What if learning kindness, teamwork, and handling big feelings was as fun as playing charades or bingo? That’s the magic of social-emotional learning (SEL) games. They sneak in lessons on empathy, self-control, and communication while kids are laughing, guessing, or high-fiving their friends.
We’ve picked 15 SEL games you can use at home or in the classroom to make social-emotional skills stick in a way that feels natural and fun.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) games are activities that incorporate life lessons into playtime. Instead of sitting kids down for a “feelings lecture,” these games let them practice big skills in small, fun ways.
CASEL — the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning — has found that when kids regularly practice SEL, they tend to learn better, build stronger friendships, and feel more confident.
But SEL shouldn’t be a once-a-week activity or an add-on after math class. The more chances kids have to build social and emotional skills, the better equipped they are to handle challenges, make friends, and express themselves.
That’s where games come in. From guessing silly faces to taking deep belly breaths with a stuffed animal, SEL games turn the ups and downs of growing up into opportunities to play, laugh, and connect, all while building emotional intelligence.
Kids don’t just need math and reading skills. They also need tools for handling intense feelings, making friends, and solving problems. These tools can prevent kiddos from getting overwhelmed with life or feeling out of control as a young adult.
And here’s the thing — kids today are more stressed than ever. A study in Discover Mental Health found that 81% of young people say stress has negatively affected them. The early years are a key time to build emotional skills so they aren’t stressed-out teens later on.
Social-emotional learning games give children a safe, playful space to practice these skills before real-life challenges pop up.
CASEL highlights five core areas that SEL develops:
Games often touch on more than one of these at once. A round of charades builds self-awareness (naming emotions) and social awareness (reading others’ cues). A “Red Light, Green Light” game helps with self-management (impulse control) while also reinforcing relationship skills (playing fair, taking turns).
And the research backs it up. According to a CASEL report, The Positive Impact of Social and Emotional Learning for Kindergarten to Eighth-Grade Students, kids who took part in SEL programs did better in school, scoring about 11 percentile points higher than those who didn’t. The report also found that SEL leads to fewer behavior problems, less stress and anxiety, and stronger overall well-being.
Learning about feelings doesn’t have to mean long talks or tricky worksheets. With play-based learning, it can be a lot of fun. Here are 15 social-emotional learning games that sneak big life lessons into giggles, guessing, and group fun.
When SEL becomes part of classroom life, magic happens. Group games give students the chance to practice empathy, kindness, and emotional regulation in a setting where teamwork and laughter come naturally.
Create bingo cards with acts of kindness in each square (share a toy, hold the door, give a compliment). Hand them out at the start of the week and let kids mark off each act when they do it. The first to complete a row shouts “Bingo!” but the real win is the ripple of kind acts around the room.
The game keeps kindness top of mind, and it works because children begin to see kindness as something they can choose to practice every day, not just when prompted.
Have the class sit in a circle with a soft ball or beanbag. The first child tosses it to someone else and offers a compliment (“I like how you explain math problems,” or “You always share your crayons.”) Each child then passes it on with their own compliment.
Beyond the smiles, this strengthens peer relationships and boosts self-worth; children who regularly receive positive feedback from classmates are more likely to view themselves as capable and valued members of the group.
Create a colorful wheel with emotions written or drawn on each slice. Kids spin the wheel and then either share a memory of that feeling or act it out. The exercise gives language to emotions that often go unnamed.
Neuroscientists have found that putting feelings into words reduces their intensity and helps the brain regulate them. So saying “I feel nervous” actually makes that nervousness easier to manage.
Print four large posters or colored papers and stick them on the wall or board:
Give each child a name card, magnet, or clothespin with their name on it. At the start of the day (or after lunch), kids place their marker on the color that matches how they feel.
For younger kids, you can add emoji faces to each color. For older kids, add sentence stems like “I feel ___ because…” This makes emotions visible at a glance and gives kids a daily habit of checking in with themselves.
Ask kids to lie on the floor with a small toy resting on their belly. As they breathe slowly in and out, they watch the toy rise and fall like a boat on gentle waves.
The visible movement makes calm breathing something children can see and feel, which helps them understand self-regulation concretely. Short mindfulness practices like this can create smoother classroom transitions.
Print or draw pairs of cards with faces and words for different emotions. Lay them face down, and children take turns flipping two to find matches. Each match is named aloud and linked to a personal memory, such as “I felt proud when I finished my project.”
This simple pairing of vocabulary with lived experience builds emotional literacy, helping children identify and talk about their feelings.
Here are some social-emotional learning games that turn dinner-table chaos or weekend downtime into moments of real connection.
Write an emotion or reflection question on every Jenga block, like “When did you feel brave?” or “What makes you calm?” As kids pull each block, they answer the prompt before stacking it on top.
It’s a simple tweak that transforms a regular game into a meaningful one. Children practice naming emotions, sharing stories, and listening to others, all while giggling and holding their breath as the tower wobbles.
This twist on classic charades helps kids explore how emotions look and feel. Write feeling words like excited, nervous, embarrassed, disappointed, and curious on slips of paper. One player acts out the emotion silently while others guess.
Because kids use body language, they learn to read emotional cues, which is an essential empathy skill. You can make it sillier by adding props or sound effects, or deeper by discussing when they’ve felt that emotion. Either way, everyone leaves the game with better emotional awareness (and likely a few fits of laughter).
Play some upbeat music and pass around a small toy or beanbag like a hot potato. When the music stops, whoever’s holding it shares one thing they’re grateful for, big or small. Then the game continues.
This fast-paced gratitude check-in keeps the mood light while quietly rewiring attention toward positive thinking. It’s an easy energizer that strengthens emotional resilience. Kids quickly realize there’s always something to appreciate, whether that’s a pet, a friend, or a sunny day. And the more they notice it, the more joy they feel.
This fun SEL activity turns art into empathy practice. Instead of guessing random words, kids draw scenes that show teamwork or kindness: helping a friend who fell, cheering for someone, or sharing lunch. Others guess what’s happening in the drawing.
As children think of moments that show friendship, they start to recognize what caring behavior looks like. The conversations that follow — “What could the friend say next?” or “How would you help?” — make social skills concrete, not abstract. It’s laughter plus life lessons, all in a box of markers.
For this mindful twist on a classic scavenger hunt, create a list of sensory prompts. Something that feels calm, something that smells nice, something that makes you smile. Kids move around the room (or outdoors), finding objects that match.
Instead of racing for prizes, children slow down, notice textures, colors, and sensations, and reflect on why each item fits. That gentle awareness helps them anchor in the present moment, which is a great foundation for self-regulation and gratitude. It’s easy, screen-free, and surprisingly soothing for grown-ups too.
These SEL strategies prove that movement really is medicine. Running, spinning, and laughing become the training ground for impulse control and emotional regulation.
Line the kids up and shout “Green light!” to make them run, then “Red light!” to make them freeze. Add a few curveballs — “Yellow light” means slow motion, “Blue light” means tiptoe — and watch the giggles begin.
Beneath the fun, this classic game teaches self-control and listening skills. Each time kids stop on cue, they’re practicing impulse control — waiting for the right moment, noticing their bodies, and managing excitement. It’s a playful workout for both focus and self-regulation that works just as well indoors or out.
This social-emotional learning game is art, teamwork, and emotional intelligence all rolled into one. Divide kids into teams and give each one a big sheet of paper and markers. Call out an emotion and send one player from each team racing up to draw something that shows that feeling. Then tag the next teammate.
By the end, you’ll have a colorful mural of feelings and a lot of laughter. The beauty is that kids see how emotions can look different to everyone, building empathy and creativity at the same time.
This twist on Simon Says brings emotions into motion. Mix classic commands — “touch your toes” — with feeling-based ones like “show me a proud pose,” “take three calm breaths,” or “act like you’re excited to see a friend.”
Kids have to listen carefully and think before they act, strengthening both attention and impulse control.
Turn on upbeat music and let kids dance freely. When the music stops, shout out an emotion, and everyone freezes in a pose that shows it.
This playful combo of music, movement, and emotional expression gets energy out while helping children recognize how feelings show up in their bodies. They learn that emotions can move, change, and pass, just like songs.
These movement games really work. According to Educating the Student Body, a report shared by the National Academies of Science, physical movement helps kids regulate energy levels and wind down more easily after excitement.
At bina, connection is built into the classroom. Students learn to listen, empathize, and collaborate, not because it’s a rule, but because it’s part of how they learn together.
Every bina lesson blends academic learning with emotional growth. Teachers weave play, discussion, and reflection into each unit so kids build not just knowledge, but confidence, compassion, and resilience.
Whether students are designing a group project, sharing ideas during a class discussion, or solving a real-world challenge together, they’re practicing empathy, collaboration, and self-management without even realizing it. Connect with us in the form below and learn more about how we use SEL in everyday learning!
