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Supporting Social & Emotional Development

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Supporting Social & Emotional Development

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Adults can help children develop the skills and confidence they will need to be successful throughout their lives in a variety of ways, including:

Building strong bonds with young children

Providing predictable schedules and routines

Helping children to identify and communicate their feelings

Supporting them in developing and navigating friendships

The videos and resources below provide ideas and guidance in supporting children's healthy social and emotional development.

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Adults can help children develop the skills and confidence they will need to be successful throughout their lives in a variety of ways, including:

Building strong bonds with young children

Providing predictable schedules and routines

Helping children to identify and communicate their feelings

Supporting them in developing and navigating friendships

The videos and resources below provide ideas and guidance in supporting children's healthy social and emotional development.

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This page includes videos and resources on supporting young children's social and emotional development and social-emotional development.

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Making Early Childhood Transitions Fun—Dr. Jean Feldman

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Making Early Childhood Transitions Fun—Dr. Jean Feldman

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Making Early Childhood Transitions Fun—Dr. Jean Feldman

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Self-Awareness: What it is and How to Practice It

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Self-Awareness: What it is and How to Practice It

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What does it mean to be self-aware? While self-awareness can be characterized as having a sense of one's personality and character it is also important for understanding one's emotions. As one of the core competencies of social emotional learning, the Collaboration for Academic, and Social Emotional Learning defines self-awareness as, "The ability to accurately recognize one's own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior. The ability to accurately assess one's strengths and limitations, with a well-grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and a 'growth mindset."

What is Self-awareness?

When we are self-aware, we are able to:

recognize our emotions, which is the first step for regulating our emotions. Indeed, how can we regulate our anxiety, anger or sadness if we are not able to recognize those emotions in ourselves in the first place?

identify our triggers, which helps us better plan how to react next time and make more responsible decisions regarding our behavior and our emotions

empathize with others and take on another person's perspective, which helps us resolve conflicts and build positive relationships.

When we lack self-awareness, we have a harder time understanding and improving our reactions, thereby undermining our self-management , social awareness , relationships skills , and responsible decision making .

Recognizing Self-Awareness

I truly recognized self-awareness myself a year ago as I was finishing my first year of graduate school. I had spent some time identifying my strengths and weaknesses but it wasn't until I spent some time navigating through my emotions and the situations that were behind them that I realized what it meant to be self-aware. Recognizing when and why I was anxious or frustrated helped me feel more confident that I could use healthy coping strategies when reconciling these big emotions.

Building this skill will look differently for children as they are still developing and learning how to put words to the difficult emotions they may feel at times. Many children, such as the preschoolers I taught, often express big emotions on an impulse and don't have time to realize why they are upset or angry. The first step as an educator or parent is to establish the importance of acknowledging our emotions, even if it is after they have already occurred. The danger in not acknowledging them is we forget about the reasons why we felt that way making it more difficult to find coping strategies that work best for us and anyone else involved.
Here is Jenn being self-aware:
One of Jenn's classmates didn't want to help her with a puzzle and she began to frown and feel warm. She realized she was angry because of how her body was feeling. Rather than getting angry at the classmate she decided to use her coping strategies and take a few deep breaths. She thought about the situation from her classmate's perspective and realized he was already playing with someone else. Jenn empathized with her classmate and decided to find someone who was playing by themselves.
Without self-awareness, here is what Jenn's example might have looked like:
When one of Jenn's classmates didn't want to help her with a puzzle, she began to frown and feel warm. She pushed her puzzle aside, crossed her arms, and yelled at her classmate for being mean. Jenn continued to pout and blame her classmate for her bad mood.
Here is Joey being self-aware:
Joey was having a hard time with a homework assignment. His mom was getting dinner ready and he didn't want to interrupt her to ask for help. He realized being frustrated wasn't going to help him think through the assignment clearly. Joey remembered he had another assignment for a class he was doing well in and was confident he could finish before dinner. After dinner, Joey's mom could help him with the assignment he had been struggling with.
Without self-awareness, here is what Joey's example might have looked like:
Joey was having a hard time with a homework assignment. His mom was getting dinner ready but he interrupted her by telling her he needed help with assignment and it couldn't wait. When Joey's mom suggested he work on a different assignment until after dinner, he became more frustrated and crumpled up his homework, storming off to his room.

Positive Outcomes of Self-Awareness

There are many positive outcomes to being more self-aware. We feel more grounded, confident, and efficient. These are important for children as they begin strengthening other skills such as establishing positive relationships and making responsible decisions . As with any social emotional skill, the progress we make with self-awareness may not be linear. However, there are some milestones we can track for ourselves and our children to recognize the positive results of being more self-aware.

When we are self-aware we are able to recognize our strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge helps us to set goals for ourselves. We know where we have to room to grow and that's a good thing! Our strengths help us feel confident in our ability to improve on our weaknesses. If we weren't self-aware we may fall into the trap of having a fixed mindset in which we are less likely to take opportunities to grow. As parents, we can model this for our children. Parents can do this by learning a new skill themself or talking to their child about something they know about themselves they'd like to improve. Learning a new skill or overcoming a weakness may seem difficult but growth and comfort cannot coexist. Our self-awareness reminds us that we are capable of more than we can imagine which means we may have to step out of our comfort zone.

I always thought there was a secret trick to becoming more confident . I began noticing when I am more aware of my emotions I am also more confident that I can regulate them in a positive way. With my students, I noticed that when they were self-aware of the knowledge and skills they were learning they were more confident they could do similar or more challenging lessons. For example, after my students had spent some time practicing counting and recognizing numbers they were excited to play a math game using the skills they learned because they were confident in their ability to apply the skill to a new situation.

Although big emotions can be overwhelming, the ability to recognize them is a positive step toward regulating them. We can help children feel optimistic about taking on these challenges whether it is a conflict that made them feel angry or a homework assignment that was frustrating. When we are self-aware we can also recognize our own thoughts: positive and, yes, the negative ones. Parents can help their children better understand how to turn negative thoughts into positive ones by sharing out loud. For example, a parent might say to their child, "I was feeling upset because it is raining and I thought we might go to the park, but I am excited to build your new puzzle with you."

Practicing Self-Awareness

There are many activities parents can do with their child or their child can do independently to practice self-awareness. Most may take only a few minutes at the beginning of the day, during the day or end of the day. No matter when you and your child are practicing these activities it is important to remember that each one requires you to be completely present in the moment and focused on the activity.

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What is self-awareness and why is it important - Better Kids

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What does it mean to be self-aware? While self-awareness can be characterized as having a sense of one's personality and character it is also important for understanding one's emotions. Without self-awareness, we will have a harder time understanding and improving our self-management, social awarene

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Feelings and emotions for kids | Activity to teach kids about feelings

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Yoga Club About Exploring Feelings (Week 78) 😋😞😂 I  Cosmic Kids Yoga

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Self-awareness is having a strong understanding of who you are. This is the first of five core domains of social emotional learning. Self-awareness comes first for an important reason, especially when teaching these important SEL skills to children and teens. If we want kids and young adults to effectively manage their behaviors, work best with others, and problem-solve through life's challenges, they need to have an accurate understanding of their own actions first. This is where self-awareness comes in.
What is Self-Awareness?
Self-awareness is having an accurate understanding of ourselves. That includes knowing our strengths, challenges, values, emotions, and hopes for the future. When kids and teens have stronger self-awareness skills, they're better equipped for success.

Essentially, self-awareness is a prerequisite for other skills. In order to study and manage coursework effectively, learners need to be aware of how they learn best. If we want kids to stay organized and tidy, they themselves need to recognize when they are organized and when they are not. In order to effectively use coping strategies when overwhelmed, kids and young adults need to be aware of their own emotions in the first place. All of these examples lead back to self-awareness skills.

The good news is that skills for self-awareness can be taught, practiced, and integrated into many activities we already do. If you need to teach self-awareness skills in a more targeted way, you can start with this Social Emotional Learning Self-Awareness Unit. It includes lessons and activities for understanding strengths and challenges, building confidence, emotional awareness, developing good character, embracing a growth mindset and more.

Additionally, below is a list of over 10 fun, interactive, and meaningful self-awareness activities for children and teens. Many of them can be added as a morning activity, used during morning meeting, taught in advisory periods, or weaved into the general day. I always like to say it's best to start with one and see how it goes. You can always add more activities as the year goes on.

Here are some activities to help teach and practice self-awareness skills for children and teens: Write in a Journal
Journal writing is a simple, fun, and effective way to integrate social emotional skills in general. Try assigning prompts related to self-awareness and give time for kids and teens to write independently. After learners write, it's helpful to give share-out time. This can be a time for kids to share with a partner, small group, or the entire class.

Some examples of self-awareness prompts might include:

What are some of your biggest strengths?

Can someone turn a weakness into a strength over time? Why or why not?

What are your top five positive qualities?

What do you LOVE to do? What activities make you feel the best?

How do you feel today?

What are some hopes you have for the future?

What ways do you feel you learn best?

When was a time you succeeded at something?

Use your own journal with students, or give this complete yearlong SEL Journal a try. It includes prompts for self-awareness, as well as prompts and activities for self-management, social awareness, relationships, and decision-making.
Introduce New Activities
In order to understand who we are, we all need access to new activities and experiences. This is particularly important for children and young adults. Try playing different sports, such as tennis, basketball, golf, or volleyball. Consider learning new skills like an instrument or craft. After spending time with each activity, have kids reflect about what they liked, didn't like, or if they'd do that activity again in the future. While kids and teens will see these as a fun time in most cases, they are actually helping kids build their self-awareness skills too.
Read Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmations help kids and teens develop a more positive voice. Grab this free printable positive affirmations list to get started. There are many different ways to teach and practice positive affirmations. Here are a few:

Make a positive affirmation morning routine.

Say and discuss a positive affirmation of the day.

Write affirmations on a beach ball and toss it around. Have students read the affirmation their finger lands on.

Make a positive affirmations poster.

Make a Vision Board
A vision board is a collage of images or words that symbolize aspirations. These are often goals, hopes, and dreams for the future. Have kids cut out words, pictures, or add drawings to a poster to help reflect what they want in the future.
Do an Emotions Check-In
In order to effectively manage and cope with emotions, kids and teens first need to understand those feelings. Start each day with an emotions check-in. It's a simple way to encourage learners to think about how they feel and what they need to work through those feelings.
Write Self-Compliments
Making a self-compliment list helps kids and teens understand and love who they are. These can be written out as a poster that kids can put in their binders, on their desks, or in their lockers to provide extra encouragement. If kids and teens struggle this idea at first, ask them to list what a good friend would say about them.
Discuss Strengths and Challenges
Everyone has their own individual strengths and challenges. It's part of what makes us who we are! Just a note: I prefer to use the word challenge instead of weakness, especially when teaching kids and teens. This is because I think it's more important to focus on the challenge being an area to work on versus something that makes us weak. Have students list out, draw, and/or discuss their own individual strengths and challenges.
Use a Daily SEL Check-In Journal
A daily emotions check-in journal is a targeted and explicit way to help kids and teens learn about self-awareness skills. Each page includes the following parts:

Emotions check-in to share how you are feeling and anything else on your mind.

Positive affirmations to start the day in a positive way.

Learning a new SEL skill focused on self-awareness.

Mindful activity to ease into the rest of the day.

Give this Daily SEL Check-In Journal a try.
Just Chat
Asking discussion-starter questions is a great way to build relationships while also helping kids and teens learn a bit about themselves. Some examples of questions to start off with include:

What three words best describe you?

What things would a good friend say about you?

What makes you unique?

If you were a color, what would you be and why?

Grab this free printable and digital list with 100+ questions to build relationships.
Research Future Careers
Researching possible careers helps kids and teens consider what they want for their future. Not only will they benefit from looking into a specific career they are interested in, but they can learn about new careers from others too. Some options include:

Assign an essay or book focused on one career.

Allow students to present on their career in front of the class.

Put together a career day with guests from various jobs in the community.

Read books and stories about different careers.

Read Books for Self-Awareness
Literature is a simple and meaningful technique for integrating SEL into the classroom. Some short stories to start include:

Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

It's Okay to be Different by Todd Parr

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Little Big Feelings by Deb Mills

Hooray for You! A Celebration of You-ness by Marianne Richmond

Learn more about read alouds to teach social emotional learning skills.
Make a Gratitude List
Gratitude is having appreciation for the things we already have. This is an important skill to teach and practice with kids and teens of all ages. It specifically targets self-awareness because so often we have so much to be thankful for; we just need to be more aware of these things! Use this free gratitude activity to get started.
Make a Hopes and Dreams List
Help kids and teens recognize their goals and aspirations with a hopes and dream list. Add statements for the following questions:

Where would you like to travel to someday?

What would you like your future job to be?

What activities would you like to try in the future?

What hopes do you have for the world?

Host a Show-and-Tell
A show-and-tell is a dedicated time for kids and teens to talk about something important to them. It's healthy to schedule this time into your week, so that students have a safe space to share. Allow kids to talk about a new bike they got for their birthday or share photos of a trip they went on with their family.

One important note: a show-and-tell isn't just for younger kids. Older learners benefit from sharing about their own lives too. As an added bonus, this dedicated share-out time also helps strengthen relationships and build community.
Ask "Would You Rather?" Questions
Would you rather questions can be so much fun, but they also help kids learn about who they are! Make up your own or try with some of the questions below:

Would you rather live in the city or the country?

Would you rather be a sports announcer or a dancer?

Would you rather be good at gardening or skateboarding?

Would you rather go on a road trip or a cruise?

Would you rather visit a theme park or a zoo?

Draw Emojis for Different Emotions
Emotional awareness is the skill that helps us understand our feelings (and the feelings of others). Help children and teens improve their emotional vocabulary by discussing and drawing different emojis for various emotions.
Create a Self-Collage
Art is always a favorite way to integrate social-emotional skills. Grab some magazines, scissors, and glue to help kids design their own personal self-colleges. On the collage, encourage kids to add words and pictures that help represent who they are and who they want to be.
Discuss Values and Beliefs
Our values help us see the world in a way that is unique to us as individuals. Help kids and teens learn about their own values and beliefs by discussing them. Consider reading some value or belief statements can having kids stand or raise their hand if they agree.

If you are a member here, head to the free resource library and grab this printable activity focused on things kids and teens should believe about themselves. It's a great way to spark discussion! Not a member yet? Come learn about how to get signed up here.

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Self-awareness is having a strong understanding of who you are. This is the first of five core domains of social emotional learning. Self-awareness comes first for an important reason, especially when teaching these important SEL skills to children and teens. If we want kids and young adults to effe

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50 Fun SEL Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten

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50 Fun SEL Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten

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When our little ones head off for school, they take their first steps in a lifelong journey of learning. Not only will they begin to build foundational skills that will pave the way for academic success, but they'll also learn social-emotional skills like kindness, sharing, empathy, and many more that will contribute to their overall success in life. Some research suggests that social-emotional activities might be the most important work children can do in their early years. In fact, one study found that social-emotional wellness in kindergarten correlated with success up until age 25. Here are some of our favorite social-emotional activities to use with your preschool and kindergarten students.

Teach students to identify their emotions

Identifying and labeling feelings (your own and others') is a valuable life skill that takes lots of practice. These social-emotional activities are not only fun and engaging for little ones, they spark essential conversations that lead to deeper understanding.

1. Read, read, read!

There are TONS of children's books featuring interesting main characters and story lines that teach social-emotional skills. Reading about characters they can relate to, in situations they can relate to, helps young children learn valuable lessons. Here are two book lists to get you started: Picture Books To Teach Students About Kindness and Children's Books for Teaching Social Skills.

2. Sing

Different emotions evoke different feelings in our bodies. Teach your students this song to help them learn to identify what is really going on. Also, find role-play scenarios and reflection questions.

3. Practice with emotions play-dough mats

Learning to read others' emotions is a valuable SEL tool. Children can explore and identify nuances of facial features that are paired with emotions by using play dough to draw faces on these free emotions play-dough mats from The OT Toolbox.

4. Play a monster-emotions match game

Download the free game cards here. This fun and engaging game helps kids learn how to identify emotions in other people. The game begins as students walk around the room making the feeling face that matches their card. As they walk, they look for another student who seems to be demonstrating the same feeling. Once everyone thinks they have found their matching feeling friend, let them check their cards to see if they are right. Play a few rounds to give kids a chance to try out different feelings.

5. Make emotion masks

These masks are a great tool for talking about feelings. And all you need is paper plates (cut in half), craft sticks, tape, and markers. The activity will focus on four emotions: happy, mad, sad, and silly. For each emotion (and each mask), make a face and then ask the class to identify the emotion it represents. Once they correctly identify the emotion, have them use the marker to draw that face on one of the plates. You can use these masks during read-alouds (hold up the mask that shows how the main character is feeling) or during class conversations to reinforce their understanding of what different feelings look like.

6. Start each day with a check-in

This chart is a fun one to help students communicate how they're feeling. Position it next to your classroom door, and have students point to the emoji that most closely matches how they're feeling as they enter. Social-emotional activities like this one help students get in the habit of monitoring their emotions and give you valuable information about your students' moods.

7. Draw helping hands

Encouraging students to think about others can make them realize how much control they have over the feelings of others. Have students trace or draw their own hands and reflect or write what their helpful hands can do for others.

8. Do an emotions sort

Linking Zones of Regulation activities to fun experiences helps kids make connections. For example, this simple Emotions Sorting Game inspired by Disney-Pixar's Inside Out helps kids learn and explore emotions. The game is a printable download available from Mom Endeavors.

9. Play emotions Jenga

Attach a collection of emotion words onto Jenga blocks-for instance, happy, sad, angry, frustrated, etc. You can either write on the blocks with a Sharpie or try these pretty labels from Collective Feelings. One at a time, pull one of the emotion blocks out of the stack. Ask for a volunteer to either tell you the definition of that feeling or share a story about a time they felt that emotion. Talking about emotions in a group, and hearing others' stories, helps kids make lasting connections.

10. Make an emotion spinner

If you're looking for engaging social-emotional activities to teach kids more about identifying their emotions, try these emotion spinners. All you need to make them are paper plates, brads, markers (or paint or crayons or colored pencils), and a large circle punch if you have one. For full directions on how to make and use emotion spinners, check out this blog from Meaningful Mama.

11. Play a round of emotions charades

Prepare a set of cards with emotion words and pictures of what those emotion looks like. Then play a round of emotions charades, which helps preschoolers read nonverbal cues, identify and regulate emotions, and learn how to express emotions in a healthy way, all of which are essential elements of emotional intelligence.

12. Make affirmation bracelets

Set out cups of colored beads. In front of each cup of beads, add a sticky note with a positive affirmation. Teach your students what each affirmation says and means. Give each student a pipe cleaner and help them create a bracelet by threading the beads onto the pipe cleaner. Optional: Each time they pick up a bead, have them say the corresponding positive affirmation out loud.

Teach kids strategies to deal with hard feelings

Being able to identify and label feelings is a great start. Knowing what to do when unsettling feelings come up is the next step. Feelings like anger, sadness, and confusion will undoubtedly arise from time to time in the classroom. Here are a few social-emotional activities to help your students learn how to cope in a safe environment.

13. Teach students to use I-statements

Encourage students to be mindful about how they're feeling by helping them practice how to articulate their thoughts without lashing out at others. Give them starters such as "I feel angry when ...," "I feel happy when ...," "I feel frustrated when ...," etc. Once they are able to articulate their feelings, help them strategize ways to handle their feelings.

14. Use strategy cards

These free downloadable cards offer 23 different strategies (with pictures and words) that kids can use to manage their emotions. Print them out, punch a hole in the corner of each card, and attach them to a ring.

15. Download these free posters

Use these posters to teach kids what to do when they feel their emotions escalating. Once they are familiar with the strategies, post the posters in your calm-down corner for kids to reference as they regroup. Included with the downloads are 30 great calm-down ideas like "I can count to 10," "I can blow a feather," and more.

16. Stomp out dinosaur-size feelings

Read Tony Mitton's charming story Dinosaurumpus aloud to your class. Then, play this easy-to-assemble dinosaur game that encourages kids to roar, dance, and stomp out their emotions.

17. Make calm-down jars

Make these mesmerizing calm-down jars for your classroom using just water, oil, and food coloring. Add glitter for a little extra pizzazz. When students are feeling overwhelmed or upset, give them a few minutes to focus on the jar as they turn it upside down and back. Focusing on the movement and colors will help students calm down so they can get back to work.

18. Put together a calm-down kit

Stock a plastic bin with tools to help little ones manage their emotions. Include things such as strategy cards, squeeze balls, calm-down bottles, putty, and breathing exercises. For more ideas, check out this awesome list of 40+ Things To Put in Your Calm-Down Kit.

19. Set up a calm-down corner in your classroom

Kids have a lot of feelings and emotions to process throughout the day. Sometimes it's all too much, and the result can be bad behavior. A calm-down corner gives kids a place to recenter and refocus so they can join the learning again. Check out this article to learn everything you need to know about setting up a calm-down corner.

20. Teach yoga poses ...

Teach your students simple yoga poses to help them get control of their bodies when emotions are running high. For best results, pair poses with deep-breathing techniques. The printable set comes with 50 different yoga poses (including simple descriptions) and suggested sequences of poses to use.

21. ... and breathing techniques

Deep breathing reduces stress and anxiety and helps kids learn to manage their emotions. Check out this source for lots of fun ideas for building breathing breaks into your day.

22. Teach coping strategies

In any social situation, conflict is bound to occur. That's why teaching kids how to peacefully solve problems is essential. Equip your students with the tools they need to manage uncomfortable situations with these coping strategies and free social problem-solving poster set.

23. Tell stories that help kids learn strategies

Conflicts happen, no matter how old we are. The key is learning strategies to help solve conflicts peacefully, and it's never too early to start! These picture books encourage solving disagreements through communication, compromise, harmony, collaboration, and forgiveness.

24. Make a rainbow road

Label six colored sheets of paper with statements like "I feel ___ (sad, happy, angry, frustrated, etc.) when ____." Tape the sheets on the floor to create a rainbow road. To play, have a student roll a die, then count and walk to that number sheet. Help them read their statement and then have them fill in the last blank.

Build in lots of opportunities for kids to work on social skills

Like everyone, little ones learn best by doing. Give them lots of opportunities to interact with peers one-on-one, in small groups, and as part of a whole class, ideally with as little adult interference as possible. As they play during social-emotional activities, they'll learn to navigate among other kids who may have different styles and opinions. Activities like creative play, building projects, board games, and partner reading are great tools to reveal kids' strengths and challenges as they begin to figure out how to manage school in the best way for themselves.

25. Do your homework

As children start learning more about their feelings and emotions, their social skills start to blossom. This social skills checklist is an amazing resource that describes in detail the social skills that children learn in their preschool years. Read the article for more SEL activities for preschoolers from The OT Toolbox.

26. Create a culture of kindness

Create a culture of kindness in your classroom. Read your students the story Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud. Then spread the love with a few of these activities.

27. Make kindness trees

Looking for social-emotional activities that provide an opportunity to talk about why being kind is important and how we can practice kindness every day? Draw a large tree trunk on a sheet of chart paper. Then pass out different-colored leaves made from construction paper and ask each student to write an act of kindness they can do on their leaf. After they've finished writing their kind acts, help them tape their leaf to the tree trunk as reminders of how they can show kindness and respect for others.

28. Engage in compliment circles

If you need social-emotional activities that don't require any prep work, hold compliment circles in class. They take very little time but yield powerful results. Create an environment of respect and kindness with this simple activity that teaches kids how to give and receive compliments. Read more here.

29. Play games

Playing interactive games with your students is a great way to start conversations about their feelings. It can make the conversation more centered around fun and less stressful. Read this article from The Art of Education for more SEL tips and a list of 10 Engaging Games To Play That Explore SEL.

30. Read about and practice sharing

In Mo Willems' adorable book Should I Share My Ice Cream?, Gerald the elephant has to make a quick decision about whether to share his ice cream cone with his best friend, Piggy. Read the story to your class and have a conversation about sharing.

Then try this fun game. Make "waffle" cones out of rolled-up sheets of construction paper, then have students practice passing their "ice cream" to a friend. Not only will students learn cooperation, but this game is also a great opportunity to use polite language such as "please" and "thank you."

31. Teach students how to partner share

There are many strategies that teach kids to work collaboratively with a partner. And it's important with little ones to teach these skills explicitly. Read this step-by-step tutorial written by kindergarten teacher Sarah Casady, How To Get Your Students Talking. Also, check out 10 Alternatives to Think-Pair-Share.

32. Use conversation starters

Get the conversation started with questions like "What is your favorite thing to eat at lunch?," "What was the funniest thing that happened to you today?," and the like. Be sure the questions are open-ended to avoid getting short yes or no answers. Here are 20 conversation starters from The Early Childhood Academy to get you started.

33. Hone listening skills

Learning to listen, not only to themselves but to one another, is a critical skill for preschoolers. Set aside time each day to sit quietly with your students and listen for sounds in and around the classroom for increasing lengths of time. Or ring a chime and ask students to see how long they can hear the sound it makes. Being able to signal your students when it is time to listen, and having them respond appropriately, is critical for creating a classroom environment that supports learning.

34. Play listening games

Gameplay is one of the best ways to engage young learners. Try some of these listening games, like Simon Says, Telephone, Freeze Dance and more.

35. Rehearse with role-play

Role-play is a wonderful way to teach your preschoolers and kindergartners social behaviors, rules, and expectations. Rehearsing these skills in a safe space, with a teacher's guidance, helps them learn social norms.

36. Play with puppets

According to Tanja Mcilroy, founder of Empowered Parents, playing with puppets is one of the most educational things you can do with your students. A puppet can be the voice used to correct classroom behavior and teach social skills. Many children will find this less intimidating and more playful than instruction coming from an adult. For more tips, check out The Amazing Benefits of Playing With Puppets in Early Childhood.

Learn about friendship

Learning to make friends is one of the most valuable skills we can teach our preschoolers and kindergartners. Friendships require a plethora of social skills such sharing, compassion, compromise, and honesty.

37. Watch friendship videos

Learning to get along with others takes a lot of practice. Here are our favorite friendship videos that use compassion, wisdom, and humor to tackle what it means to be a good friend. Use them to jump-start conversations with your students as you build your classroom community.

38. Read books about friendship

Friendships are one of the most important parts of childhood-and school. Classroom conversations about making new friends, supporting and appreciating friends, and navigating friendship challenges are always in season, and there's no better way to launch them than with a good book. Looking for books you can use for social-emotional activities? Here's a good place to start: Children's Books About Friendship That Give Us All the Feels.

39. Sing songs about friendship

Music is an amazing way to help your students feel connected and understood. And songs about friendship can definitely foster a sense of community in the classroom. Here, we've compiled 50 Fantastic Songs About Friendship for your students to enjoy and bond over.

40. Read poems about friendship

Poetry often speaks to our hearts in a way unlike any other form. And making friends is one of the greatest gifts in life. So why not combine the two and teach your students in a way they can really connect with? Here, we share 30 Heartwarming Poems About Friendship To Share With Students.

41. Make lots of time for friendship-building activities

Here is a list of 25 ideas to get you started.

Practice mindfulness in the classroom

Mindfulness is defined as a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Mindfulness techniques help students handle big emotions (in themselves and others) and cultivate a sense of peace and calm.

42. Introduce mindfulness with children's books

Source: 15 Books To Teach Kids About Mindfulness

If you're looking for social-emotional activities that incorporate reading, there are dozens of brilliant books that teach the lesson of mindfulness for preschoolers. A couple of our favorites, just for little ones, are Peaceful Panda and I Am the Jungle.

43. Make gratitude rocks

Taking time to go inside and think about things you are grateful for is a powerful life skill. For this activity, bring a collection of rocks to class for your students to choose from. Then, using paint, markers, or crayons, give them time to decorate their rocks. Ask your students to take a few minutes and think about something they are grateful for and narrow it down to just one word. Have them write their word with Sharpie on their rock-be sure to give them help if they need it. When everyone is done with their rock, make time for those who are comfortable doing so to share their rock and explain it to their classmates.

44. Go on a nature walk

Take your little ones outside to indulge their five senses. Explore the changing color of leaves, different leaf shapes, pine cones, and more. Listen for birds and other critters. Lie down on the grass and feel the earth beneath you as you look up at the blue sky.

45. Practice progressive muscle relaxation

Most of us, including kids, aren't always aware of the muscles in our body and how they feel or move. But we can all carry a lot of emotions in our physical bodies. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a coping skill and relaxation exercise that can help us calm our body and mind by slowly and progressively tensing and relaxing our muscles, one group at a time.

46. Listen to music

It's not too hard to tell when young students need a break or need a few minutes to recharge. And you know the old saying "Music soothes the savage beast." Why not pop on this soothing video with gentle guitar music playing in the background for a few minutes? Music makes for fantastic social-emotional activities during snack time, as a brain break, or during transition times.

47. Play in water

Nothing is more calming to the nervous system than water. Set up a water table in your classroom and let students engage in free cooperative play. Include your water table as a station at center time.

48. Play in sand

Just like the water table, a sand table offers the basis for many social-emotional activities to rotate into your stations. Learn about the benefits and try some of these fun ideas from The Early Childhood Academy.

49. Make time for art

There are SO many reasons kids need to paint. Painting is one of the best social-emotional activities because most people find peace and relaxation in art. It focuses their minds and helps them look at the world around them in a much more engaged way.

50. Listen to a rain stick

There's just something so soothing about the sound of a rain stick. Help your students turn their thought inward by taking a few moments to stop and listen. Turn down the lights and invite your preschoolers or kindergartners to lie down on the rug and close their eyes. Turn the rain stick upside down and back again for a few minutes, leaving a few seconds of silence between each rotation.

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50 Fun SEL Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten

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SEL skills are crucial to develop in the early years. Check out our favorite social-emotional activities for preschool and kindergarten.

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March 30, 2022 By Sara Mullett 4 Comments

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Using classical music to teach emotions can really help young children to understand their feelings. By playing a variety of contrasting tracks, you can create different moods which can encourage kids to discuss and explore their emotions.

Music is a language that crosses boundaries and one that people of all ages and backgrounds can share. Whether it's high emotions and drama or serene peace and calm, these moods can be conveyed without the need for words through the beauty and the depth of music.

Here's a list of links of the best classical music to teach emotions. Of course most are very well known and the mood is quite obvious. Some of these pieces of music might mean different things to different people, and that's ok, because it starts the conversation and therefore embarks on the journey of self-discovery.

These music suggestions can be used in so many different ways, to accompany all sorts of activities. From imaginative movement with scarves and streamers, to background for imaginative play or simply to help spark creativity during crafts.

People often ask what equipment I use for playing musical excerpts in music lessons. Of course if you have the original CDs you can play them with a conventional music player using a remote control for stopping and starting.

But these days the easiest way is to play them straight from youtube by using your phone or ipad and some handy bluetooth speakers. Here are two really good choices; I'd recommend the Anker Soundcore for use in an average sized room, but these pack a bit more of punch if you're in a bigger space.

The Best Classical Music To Teach Emotions - To Stream.

Handel's Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba to feel uplifting joy.

Mozart's Marriage of Figaro Overture for positivity.

Offenbach's Orpheus in The Underworld to generate excitement.

Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries to conjure drama.

Prokofiev's Dance of The Knights to evoke power, confidence and strength.

The Trisch-Tratsch Polka by Johann Strauss for fun and frivolity.

Barber's Agnus Dei to explore eerie, melancholy feelings.

The Entertainer by Scott Joplin for fun and mischief.

Saint-Sains Danse Macabre to encourage bewitching and mysterious feelings.

The Flower Duet from Lakme by Leo Delibes for warmth.

The finale of Rossini's William Tell Overture to explore thrill and excitement!

Adagio in G Minor by Albinoni to evoke sadness.

Debussy's Clair de Lune to establish peace and calm.

Pachabel's Canon in D for calm and serenity.

How To Use The Free Printable

Print the sheet twice and mount on to card.

Cut the emojis out and make a double set with the two sheets.

Try the following ideas..

Playing pairs while listening to the playlist.

Make paper headbands with a slot cut in the front of each one and slot in an emotion emoji - don't let thew child know which emoji they are displaying.

Then play the well known 'Guess who I am' party game, by allowing each child to ask questions about how they should be 'feeling' and giving them clues until they guess correctly.

If you want to explore this topic further, check out the Emotions Song and Guessing Game or the Feelings Lesson Plan for more related activities.

The Best Classical Music To Teach Emotions - To Download.

If you can't stream these via YouTube, you can download them from Amazon below.

Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote th e Music! This is a great resource for anyone wanting to introduce children to the world of Classical music. Composers and instruments brought to life in a kid friendly way.

If you enjoyed this post, come and join us on Facebook, Pinterest and Subscribe for many more musical ideas!

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Classical Music To Teach Emotions - Let's Play Music

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Using classical music to teach emotions can really help young children to understand their feelings. By playing a variety of contrasting tracks, you can create different moods which can encourage kids to discuss and explore their emotions. Music is a language that crosses boundaries and one that people of all ages and backgrounds can share.

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Kids Feelings and Emotions SONG Animation with A Little SPOT

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Do a daily check in with students. You can ask things like how are you feeling today and why?  How was your sleep?    This can be as simple as circling faces with different emotions.

You can set up games where children need to take turns, or have to achieve an end results. This will teach children how to work together and control their emotions.

You can create art activities that involve SEL. These activities can include a self portrait of how they are feeling.

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Emotions Hokey Pokey - The Kiboomers Preschool Songs & Nursery Rhymes for Circle Time

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Emotions Hokey Pokey - The Kiboomers Preschool Songs & Nursery Rhymes for Circle Time

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Emotions Hokey Pokey - The Kiboomers Preschool Songs & Nursery Rhymes for Circle Time

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Free Emotions Activities, Games, and Printables

Introduce and let children explore the different feelings they can experience on any day. Our activities help children identify and name their emotions and feelings. Use the activities during your All About Me theme:

All About Me
My Feeling and Emotions

Emotions Learning Center Ideas

Pretend Play Area

Place different size mirrors all around the room.

Fine Motor Skills

Print out a monster face without facial features and let children use play dough to create different facial expressions and mood. Let children share with you how the monster feels.

My Feeling Preschool Activities
Today I feel
Read the book: Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day

After reading the book prompt students to discuss a variety of feelings. Hand out a small paper plate to each child and encourage them to make a feeling puppet. Have them color or cut out and paste a feeling face on their paper plate. Decorate with yarn annd paper scraps for hair and ears. Attach a large craft stick to the back. Let children share their feeling puppet with the group. Re-read the book and let the children with the matching feeling hold up their puppet.

Happy and Sad
Hand out a mirror to each child. Talk about how we feel when we're happy and how it shows in our face. Sing the song " If You're Happy and You Know It." Let children look in the mirror and make a happy face.

If you're happy and you know it, show a smile.
If you're happy and you know it, show a smile.
If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it, show a smile.

Repat by children looking in the mirror making a sad face.

If you're sad and you know it, cry BOO-HOO.

Feeling and Emotions Craft
Hand out a paper plate and a mouth piece to each child. Drill a hole to the bottom of the paper plate and attach the mouth piece with a brass fastener. Let children decorate the face. Sing the song again and let children show the matching feeling on their puppet's face.
Sorting Out Emotions Activity What you need:
My Feelings and Emotions Lesson and Printables (available inside our KidsSoup Resource Library)

Several magazines or magazine pages

White construction paper

Scissors

Glue

Label several sheets of blank white construction paper with emotions words: happy, sad, mad, surprised, shy, worried, silly, proud, etc. Give children magazines or magazine pictures to look through for images of people that match each of the words. Let children cut out the pictures and glue them to the appropriate pages. The pages can be made into a classroom book once they have been filled with images.

Feelings Matching Game
Print two copies of the emotion cards and cut out. Let children match the pictures.
How Are You Feeling Today?
Matching Game: Place cards face down on the table. Let children turn over two cards at a time. If the cards match, they can keep them and get another turn. If the cards don't match, the next player gets a turn.

Place feelings picture cards in a row on a board. Let children pick out their name cards. Point at each emotion card on the board and name it or ask children to name the emotion. Discuss why they think the child in the picture feels that way. Ask children how they feel today. Let children place their name card below the emotion card that fits their feeling.

Sing the " I Have Feelings" song:

I Have Feelings
(Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)

Guess How Much I love You My Emotions Activities

Book:Guess How Much I Love You

Read the book and discuss with children how they feel when someone tells them "I love you." Sing the song:

I love You
(Tune: You Are My Sunshine)

I love you mommy
My dearest mommy
You make me happy
When I am sad
I want to tell you
I really love you!
When I'm with you, I am so glad!

Change to any other family member.

Go Away, Big Green Monster! Activities, Lessons and Printables

Book: Go Away, Big Green Monster!

After reading the book, invite children to share with the group things that scare them (storms, snakes, etc.). Then say the following rhyme for each thing:

A Monster Goes Like This and That
By Jolanda Garcia

A monster goes like this and that (walk feet in front of you)
It's terrible (big)(use arms out at side)
BUT, I'm not scared of that!(shake head)

A storm goes like this and that It's terrible (loud) BUT, I'm not scared of that! (move from side to side)
(stomp)
(shake head)

If You're Happy and You Know It (Gross motor skills)

If You're Happy and You Know It
Adaptation from Original by Author Unknown

If you're happy and you know it, show a smile.
If you're happy and you know it, show a smile.
If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it, show a smile.

Continue with additional verses for other emotions:

If you're mad and you know it, stomp your feet.
If you're surprised and you know it, say "OH MY."
If you're sad and you know it, cry BOO-HOO.
If you're silly and you know it, make a face.
If you're scared and you know it, shiver and shake.

Finish the song with: If you're happy and you know it, shout HURRAY!

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Emotions and Feelings Preschool Activities, Games, and Lessons

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My feelings and emotions preschool activities, games, lessons, and printables This month's theme explores two subjects close to children's health and well being: Feelings and Emotions. Children participate in literacy activities that help them build vocabulary and word recognition skills around topics that relate directly to their daily lives and experiences.

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Great book on feeling for older children

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Inside: Discover tons of fun ways to help little kids learn proper coping skills for their social-emotional development and BIG feelings with these 50 social-emotional activities for preschoolers!

Do you know what's super important for success in school and life?

It's not just reading or math - it's also how you manage your social-emotional skills and relationships with others.

If you have preschool-age children or are an early childhood educator, I'm guessing you've dealt with your fair share of BIGemotions in these early years.

Young kids struggle with social-emotional skills, and it is our job to ensure they express their feelings and emotions in a healthy and acceptable way.

The Importance of Social-Emotional Development in Young Children

Imagine your child throwing an epic stage 10 tantrum because you tried to help them put on their shoes.

I know you only wanted to help. You were in a hurry to meet friends at the park.

Now, you're tired, having trouble controlling your own emotions, a bit discouraged, and don't feel like going out anymore.

Instead, you'd rather lie down on the couch and consider it a day, even though it's only 9 a.m.

So, what's happening here?

Well, it all boils down to understanding why social-emotional skills are super important for kids.

These skills can help kids develop problem-solving skills, improve daily routines, foster healthy relationships, and increase emotional intelligence.
In other words, reduce those tough moments.
The Social-Emotional Development of Preschoolers (Through Their Eyes)
Picture this:
You are in your preschool classroom brimming with colorful toys and cheerful laughter from your kids.

Sammy, a 4-year-old boy in your class, is on a mission of UTMOST importance:

He is coloring a dazzling masterpiece with his treasured box of crayons.

As Sammy meticulously glides his yellow crayon across the sun on his paper, a burst of creativity and happiness envelops him.

But wait, here's the kicker...

Young Children Struggle to Control Their Emotions

Sammy's face suddenly transforms from joy to sheer dismay as he gazes down at his yellow creation. He begins yelling NOOOOOOO and slamming his fists on the desk, causing quite a distraction for the other students.

You come over to see his perfectly colored yellow sun, and nothing seems out of the ordinary to you.

What on earth is Sammy so upset about?

Well, it turns out that Sammy's heart was set on coloring the sun a radiant shade of red.

You know, that big, warm ball of light graces our skies daily.

However, a momentary mix-up between the red and yellow crayons led to a yellow sun instead-a sun that, in Sammy's eyes... just didn't seem right.

Now, as adults, we might chuckle at the thought of a yellow sun being a cause for distress.

But let's remember, for Sammy, this was actually a monumental event in his little universe.

His creative vision had been challenged, and that was a big deal to him.

The sun wasn't just a sun; it was the center of his artwork, the core of his masterpiece.

At that moment, it felt as though the world had tilted on its axis.

Here's the deal:

You have the power to guide little ones through the rollercoaster of emotions they experience and help them actually cope and respond better to these overwhelming feelings.

And it all starts when we teach feelings and social-emotional learning skills to kids. This supports their overall well-being and sets them up for success.
How do we do this exactly?
What is Social-emotional Learning?

SEL stands for social-emotional learning.

It includes:

self-awareness

self-regulation

social awareness

relationship skills

and responsible decision-making

SEL programs, often in schools, create a positive environment for children to develop these skills, leading to improved academic performance, better mental health, and overall well-being.

Social-emotional learning is, dare I say, the MOST important set of skills we can teach young kids.

In this situation with Sammy, I would work on social-emotional learning skills by practicing active listening skills and problem-solving skills with Sammy.

I would sit down with Sammy and talk about how he felt.

I would talk with him about how it feels when things don't go how we want them to and devise a new plan.

Maybe the plan is to suggest mixing the red and yellow crayons together to make a new color for the sun, or perhaps the plan might be to grab a new piece of paper to try again.

By taking a few minutes to understand how a child feels, talking about it, and listening to them, we can help them feel better and move on.

50 Social-Emotional Activities for Preschoolers To Try at Home or School

I have created a huge list of 50 different social-emotional learning activities to use at home or in the classroom to help kids thrive and grow.

These activities help create a safe environment and will help kids foster positive relationships and express emotions in a healthy way. It's a great way to improve our relationship skills, help us understand the emotions of others, and respond appropriately to different social situations.

If you are a classroom teacher and need help with social development for preschool, early childhood, or even special education, I am certain you will find these ideas helpful for your classroom.

Always remember this: Sometimes, outbursts and difficult behavior may happen more often at home than at school because it is a safe space for your little one.

Ready....set....let's go!

50 social-emotional activities for preschoolers coming your way now...

A feelings thermometer (click to get this printable for free) is a great visual to show students what they might be feeling and what each feeling might mean.

2. Emotions Bean Bag Toss

Lay out some emotion cards on the floor.

Have kids take turns throwing a bean bag to land on an emotion card.

Talk about the feeling that they land on in more detail and practice showing that feeling yourself.

3. Use Mirrors to Practice Facial Expressions for Emotions

Note: When a child can visually see how their face looks when upset or angry, it becomes easier to recognize when other people feel this way, too.

4. Empathy Role-Play

Take turns acting out different scenarios with the kids in your life.

Do things that require empathy, such as pretending to fall down and be hurt. Maybe you ask them to kiss your boo-boo and help you up.

Get creative: You could also do a pretend play puppet show!

5. Read Different Social Stories to your Preschoolers

What is a social story, you might be wondering?

It is a simple story that describes a social situation and the appropriate way to act in that situation.

Using social stories with younger kids, especially students with autism, can be really beneficial in teaching appropriate social skills.

You can grab this huge bundle of Social Stories to help teach kids about the following topics:

6. Do Activities that Encourage Preschoolers to Express Their Feelings (Try the Feelings Fun Kit)

We talk about that word a lot with kids... feelings.

But here's the kicker:

We might say the words angry, sad, or frustrated to them, but they don't actually understand those words.

It's really important to show what facial expressions of different emotions look like but also dig deeper into what they mean.

➡️ Try using the Feelings Fun Kit to help with this.

7. Play Freeze Dance Using Emotions

This idea is a fun twist on a typical activity. Have you ever played the freeze dance with children?

You simply play music, children dance, and everyone has to freeze when you stop the music.

For this twist, try yelling out a feeling as you press stop on the music, and they have to freeze, showing that emotion in their face and body.

For example, if they yell "mad," they might clench their fists and stomp their foot down as they freeze.

8. Read Books about Social Emotional Development

Kids love listening to stories. Reading social-emotional books for preschoolers is a great way to teach skills using characters for role play.

📚 Here are some of my favorite books for preschoolers to help with social-emotional learning:

Have You Filled a Bucket Today by: Carol McCloud

Making Friends is an Art by: Julia Cook

The Not So Friendly Friend by: Christina Furnival

What to Do When You Feel Like Hitting by: Cara Goodwin

9. Try a Social Emotional Learning Curriculum for Preschoolers

Setting aside a time in your school day to specifically teach some social-emotional skills to this 3 to 5 year old age group can be really powerful.

The more we focus on social development and social skills with young children and practice these skills, the more likely children will eventually use them in the proper context and situations.

10. Yoga for Kids

Yoga is a great way to exercise your mind and body to ease stress and anxiety.

Try Cosmic Kids Yoga or these Yoga Kids Posters and Flashcards!

11. Make a Calm-Down Jar

📚 Grab the book The Calm Down Jar by: Jennifer Jones and then let kids create their own calm down jar to keep.

Try this mindfulness calm-down jar from Kumarah Yoga.

12. Create Gratitude Art

Have kids draw a simple picture of something they like and explain why it makes them happy.

Hang these pictures up in their bedrooms or classrooms to help kids have something happy to look at when they need it in times of frustration or sadness.

For more gratitude ideas - check out this epic list.

13. Use Dinosaurs to Stomp out BIG Feelings

I love this sweet idea from The OT Toolbox. It is absolutely perfect for this early childhood age group.

14. Use Mornings to Check-in on Feelings

Have kids check in on how they are feeling during breakfast or during a morning meeting in the classroom.

Use prompts such as: "What made you smile this morning?"

15. Sing Songs about Basic Emotions

Little kids tend to love music, so any way you can incorporate it into their day will be a win.

Sing songs with basic emotional words like "If You're Happy and You Know It." (You can add as many emotions as you want to this song!)

16. Try Mindfulness Breathing Boards

A breathing board is a way to show children how to visually be mindful of their breathing and take control of it in a concrete way.

These breathing boards have eight different shapes. Have children trace around the shape with their finger while slowly inhaling and exhaling.

Try any of the mindfulness exercises from our Mindful Minute Series:

17. Emotion Sorting

Provide pictures of different cards showing emotions and ask kids to sort them into happy, sad, or mad piles.

18. Create Emotion Masks

Looking for hands-on social-emotional learning activities for preschoolers?

Have you ever noticed how much kids enjoy letting their imaginations run wild and pretending to be someone else?

Let children create masks they can wear when they want to be someone different. They can even choose a pretend name to go along with their mask.

For instance, if a child comes to school feeling upset about something that happened earlier in their day, it can sometimes be helpful for them to attribute those feelings to the character they become with their mask. This way, they don't have to carry those emotions themselves.

Imagine saying, "Today, 'Patti' (a made-up name) is feeling sad while wearing her mask." Then, together, you can explore ideas for making 'Patti' feel better. The child can even switch back to being themselves and brainstorm ways to cheer up the fictional character they've become with the mask.

This approach also works wonderfully when using role-play with stuffed animals.

19. Use Calm-Down Cards

Try using calm-down cards during transition times.

These cards will be your new secret weapon of distraction.

Have kids or students pull out a calm-down card, complete the activity as instructed, and watch their mood magically change. (Help them get back to the green zone.)

20. Mindful Breathing Bubbles

Utilize bubbles as a tool for learning deep breathing.

Take a long, deep breath in, then exhale gently, blowing out the bubbles. Notice how your body begins to unwind as the bubbles gracefully drift away.

21. Listening Circle

Gather in a circle and pass an object while taking turns sharing something fascinating or important.

Teaching active listening is a significant social-emotional activity for preschoolers. Listening can be quite a challenge, especially when you're young!

22. Make Friendship Bracelets

Make friendship bracelets and discuss the importance of friendship.

These class friendship bracelets from Teaching on Cloud 9 are really awesome.

We have an entire unit on friendships and social skills - check out a preview below:

23. Team-building Towers

Provide children with building blocks or LEGO sets, encouraging them to collaborate and construct a tower together. This activity fosters improved communication and teamwork skills.

24. Say Positive Affirmations

Encourage kids to repeat positive affirmations that promote self-confidence and self-love.

Social-emotional learning is also about helping kids develop a growth mindset and believe in themselves!

25. Take Brain Breaks throughout the Day

Attention span and four-year-olds:

These are two things that simply don't go together.

Anyone who teaches, takes care of, or has kids knows all about the tiny attention spans that we, as parents or educators, need to accommodate.

Try this list of 60 Brain Break Ideas to use throughout the day to help regulate your little one's body.

26. Build a Calming Kit (One of MY Favorite Social Emotional Learning Activities for Preschoolers or Any Age Group)

Create a quiet space in your home or classroom for a calm down area for when children need some time to settle down by themselves and think. Build a calming kit for kids to use when they become overwhelmed.

27. Fishing for Feelings

This adorable game from Little Page Turners can be played as a one-on-one activity or as a group.

28. Set Up Games for Cooperative Play

Set up games that require cooperation, like a parachute game or a ball-passing circle.

We also have a unit on teamwork in our HeartSmart Curriculum! (Including our incredible fun Save the Teacher Co-operative Game.

29. Teach the STOP Method for When They are Overwhelmed

STOP means:

Step back and stop what you are doing.

Take a deep breath.

Observe.

Proceed Mindfully.

Grab this STOP poster for a visual representation in your house or classroom.

30. Sharing Circles

Provide a talking stick and let kids take turns sharing something special and positive with the group.

This works really well during morning meetings in a classroom setting.

31. Problem-Solving Play

Offer open-ended toys such as building blocks or clay, allowing children to collaborate in solving challenges and puzzles.

Developing problem-solving skills is a significant milestone in their social development at this age!

32. Mirror Mimic

Pair kids up and have them take turns mimicking each other's movements.

This helps to promote observation and cooperation.

33. Create Emotion Faces Using Play-doh

Give your little ones these adorable emotions mats and some Play-Doh to create the face of each one.

Watch the giggles and fun they have!

34. Calming Sound Exploration

Try using different instruments or natural objects to create soothing sounds and discuss how those sounds make them feel.

35. Have a Gratitude Circle Once per Week

Gather in a circle, whether in your classroom or around the dinner table at home.

Each person can take their turn to share something they feel thankful for.

36. Listening Partners

Pair children up and let them alternate sharing stories while their partner practices active listening.

If you try this activity at home, your child can choose to do it with you or a sibling.

37. Send Thank You Notes

Encourage kids to draw or dictate thank-you notes to family members for small acts of kindness.

38. Create Calming Sensory Bins

Preschoolers are absolutely wild about sensory bins. Perhaps they're secret mess enthusiasts, or maybe they're just big fans of hands-on, squishy, and touchy-feely stuff.

Here's the cool part: Preschoolers can have a solo adventure with a sensory bin when they need a break from the world's craziness. Or, they can form a "sensory squad" and chat about how these bins make them feel.

No matter how you slice it, let's make this playful habit work for us! Time to whip up some fantastic calming sensory bins for your home or classroom.

psssst....lavender is a very CALMING scent!

39. Feelings Matching Game

Take the same feelings cards from earlier and print two sets.

Voila...you now have your very own matching game!

40. Play "Catch a Feeling"

All you need for this fun game is an inflatable beach ball and a Sharpie.

Use a permanent marker to draw feeling faces onto an inflatable beach ball.

Toss the ball to a child. When they catch it, have them identify the feeling face under one of his hands.

He can also share a time when he experienced that feeling. It's a simple and fun way to teach kids about feelings from Pam Dyson.

41. Practice "I Feel Statements"

Instead of just throwing insults back and forth or hitting, teach children to say things such as, "I feel upset when you take my toy without asking. Can we share and take turns?"

42. Scribble Art
(This fun idea is from The Art of Education University.)
Sometimes, we just need to "get the scribbles out!"

Teach students how to hold one or many drawing tools and scribble all over a blank sheet of paper, letting their emotions come out on the paper.

43. Create a Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down Jar

This sweet idea from Things to Share and Remember helps reinforce kids' actions and the rules.

44. Play Feelings Bingo (One of the BEST Social Emotional Learning Activities for Preschoolers)

Feelings bingo is always a big hit for a family game or in the classroom!

45. Rainbow Breathing

Your little rainbow lovers will love this one!

Another breathing activity from The OT Toolbox.

Check out more of my favorite breathing exercises HERE.

46. Good Friend Vs. Not a Good Friend Sorting Cards

Grab this FREE download from Twinkl to let kids sort each scenario on the cards.

47. Use a Sensory Swing

This young age group loves swings, and did you know that swings are actually really good for their little bodies?

Swinging has a TON of therapeutic benefits for kids.

Vestibular input is highly needed in young kids, and using a sensory swing (whether you have one at home or school) is a great way to get this input.

48. Play Games to Work on Taking Turns and Sharing

Games are one of the EASIEST ways to work on social skills and emotional development with this young age group.

Some of my favorites are Go Fish, Uno, and Candyland.

49. Make a Stress Ball

Did you know that squeezing stress balls releases tension and nervous energy?

Stress balls can also help stop fidgeting and provide sensory stimulation for kids.

This is why they can also be used as an outlet to help kids with emotional regulation.

Find out how to make a homemade stress ball out of a balloon right here!

50. Meditation Moments

Guide kids through short, age-appropriate meditation sessions to encourage relaxation.

Try using this Mindfulness Kit for Kids.

Final Thoughts: Social-Emotional Activities for Preschoolers

In the world of little ones, emotions can be as big as skyscrapers.

When children learn how to navigate and understand these feelings, it's like giving them a superhero cape - they become more confident and feel like they're steering the ship.

For parents and educators, this is a monumental triumph.

We possess the tools and the power to be their guides in this emotional journey.

One day at a time. One situation at a time.

By helping kids explore and comprehend their emotions, we're laying down the groundwork for their success. After all, you can't conquer those colossal emotions if you don't even know what they are, right?

The first step toward mastering emotions is recognizing and acknowledging them.

So, let's embark on this incredible adventure of teaching our little ones the social-emotional superpowers they need right from the get-go.

We hope you enjoyed this large list of social-emotional activities for preschoolers!

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50 FUN Social-Emotional Activities for Preschoolers * Mindfulmazing.com

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Explore 50 fun social emotional activities for preschoolers. These activities are great for home and school, and we even have a full social-emotional learning program for you to discover!

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Let's Unwind | Flow | Meditation For Kids | GoNoodle

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Feelings thermometer. Teach the children about feelings and allow them to mark their emotions while they are feeling them.

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Feelings and Emotions Song - The Kiboomers Preschool Songs for Circle Time

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Feelings and Emotions Song - The Kiboomers Preschool Songs for Circle Time

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Feelings and Emotions Song - The Kiboomers Preschool Songs for Circle Time

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Emotions Hokey Pokey - The Kiboomers Preschool Songs & Nursery Rhymes for Circle Time

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Belly Breathing: Mindfulness for Children

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My Feelings and Me: Kids books read aloud by Books with Blue

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Breathe In & Out - The Kiboomers Feelings & Emotions Song - Preschool Yoga

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Breathe In & Out - The Kiboomers Feelings & Emotions Song - Preschool Yoga

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Breathe In & Out - The Kiboomers Feelings & Emotions Song - Preschool Yoga

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Emotions Song - THE KIBOOMERS Preschool Songs - If You're Happy & You Know It

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Emotions Grow and Shrink | Exercise for Kids | GoNoodle

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My plan for our emotion sensory bins was to prepare the materials for the three emotions that Ella experiences the most (at 2 years old), and have those at the ready for whenever those emotions might come up. I recreated the bins later in the week so as to review and also take pictures (as I didn't feel it was respectful to take pictures when my daughter was struggling with sad and mad emotions.)

There was a huge difference in her approach to the materials depending on her mood, and I really think that introducing the bins during both neutral and emotional times is beneficial.

I prepared a " Happy Sensory Bin," a " Sad Sensory Bin," and a " Mad Sensory Bin " for Ella, and my concept was to include symbols of those emotions along with helpful things that we can do when we experience those emotions, to reinforce our efforts at emotional regulation.

Some parents might prefer to only do a Happy Sensory Bin and/or Calm Sensory Bin, focusing on objects that inspire and assist with creating those feelings, which could still be effective as long as the parent creates the connection of how these bins can be used when experiencing sad, mad, or confused emotions.

Happy Sensory Bin

Sensory Bin Base: Pink & Purple Pompoms ("warm fuzzies" in Ella's favourite colours)
Items included in the Happy Sensory Bin:

Scoop

Happy Kimochi feeling

Pink Tower cubes (which I regret including as it was a misuse of Montessori materials and distracted Ella from the Happy Sensory Bin until it was completed)

A collection of Ella's favourite things:

bracelets

a ball

her yellow submarine from her music corner

a percussion egg

a moon from a balancing toy

Sad Sensory Bin

Sensory Bin Base: Clear water beads (to represent tears; I would have used blue but my clear ones do not absorb colour well and tend to rub off and stain other items)

Sad Kimochi feeling

Things to do when we're sad:

"Kisses" (red felt lips from our button monkey)

cups for tea

Madeline book (Ella's favourite)

Blue handbells

Bubbles for blowing (representative of the spherical shape of the waterbead "tears" but powerful in that children can "pop" any sad bubbles)

Ella also added in her cookie monster!

Items Included in Sad Sensory Bin:
Some parents may choose to include items that the child associates with sadness, and I think that could be constructive depending on the child. For Ella, I think she would dwell on those "sad" items and I really wanted to focus on using the bin as a learning tool for coping strategies.

Mad Sensory Bin

Sensory Bin Base: Red waterbeads and red pompoms

Mad Kimochi Feeling

Funnel (representing "funneling angry energy into something constructive"

Red cup for tea

Red play dough

yoga cards

a pinwheel (which I discuss here as a great way for teaching deep breathing for emotional regulation)

Included in Mad Sensory Bin:
I also had Ella put on her red rain boots to symbolize going for a walk (and also discussed that option); I had her put them on because I knew if I left them out they would get filled with waterbeads!
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and any ideas for other emotion sensory bins, or how these could be improved upon! If you liked this post, please check out my other posts on Emotional Intelligence and Psychology.

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Emotions Sensory Bins ⋆ Sugar, Spice and Glitter

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Sensory bins are fabulous sensory play and they can be great emotional regulation tools! While they are not really Montessori, I personally think that they area great addition to a Montessori Toddler environment. My plan for our emotion sensory bins was to prepare the materials for the three emotions that Ella experiences the most (at 2...

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In this blog post, you'll discover 4 Multisensory Emotion Activities for Preschoolers that utilize multisensory learning and exploration to promote emotional intelligence for kids in the preschool age. Let's take a look at these social emotional activities for children ages 3-5. In this blog post, you'll learn how to teach children about emotions through hands-on learning activities, designed to help children remember how to process their feelings even in times of stress. Simple activities like emotions playdough mats can support skill building in playful and fun ways.

Multisensory Learning: Emotion Activities

When children are overwhelmed, they don't listen to reason. Learning new skills through play, using multi sensory forms, help children recall these skills at a moments notice.

What happens when you sit your child down to teach them a new skill? Do they remember what they learned 5 minutes later? Do they seem interested in listening to you talk to them or would they be more engaged in their learning if they actively solved a problem with you.

If we use at least two of the following 4 components to teach new emotion skills, children (even adults) will remember better.

Why do children learn how to manage their emotions better when they learn a new skill in multiple ways?

Multisensory Learning

Multisensory learning engages all the different parts of our brain and our body! An amazing article discusses Multisensory Learning is an Effective Strategy for Teaching Students How To Read.

As they dive deeper into the topic of reading, they describe the neuroscience behind multisensory learning as: "the human brain has evolved to learn and grow in a multisensory environment.

According to the whole brain learning theory, all brain functions are interconnected for this reason. We remember how to do things best when the directions we're given engage multiple senses.

The definition of multisensory learning, then, is using the neuroscience behind how we learn to teach lessons that engage two or more senses.

Most educators add audio or visual multimedia into their assignments, but multisensory learning can also include tactile, smell, and taste-related materials. As long as the activity engages multiple areas of the brain, it can help students develop stronger memories around how to do it."

The definition of multisensory learning is using the neuroscience behind how we learn to teach lessons that engage two or more senses.

Multisensory Learning for Emotions

As we teach children how to respond to their feelings and the feelings of others, we can use tactile, visual, movement and auditory cues to make these activities more meaningful and memorable.

Let's take a look at some ways that using the senses as a tool supports development in these multisensory learning emotion activities based on sensory systems.

Tactile Experiences and Emotion Activities

When you hear the word "pumpkin goop" how do you feel? Do you instantly cringe? Do you think about the pumpkin seeds inside a pumpkin and feel hungry?

Touching something directly affects the touch receptors on our skin. This signal moves through our body to the thalamus, which relays information to our brain! This powerful sense helps our brain understand what we are doing and associates an emotion that goes along with that activity (such as "eww," or "this is hot!")

When we have a positive experience learning a new skill through touch, our brain remembers that feeling and makes it easier to recall the experience. If we use tactile activities within our teaching approach, children will be able to remember what they did and why, making recalling new skills easier.
Children engage longer with tactile experiences.
Visual Processing and Emotion Activities

When children are toddlers, they need lots of hand gestures to know what to do when given a direction. Seeing an action helps them understand. When children are learning how to name objects, showing them pictures of objects (or showing them the object) allows them to associate the name of the object. This is true for all learning activities. Looking at visuals that explain a new concept, such as emotion faces or letters in a book, help children remember.

Per this article, 65 percent of the population are visual learners. Hearing a direction or sound goes into our short term memory, while seeing something goes into our long term memory. Per this report,

" One of the easiest ways to ensure that learners store information in their long-term memory is to pair concepts with meaningful images. Visuals help students make sense out of the content and direct attention, increasing the possibilities that the learners will remember the material."
Visuals help with faster recall.
Auditory System and Emotion Activities

Listening to music during activities keep us calm and alert. Sounds of nature, environmental sounds and communicative words help our brain remember specific things. Do you remember what song you danced to at your wedding? Or the top 10 hits of 1985? I bet if you hear just one word, phrase or instrumental bridge from any of those songs, you will be singing at the top of your lungs in minutes!

When children learn new skills, paired with a song, such as "Old MacDonald," "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "BINGO" they remember the sounds of animals, how to spell BINGO (even if they don't know how to spell their own name yet) and that the stars are up in the sky! Pairing new skills with sayings or songs help us recall the lesson quickly. Are there any emotion songs that you know?
Auditory supports help children remember easier.
Kinesthetic System and Emotion Activities

According to this link, in an article by Marwa Abdelbary, physical therapist, children are able to remember more when movement is embedded in their day.

She reports that "studies show that children who are more active exhibit better focus, faster cognitive processing, and more successful memory retention than kids who spend the day sitting still. Keeping the body active promotes mental clarity by increasing blood flow to the brain, making activity vital to both learning and physical and neurological health."
Learning while moving engages muscle memory and new areas of the brain.
Multisensory Learning for Emotional Awareness

When you teach a child a new skill using all of the components, they will remember the best!

This " Playful Alphabet Curriculum " is a great example on how to teach the name and sound every letter using visuals, tactile, movement and recall games.

It starts with reading an interactive ABC book, then introducing each letter with five different activities: sensory, art, movement and literacy. Each of these activities use a different part of the brain to learn the letter name and sound.

Teaching children emotion words and how to process their feelings is a very important skill. Let's teach them using every sense so they can remember quicker.

We previously covered specific strategies to teach teach emotional vocabulary to preschoolers. Be sure to use those emotions words strategies.

4 Emotion Activities using multiple senses

These multisensory learning emotion activities use multiple senses to teach preschoolers and engage them in multisensory learning through play and hands-on activities.
Multisensory Emotion Activity #1: Calm down and remember how to problem solve with "Soothing Sammy"
" Soothing Sammy " creates a positive spin on calming down and talking about feelings. This three step program uses tactile, visual, auditory and movement components to teach preschoolers all about their emotions! First, read through the "Soothing Sammy" story, then practice all the different ways to calm down (sipping water, squeezing a ball, jumping, and more!) After, allow your child to build Sammy's house out of an empty box, and place sensory calm down items in.

Encourage them to visit Sammy's house and read his book when they become overwhelmed. Play the Sammy music, create the Sammy mask and complete the calming down activities (like the lavender bubble mix) to help children remember how to calm down when they feel overwhelmed.
Multisensory Emotion Activity #2: Use a fun theme!
This Frog Themed Slide Deck offers a fun frog theme way to work on identifying facial expressions and practicing visual memory skills.

Movement and auditory components can be added to any game, including this amazing frog themed slide deck. After having your kids match the emotions to the pictures, recreate the scene by asking your kids to jump like a frog! Add some music to initiate a freeze dance! When you pause the music, have the child jump like a frog and make an emotion face! What face are they making!
Multisensory Emotion Activity #3: Get clear on facial expressions and emotion names.
Use this Social Emotional Learning Worksheet as a guide.

This freebie is a great way to prompt preschoolers to think about their emotions. Although they will be too young to write, let's bring in a visual instead, a mirror! Ask your child what makes them sad, then make a sad face in the mirror. If available, take a picture of your child making the face, print it out, and allow your child to make their own facial expression book.
Multisensory Emotion Activity #4: Move with heavy work.
Add Play Dough and Movement to this adorable Bugs Emotion Set.

Heavy work activates the proprioceptive system and adds kinesthetic value to learning. Using play dough as a heavy work activity helps learning "stick" and makes activities fun and engaging.

These adorable bugs are experiencing lots of different feelings! Have your child make the same face the bug is, then imitate how the bug moves. Does it slither along the ground? Does it crawl or does it fly by flapping its wings. Next, using playdough and a hard surface, have your child make the bug and create its emotion face with a toothpick!

A final note on multisensory learning and emotions...

These multisensory learning emotion activities are designed to help preschoolers develop social emotional skills in fun ways!

Learning new skills through multi sensory activities help children recall their lessons faster. Through visual, tactile, movement and auditory enhancements, any activity can be effective. Teaching new skills through play, using more than two sensory components will help children remember how to respond to their feelings quickly and appropriately in a variety of situations.

Generalizing this skill through multisensory learning experiences will help preschoolers at home, at school and out in the community.

How can you incorporate these multisensory learning emotion activities into your home or classroom?

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Use these fun and engaging multisensory learning emotion activities to teach preschoolers about emotions through the senses.

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Article on Emotions and play

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Preschooler play: why it's important for emotional development

Play is the natural way that children learn and develop. It's important for all areas of development, including emotional development.

Preschoolers are learning about emotions all the time. Play gives them a chance to explore emotions and express them in different ways, including words. Play with you and other children also gives preschoolers the chance to practise managing their emotions. This is good for your child's self-regulation, behaviour, relationships and school preparation.

Preschoolers watch how you express your emotions. You can set a good example when you manage your emotions in positive ways. For example, you could say, 'I'm feeling frustrated, so I'm going to stop and take 3 big breaths'.

What to expect from preschoolers and emotions

At around 3-4 years, your child will probably:

use words to describe basic feelings like sad, happy, angry and excited

understand and relate to how others are feeling

feel generous and show an understanding of sharing - but don't expect your child to share all the time

do things that show affection for friends - for example, your child might make a drawing for a friend without you suggesting it

start learning how to control their emotions and calm down by themselves.

At 4-5 years, your child will probably:

use words to describe complex feelings like frustration and embarrassment, particularly if you've been encouraging your child to do this

hide the truth about something if they feel guilty, embarrassed or frightened or even say 'I didn't do it' when they did

be better at managing strong emotions like anger, frustration and disappointment and have fewer tantrums

feel anxious about going somewhere unfamiliar, like a birthday party, especially if they have a less sociable temperament

play cooperatively with other children - for example, your child might agree to be the customer and let their friend be the shopkeeper in a game of shops.

By 5 years, your child will probably:

use words to describe complex feelings like disappointment, guilt and jealousy

be more aware of their feelings towards others and act on them - for example, your child might be kind to friends and family and want to help you more

try hard to follow the rules to avoid getting in trouble

have more patience when waiting for things

have feelings about starting school - for example, your child might feel nervous or excited.

Play ideas to encourage preschooler emotions

Playing with you and with other children helps preschoolers explore and understand their feelings. Here are play ideas for you and your child:

Give your child opportunities for messy play, like playing with sand, mud or paints. This is a great way for children to express feelings like happiness or sadness.

Look for imaginative and creative ways for your child to play. Your child could act out feelings with puppets or toys, or use old clothes for dress-up games and pretend play. For example, your preschooler could pretend to be kind and concerned like a teacher or a doctor.

Take your child outside to play in a park or open area with space for running, tumbling and rolling. This can help your child let out emotions.

Encourage your child to paint and draw as a way of expressing emotions. Painting and drawing can soothe and calm your child if they're frustrated or sad.

Encourage your child to jump around and 'act out' music or make music with simple instruments.

Give your child chances to play with children of all ages and abilities. By playing with other children, your child can learn how to understand and manage emotions.

Read stories that feature characters who are experiencing similar situations and emotions to your child. This can help your child understand new emotions like grief about a pet's death or worry about starting school.

Let your child lead play. Your child might find it easier to express feelings if they're interested in the play activity.

It's a good idea to talk with your child and family health nurse or GP if your child isn't interested in other children by 3 years, doesn't pretend during play by 3 years, or doesn't show empathy by 4 years. Also see your GP or nurse if you're concerned about any other aspect of your child's development.

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Preschoolers are getting better at expressing emotions. Play ideas to develop preschooler emotions include sand play, dress-ups, music, drawing and reading.

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Aug 7, 2018 - The goal of an “All About Me” theme is usually to help classmates get to know each other better, but when your only student is your own child, that puts a bit of a different spin on things. For our All About Me theme we focused on emotions, family, and learning more about ourselves. Here […]

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Activities that Promote Emotional Development in Early Childhood

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'Calm Body Calm Mind' Mindfulness Song for Kids

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'Calm Body Calm Mind' Mindfulness Song for Kids 🎵 Netflix Jr. Jams

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I have made emotions bags with my students but we filled balloons with different textured items. They could squeeze the balloons and look at the emotion on the ballon.