Kids and Teens and here are some more resources from Natasha (scroll down to see them).

VIDEO Renee Jain and Laura Markham talking about Coronavirus

Tina Payne Bryson about talking to children about coronavirus

Talking to kids with Anxiety & ADHD about Coronavirus from Additudemag
Foldable comic about Coronavirus for kids Social Story for Kids about Coronavirus
Resources for Supporting Families During the Coronavirus from the Child Mind Institute

SOME Resources from Coping Skills for Kids

Right now, I'm offering my Coping Skills Family Activity e-book for FREE

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Coping with Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Coping Skills for Kids

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To give people ideas of ways they can play, and places they can go online to play and connect with others, I wrote a blog post over on Encourage Play with awesome play ideas for families at home. I'm going to continue to update it as I find new helpful online resources.

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As a counselor, sometimes I work with kids who have a hard time identifying their feelings, especially the fact that feelings can range from slight to intense. One of the interventions I use is a feelings thermometer.

Kids need to understand what they are feeling and that feelings can be small or big. Being able to identify how big their feelings are can also help them recognize when they are getting more and more escalated. If they know when they are escalating, then they can intervene and use a coping skill to manage their feelings.

When creating a thermometer, focus on one feeling at a time. Here's how you can make an anger thermometer.
How to Make an Anger Thermometer:
Take a blank thermometer and divided it into 3 sections.

Have the child pick out three colors, one for each section of the thermometer and color it in

Next to the bottom section of the thermometer, I write slightly angry, by the middle section I write really angry, and by the top I write very angry. Sometimes I even add the words small, medium and big by each of the sections so kids really understand about the size of their feeling.

Ask what their anger looks like when they are at the bottom of the thermometer. Do they stomp their feet, sigh loudly, growl, etc. Then we move on to the next section - if they are really angry, what does that look like? Does their voice get louder? Do they start invading other people's space? Then we talk about very angry - what does that look like? Is it yelling, throwing things, running away?

It isn't always easy for kids to do this. If they are having a hard time identifying what the behaviors were, I tell them what I noticed the last time I saw them get angry. Sometimes I try to give them a prompt to help them, like "When some kids get angry, they yell, is that something you do?"

Once we go through and identify behaviors on the thermometer, then we work on identifying coping skills they can use to calm down. Some examples include getting a drink of water, taking deep breaths, counting to a certain number or taking a walk.

I want to make sure they have coping skills that will help them at each level of anger. It's important to have a variety of coping skills for each level, because not all coping skills will work all the time. For some kids, taking a drink of water can help calm them down when they are just slightly angry. However, when they are very angry, getting a drink of water won't help. They need to do something different at that point, like take a walk.

Later on, after an incident has happened, they can use the thermometer to indicate how they are feeling, and it's a jumping off point for determining what to do next.

To make it easier (and because I love crafts), I add arrows to my feelings thermometer. I typically like to laminate the thermometer and the little arrow. Then I use velcro to make places to move the thermometer. The kids can easily move the arrow to indicate where they were on the thermometer.

To make it easier for you, I've created a printable that you can use to make your own feelings thermometer. On the left you can label what they child looks like, and on the right of the thermometer, you can write what they do.
Although I've just focused here on anger, you can also make feelings thermometers for sadness or anxiety or any other feeling a child is having difficulty understanding.

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Making a Feelings Thermometer - Coping Skills for Kids

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As a counselor, sometimes I work with kids who have a hard time identifying their feelings, especially the fact that feelings can range from slight to intense. One of the interventions I use is a feelings thermometer. Kids need to understand what they are feeling and that feelings can be small or big.

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60 Strategies to Calm and Angry or Anxious Child

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60 Strategies to Calm and Angry or Anxious Child

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Making calming jars with kids is fun, but it's also a useful coping strategy that can help a child calm down and relax. Kids can use calming jars as a way to take space when things get a little overwhelming. Just shake the jar and watch it. There is something very calming about shaking the bottle and watching the glitter or other materials settle down slowly. At our house, we use them at bedtime and as a way to relax.

Materials Needed:

Empty Water Bottle (VOSS bottles work very well)

Warm Water

Glitter Paint

To make your jar, add glitter paint to the bottom of the jar until it just covers the bottom of it. Add warm water. Put the cover on and shake to help the ingredients combine.

Once you are satisfied with the look of your jar, then you can super glue the lid shut, so it doesn't spill. In a pinch, I've also used duct tape to secure the lid.

Now, let's see the calming jar in action.

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How To Make a Calming Jar - Coping Skills for Kids

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Making calming jars with kids is fun, but it's also a useful coping strategy that can help a child calm down and relax. Kids can use calming jars as a way to take space when things get a little overwhelming. Just shake the jar and watch it.

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All kids and needs need positive activities to help calm the body and mind. Use these resources to help create a virtual calm down room or just to add to the self-regulation strategies you are already using. Calming Website Activities & Games Do Nothing for 2 MinutesWeave Silk DrawingTangr

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Fish Jigsaw Puzzle | Kids Online Puzzles

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Move the pieces of the online jigsaw puzzle to form the picture.

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Make a Robot | A fun activity for children of all ages - click and drag parts to design a robot

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Disney.com | The official home for all things Disney

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The official website for all things Disney: theme parks, resorts, movies, tv programs, characters, games, videos, music, shopping, and more!

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ABCya's Pixel Art is an online activity that allows users to create their own masterpiece pixel-by-pixel!

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Send Feedback

To save, right click the thumbnail and choose Save Image As....

Drag colors to blend.

Press Space to start anew.

Press Z to undo.

Try different colors and symmetries.

Sally forth, you weaver of wonder, sower of silken waves.

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Magic Mirror Paint is an online art activity that allows users to create their own magic mirror masterpiece! With a huge pallet of colors and lots of fun tools, the only limit is your own imagination!

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Mindful Soothing Music and Nature Sounds

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Mindful Soothing Music and Nature Sounds

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Helping Reduce Your Child's Anxiety and Worry

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Helping Reduce Your Child's Anxiety and Worry

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Anxiety symptoms are common in children and adolescents, with 10 to 20 percent of school-aged children experiencing anxiety symptoms. An even larger number of children experience stress that does not qualify as an anxiety disorder. So how can you help to reduce your child's anxiety and stress?
1. Encourage your child to face his/her fears, not run away from them.
When we are afraid of situations, we avoid them. However, avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations maintains the anxiety. Instead, if a child faces his or her fears, the child will learn that the anxiety reduces naturally on its own over time. The body cannot remain anxious for a very long period of time, so there is a system in the body that calms the body down. Usually your anxiety will reduce within 20-45 minutes if you stay in the anxiety-provoking situation. (For more on this, see Lessons from a Toddler and Facing Fears Without Pushing Your Child Over the Edge.).
2. Tell your child that it is okay to be imperfect.
Often we feel that it is necessary for our children to succeed in sports, school, and performance situations. But sometimes we forget that kids need to be kids. School becomes driven by grades, not by enjoyment of learning if an 85 is good, but not good enough. This is not to say that striving is not important. It is important to encourage your child to work hard but equally important to accept and embrace your child's mistakes and imperfections. (Read more about this in The Eyes of the Tornado.)
3. Focus on the positives.
Many times, anxious and stressed children can get lost in negative thoughts and self-criticism. They may focus on how the glass is half empty instead of half-full and worry about future events. The more that you are able to focus on your child's positive attributes and the good aspects of a situation, the more that it will remind your child to focus on the positives. (Read more about focusing on the positives in Embracing the Worst.)
4. Schedule relaxing activities.
Children need time to relax and be kids. Unfortunately, sometimes even fun activities, like sports, can become more about success than they are about fun. Instead, it is important to ensure that your child engages in play purely for the sake of fun. This may include scheduling time each day for your child to play with toys, play a game, play a sport (without it being competitive), doing yoga, paint, have a tea party, put on a play, or just be silly.
5. Model approach behavior, self-care, and positive thinking.
Your child will do what you do. So if you avoid anxiety-provoking situations, so will your child. If you face your fears, so will your child. If you take care of yourself and schedule time for your own needs, your child will learn that self-care is an important part of life. If you look for the positive in situations, so will your child. Children learn behaviors from watching their parents. So when you think about your child's psychological well-being, think about your own as well.
6. Reward your child's brave behaviors.
If your child faces his or her fears, reward this with praise, a hug, or even something tangible like a sticker or a small treat. This is not bribery if you establish this as a motivator prior to your child being in the situation. If you reward behaviors, your child will engage in them more often.
7. Encourage good sleep hygiene.
Set a bedtime for your child and stick to it, even on weekends. Also have a 30-45 minute bedtime routine that is done every night. This helps your child to transition from the activities of the day to the relaxed state necessary to fall asleep.
8. Encourage your child to express his/her anxiety.
If your child says that he or she is worried or scared, don't say "No you're not!" or "You're fine." That doesn't help your child. Instead, it is likely to make your child believe that you do not listen or do not understand him/her. Instead, validate your child's experience by saying things like, "Yes, you seem scared. What are you worried about?" Then have a discussion about your child's emotions and fears.
9. Help your child to problem solve.
Once you have validated your child's emotions and demonstrated that you understand your child's experience and are listening to what your child has to say, help your child to problem solve. This does not mean solving the problem for your child. It means helping your child to identify possible solutions. If your child can generate solutions, that is great. If not, generate some potential solutions for your child and ask your child to pick the solution that he or she thinks would work best.
10. Stay calm.
Children look to their parents to determine how to react in situations. We've all seen a young child trip and fall and then look to their parent to see how to react. If the parent seems concerned, the child cries. This is because the child is looking to their parent for a signal of how to react to the situation. Children of all ages pick up on their parent's emotions and resonate with them. If you are anxious, your child will pick up on that anxiety and experience an increase in his/her own anxiety. So when you want to reduce your child's anxiety, you must manage your own anxiety. This may mean deliberately slowing down your own speech, taking a few deep breaths to relax, and working to ensure that your facial expression conveys that you are calm.
11. Practice relaxation exercises with your child.
Sometimes really basic relaxation exercises are necessary to help your child to reduce their stress and anxiety. This might mean telling your child to take a few slow, deep breaths (and you taking a few slow breaths with your child so your child can match your pace). Or it might mean asking your child to image him or herself somewhere relaxing, like the beach or relaxing in a backyard hammock. Ask your child to close his/her eyes and imagine the sounds, smells, and sensations associated with the image. For example, close your eyes and picture yourself on a beach. Listen to the sound of the surf as the waves come in and go out. In and out. Listen to the sound of the seagulls flying off in the distance. Now, focus on the feel of the warm sand beneath your fingers and the sun warming your skin. Your child can do these techniques on his or her own during anxiety-provoking times.
12. Never give up.
Anxiety and stress can be a chronic struggle. Often, the source of a child's anxiety changes over time so it can feel as though you are always putting out fires. With repetition of the anxiety and stress management techniques, your child will learn how to lower his/her anxiety level and how to cope with anxiety-provoking situations. The key is repetition, so keep it up!
Resources
If you think that your child is suffering from an anxiety disorder or experiencing a high level of stress - or if you need the help of a therapist - please see the following resources.

Copyright Amy Przeworski

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12 Tips to Reduce Your Child's Stress and Anxiety

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Anxiety symptoms are common in children and adolescents, with 10 to 20 percent of school-aged children experiencing anxiety symptoms. An even larger number of children experience stress that does not qualify as an anxiety disorder. So how can you help to reduce your child's anxiety and stress? 1.

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Cómo hablarle a los niños y niñas sobre el COVID-19

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Cómo hablarle a los niños y niñas sobre el COVID-19

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Las escuelas en los Estados Unidos están cerrando debido al nuevo coronavirus, COVID-19, las principales universidades han cancelado sus clases presenciales y muchas empresas han ordenado a los empleados que trabajen desde su casa. Se les ha pedido a las familias que practiquen el aislamiento social (es decir, que se abstengan de ir a lugares públicos y de participar en actividades sociales) y que reduzcan cualquier contacto físico con otras personas. Los padres y las madres están tratando de proteger a sus seres queridos, mientras hacen malabarismos para hacer frente a las responsabilidades laborales con los niños en casa, además de la posibilidad real de que algún miembro de la familia contraiga la enfermedad.

Me he sentido bastante angustiada por esta situación que cambia rápidamente y abrumada por la cantidad de información disponible. La realidad de tener que quedarme en casa con mis hijas durante por lo menos tres semanas me cayó encima cuando tuve que cancelar la mayoría de mis compromisos laborales. En estos tiempos de incertidumbre, es probable que muchos otros padres y madres también tengan miedo, estén preocupados y tengan dificultades para manejar estas emociones mientras intentan tranquilizar a sus hijos y hacerlos sentir seguros. Es comprensible. Es difícil hacer que nuestros hijos e hijas se sientan mejor cuando no tenemos todas las respuestas o no nos sentimos en control de la situación. Si nota que siente pánico o está cada vez más angustiado, tómese un tiempo para calmarse antes de interactuar con sus hijos. No podemos pensar con claridad cuando estamos en un modo reactivo, así que permanecer tranquilo le ayudará a tomar mejores decisiones para su familia.

Aunque no sabemos cuánto durará esta difícil situación, podemos abordarla desde un lugar de optimismo y solidaridad, dándonos cuenta de que es temporal y que, con la ayuda de todos, podemos reducir la probabilidad de contagio. Si sólo piensa en los aspectos negativos de esta situación, intente cambiar esta perpectiva e imaginar las personas que se beneficiarán si usted no se enferma o piensar en las oportunidades positivas que se pueden crear en esta situación. En mi caso, estoy intentando centrarme en la oportunidad de pasar más tiempo en casa con mis hijas.

Es posible que haya notado que los niños y niñas se preocupan cuando no entienden lo que está sucediendo o cuando tienen que tratar de entender por su cuenta lo que escuchan en las conversaciones de adultos o en las noticias. Es importante que hable sobre este tema con sus hijos e hijas, aunque sea difícil. A continuación, compartimos algunos consejos para que los padres y las madres hablen sobre el coronavirus con sus hijos e hijas:

P regúnteles qué saben. Es posible que los niños y niñas ya hayan oído hablar sobre el coronavirus en la escuela o en el patio de recreo. Pídales a sus hijos que le cuenten lo que saben y cómo se sienten al respecto.

Respond a sus preguntas. Dé a sus hijos la oportunidad de hacerle preguntas y haga todo lo posible por responder con sinceridad. Use un lenguaje que sus hijos e hijas puedan entender y brinde ejemplos, pero no ofrezca demasiada información.

Comparta las acciones que está tomando para mantenerse a salvo. Hable con sus niños sobre las cosas que está haciendo su familia para mantenerse segura y recuérdeles que ellos también tienen un papel importante que desempeñar, por lo que deben seguir las recomendaciones de salud de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades para evitar que el virus se propague.

Sigua las rutinas. Si la escuela o guardería de sus hijos e hijas está cerrada, es posible que resulte difícil adaptarse a la nueva situación. Los niños se manejan mejor cuando se les establecen rutinas, por lo que, en la medida de lo posible, cree un horario regular para las comidas, la hora de acostarse y el ejercicio.

Continúe la conversación. Dígales a sus hijos que los mantendrá al tanto de la información nueva que vaya surgiendo y anímelos a que continúen haciéndole preguntas y compartiendo sus sentimientos. Es importante que los niños sepan que usted los mantendrá informados.

Aunque puede ser difícil hablar con nuestros hijos e hijas sobre el coronavirus, es importante que les brindemos información básica y que los hagamos sentir seguros. Al iniciar la conversación, puede abordar sus preocupaciones y temores, y trabajar juntos para navegar esta difícil situación.

Cuídese y hasta pronto.

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Cómo hablarle a los niños y niñas sobre el COVID-19 - HITN LEARNING

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Las escuelas en los Estados Unidos están cerrando debido al nuevo coronavirus, COVID-19, las principales universidades han cancelado sus clases presenciales y muchas empresas han ordenado a los empleados que trabajen desde su casa.

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​​El miedo, la incertidumbre y el encierro en casa para disminuir la propagación del COVID-19 pueden hacer que sea difícil para las familias mantener un estado de calma. Pero es importante ayudar a los niños a sentirse seguros, mantener rutinas saludables, controlar su comportamiento y fomentar resiliencia.

Los siguientes son algunos consejos de la American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) para ayudar a su familia durante esta epidemia.

Hable sobre los temores de los niños

Los niños confían en sus padres como fuente de seguridad, tanto física como emocional. Tranquilice a sus hijos; dígales que cuentan con ellos para ayudarlos y que su familia va a poder superar todo esto estando unida.

Responda las preguntas sobre la pandemia de manera simple y honesta. Hable con los niños sobre cualquier noticia que los atemorice. Pueden hablar sobre la gente que se enferma, pero hablen también sobre seguir las reglas, como lavarse las manos y quedarse en casa para ayudar a que la familia se mantenga sana.

Valide los sentimientos de su hijo. Por ejemplo, diga tranquilamente: "Veo que estás molesto porque no pueden venir tus amigos a jugar". Las preguntas de guía pueden ayudar a los niños mayores y a los adolescentes a resolver los problemas ("Sé que es decepcionante no poder reunirte con tus amigos en este momento. ¿Cómo crees que puedes mantenerte en contacto con ellos?").

Manténgase en contacto con sus seres queridos. Puede que los niños se preocupen por un abuelo o abuela que viva solo o un familiar o amigo con más riesgo de contraer COVID-19. Las videollamadas pueden ayudar a aliviar esa ansiedad.

Dé el ejemplo de cómo manejar los sentimientos. Hable sobre cómo está manejando usted sus propios sentimientos ("Estoy preocupada por la abuela, ya que no puedo ir a visitarla. Lo mejor que puedo hacer es llamarla por teléfono con más frecuencia. Puse una nota en el teléfono para recordar llamarla por las mañanas y por las tardes hasta que termine esta epidemia").

Avise a su hijo antes de salir de casa a trabajar o para hacer mandados esenciales. Con voz calma y tranquilizadora, dígale a dónde va, cuánto tardará, cuándo regresará y que está tomando las medidas necesarias para cuidarse.

Miren al futuro. Dígales que los científicos están trabajando muchísimo para descubrir cómo ayudar a las personas que se enferman y que las cosas van a mejorar.

Mantenga rutinas saludables

Durante la pandemia, es más importante que nunca respetar la hora de ir a la cama y las demás rutinas. Ayudan a crear orden en el día lo que ofrece seguridad en tiempos muy inciertos. Todos los niños, inclusive los adolescentes, se benefician de rutinas predecibles pero flexibles como para satisfacer las necesidades individuales.

Estructure el día. Con el cambio en las rutinas habituales, establezca horarios diarios nuevos. Divida en partes el trabajo escolar cuando sea posible. Los niños mayores y los adolescentes pueden ayudar con los horarios, pero deben seguir un orden general, por ejemplo:

Rutinas para levantarse, vestirse, desayunar y jugar activamente un rato en la mañana, seguidas de juegos más tranquilos y un bocadillo para la transición a la hora del trabajo escolar.

Almuerzo, tareas de la casa, ejercicio, algo de tiempo de socialización en línea con amigos y luego tareas escolares en la tarde.

Hora familiar y lectura antes de dormir.

Practique disciplina positiva

Todos estamos más ansiosos y preocupados durante la pandemia. Es posible que los niños pequeños no tengan palabras para describir lo que sienten. Es más probable que se porten mal para exteriorizar su estrés, su ansiedad o su miedo a través de la conducta (lo que, a su vez, puede alterar a los padres, en particular si ya están estresados). Es posible que los niños mayores y los adolescentes estén particularmente irascibles ya que echan de menos el tiempo con sus amigos y se han cancelado los eventos especiales.

Algunas maneras en las que puede ayudar a sus hijos a manejar sus emociones y conductas:

Redir ija la mala conducta. Algunos niños se portan mal porque están aburridos o no saben hacer otra cosa. Búsqueles otra cosa para hacer.

Juego creativo. Sugiera a sus hijos que hagan dibujos de las formas en las que se está cuidando su familia. Hagan un montaje y cuélguenlo para recordarlo a todo el mundo. O construyan un fuerte o castillo dentro de la casa para mantener alejados a los gérmenes, guardando adentro a los animales de peluche o juguetes favoritos.

Dirija su atención. La atención, para reforzar buenas conductas y desestimular otras, es una herramienta poderosa. Note el buen comportamiento y destáquelo, elogiando el éxito y los buenos intentos. Explicar claramente las expectativas, en particular a los niños más grandes, puede ayudar en este aspecto.

Emplee recompensas y privilegio s para reforzar las buenas conductas (terminar las tareas de la escuela o las tareas de la casa, llevarse bien con los hermanos, etc.) que normalmente no daría en épocas menos estresantes.

Sepa cuándo no responder. Siempre y cuando su hijo no esté haciendo nada peligroso y llame la atención por cosas positivas, ignorar la mala conducta puede ser una forma eficaz para que deje de hacerlo.

Use las pausas obligadas. Esta herramienta de disciplina funciona mejor al advertir a los niños que, si no dejan de hacer lo que están haciendo, tendrán que hacer una pausa obligada. Recuérdeles lo que hicieron mal en muy pocas palabras y con la más mínima emoción que le sea posible. Luego, apártelos de la situación durante un período previamente dispuesto (1 minuto por año de edad es una buena guía de referencia).​

​Evite el castigo físico. Las nalgadas, los golpes y demás formas de castigo físico o "corporal" suponen un riesgo de lesión y no son eficaces. El castigo físico puede aumentar la agresividad de los niños a la larga, no les enseña a comportarse bien ni a practicar el autocontrol e incluso puede interferir con el desarrollo normal del cerebro. El castigo corporal puede quitarle al niño la habilidad de sentirse seguro y protegido en casa, que es algo muy necesario en este momento.

​ Cuide de sí mismo. Los cuidadores también deben cerciorarse de tomar tiempo para cuidarse ellos mismos físicamente: comer saludablemente, hacer ejercicio y dormir lo suficiente. Busque formas de desestresarse y tomar descansos. Si hay más de un padre en casa y si fuera posible, túrnense para cuidar a los niños.

Recuerde parar y respirar hondo. Además de acudir a los demás para obtener ayuda, la AAP recomienda a los padres que se sientan agobiados o muy estresados que se tomen unos segundos y se pregunten:

¿El problema representa un peligro inmediato?

¿Cómo me sentiré mañana respecto a este problema?

¿Esta situación es permanente?

En muchos casos, las respuestas reducirán el pánico y el impulso de descargarse física o verbalmente con los niños.

Información adicional:

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crianza de niños durante el coronavirus~ disciplina~ disciplina mientras están en casa~ buen comportamiento~ mal comportamiento y covid-19~ confinamiento

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La crianza de los hijos durante una pandemia: consejos para mantener la calma en el hogar

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Debido al cierre de las escuelas por el COVID-19 y a que muchos padres están trabajando en casa o se están enfrentando a periodos de incertidumbre, es muy importante practicar estrategias positivas y sanas para la crianza y para la disciplina.​

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Tips & Facts

In order to understand and deal with emotions positively, it's important for children to recognize and name their feelings. Ask your child questions to help them label or describe what they are feeling. For example, "I see a sad face, is that right?"

You are the expert of your child. By looking at the "big picture" of their progress and development in school and at home, you can help identify their strengths and areas for support. Share your child's interests and learning style with your child's teacher.

Help your child build communication skills by asking them questions and actively listening to their responses. Encourage your child to do the same, by asking you questions and listening to your answers. These conversations can help model kindness, caring, and concern for others and help children develop strong, positive relationships.

Encourage your children to share their thoughts and feelings with you. If it's hard for them to talk about their feelings, ask them to try writing it in a journal or drawing a picture about their day or an experience they had. Picture books can also be a useful tool to help them talk about their feelings and experiences.

Sharing and discussing your own thoughts and feelings with your child is just as important as listening to theirs. Labeling your feelings and clearly stating things like "I'm feeling a bit frustrated or excited" can help provide them with language they need to communicate their own feelings.

Building "life skills" (social and emotional skills) helps children to thrive in school and in life. When children can recognize and communicate their feelings and have their needs met, they are better able to focus on learning, assert and take care of their needs, and develop the skills they need to succeed.

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Expressing Emotions | Parenting Minutes | WNET Education

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This video explores the importance of helping children to name and express emotions. When children can recognize and communicate their feelings, they are better able to develop skills such as confidence and self-awareness.

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Acerca de Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop es la organización sin fines de lucro detrás de Sesame Street, el programa de televisión pionero que ha entretenido y educado a niños desde 1969, llegando a México en 1972 bajo el nombre Plaza Sésamo. Hoy en día, Sesame Workshop es una fuerza innovadora para el cambio, con la misión de contribuir al desarrollo de la inteligencia, la fuerza y la amabilidad de los niños de todo el mundo durante su crecimiento. Sesame Workshop opera en más de 150 países, ayudando a los niños vulnerables a través de una amplia variedad de contenido mediático, educación formal y programas de impacto social, cada uno basado en una rigurosa investigación y adecuado a las necesidades y la cultura de las comunidades que atiende.

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Acerca de Sesame Workshop Sesame Workshop es la organización sin fines de lucro detrás de Sesame Street, el programa de televisión pionero que ha entretenido y educado a niños desde 1969, llegando a México en 1972 bajo el nombre Plaza Sésamo.