Social-emotional learning (SEL) is more than just an add-on to traditional education. It’s a critical part of childhood education.
Dr. Bruce Perry, a renowned psychiatrist and neuroscience researcher explained in his talk at the 2014 Chicago Humanities Festival, that kids have fewer opportunities to develop social-emotional skills than they did 30 years ago. As a result, he says, “We have college students with the empathic capabilities of children who are five or six years old.”
The bottom line: 21st-century society is different. It’s not giving kids the environment they need to develop self-awareness, resilience, and empathy.
SEL activities can help kids develop these skills.
We are huge supporters of SEL at bina, which is why we integrate social-emotional learning activities into everyday learning. Of course, SEL isn’t just something to include in the school day. There are many engaging, fun, and fulfilling social-emotional learning activities you can do at home with your kiddo. In this guide, we give you a rundown of 10 at-home social-emotional learning activities you can try.
Social-emotional learning helps students gain the tools they need to manage emotions, handle challenges, and form healthy relationships. It focuses on developing soft skills, including self-mangement, conflict resolution, and effective communication.
Learning SEL skills is different from learning a math topic kids can master in a couple of weeks or spelling words they can memorize in an afternoon. They require ongoing practice, which is why integrating SEL into everyday life is so important.
In an interview with Edutopia, Dr. Maurice Elias, Director of Rutgers University’s Social and Emotional Learning Lab, explains why SEL matters: “We’re starting to realize, social and emotional development is an absolutely essential part of academic success and success in life.”
The science backs this up. Studies suggest that students who participate in school-based SEL interventions show improvements in:
• Behavior
• Relationships
• Academic achievement
So, what can you do, as a parent, to support your child’s social and emotional development?
Here are 10 activities you can try together. Feel free to adjust them to suit your child’s age and interests.
Games and social time are a fun way for kiddos to build SEL skills like empathy, patience, and self-regulation. Try these engaging activities with your child.
Why not take a classic game like charades and give it a social-emotional twist? Instead of a movie, book, or song title, you can act out different feelings.
This is an engaging way to help kiddos recognize how emotions look and feel because no words are allowed. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to have fun and be silly together. Players can only use body movements and facial expressions. Examples of emotions you can try include:
• Excitement
• Sadness
• Frustration
• Surprise
• Anger
• Fear
When you want something new, try mixing it up by drawing instead of miming. You and your child can draw different feelings and talk about what the emotion means and how they can support a friend who feels that way.
Game night can be a weekly routine or a special treat on rainy afternoons. You can try out cooperative games, like Stone Soup, where players work together to cook a soup before the fire goes out, or The Mind, an easy-to-learn card game that involves putting numbers in sequential order and tons of bonding.
There are also games that help kids (and adults!) learn how to work with big feelings, like Mad Dragon, a card game that explores angry feelings, and Squash It!, a very hands-on SEL game that helps kids learn about their interpersonal strengths.
Simon Says is one of the most well-known games for elementary school students, and it’s a great activity for boosting SEL skills.
So, how does this activity support SEL? Here are some of the skills your child will gain:
• Active listening skills
• Patience
• Following instructions
• Self-regulation
• Social awareness
• Emotional resilience
Simon Says can open the door to conversations, too. For example, you can focus on emotions, such as “Simon says be happy” or “make a sad face.” After the game, reflect on these feelings and how they may look.
A playdate can be as simple as playing a game together, sharing drawings, or just kids chatting about their day. Unstructured play with others helps children experience different personality types. They have to learn to share and navigate social situations.
Playdates can support a range of SEL skills, including communication skills, empathy, teamwork, and patience. Friendships also give kiddos that sense of belonging and “fitting in” with their peers.
Creative activities offer children a chance to express themselves. These activities will teach them to problem-solve, use their imagination, and think outside the box.
A vision board is a creative activity that can work for children of all ages. It's a hands-on way for them to explore their feelings, dreams, and values.
Younger children can make a vision board on paper. It may include their own artwork, stickers, photographs, and magazine cutouts that make them feel safe and happy. If you have older children, they may prefer to create a digital vision board that highlights their goals and plans for the future. Their design might include inspirational quotes, digital stickers, and graphics.
This social-emotional learning activity gives kids of all ages a chance to express themselves creatively as they can include whatever they want in their vision board. You can also ask them about their design choices, giving them a chance to reflect on what’s important to them.
Gardening encourages children to get outdoors and enjoy nature. Also, caring for a plant indoors teaches patience and responsibility, and there’s a real sense of excitement when something starts to grow.
Your child can be a part of the entire process. From choosing the seeds to finding the right spot to regular watering, this is something they will need to stick to. You can even talk about how, just like humans, plants need care and attention.
You can do almost anything for this SEL activity. Vegetable gardens are fun to grow and provide yummy, fresh produce. Or, if you don’t have a backyard, a pot on the windowsill with herbs or flowers will be enough. Kiddos can get arty and paint the pots to put their own stamp on things.
Stuffed animals, dinosaurs, dolls — your child’s favorite toys can help them develop social-emotional skills.
How? By using their imagination and playing as different characters, they will start to understand how other people may act and feel. It’s a safe way to try out scenarios and reactions, and there are no rules.
Let’s say it’s a Polly the Penguin role-play in a restaurant. Maybe the customer is upsetting the staff because they are feeling impatient. Or, it might be a school setting where River the Rhino forgets to hand in their homework, which leads to feelings of disappointment.
This type of play can be done alone, with a friend, or even with a parent. If you decide to participate, you can ask gentle questions and follow their lead in the story.
Consider filming a scene and watching it back. You can use the footage to reflect on the activity and giggle at your “acting” skills.
These social-emotional learning activities will inspire deeper thinking and help your child reflect on where they are and where they want to be.
Stories can help children connect with their emotions and understand the perspectives of others. With the right books, kiddos can learn to describe their feelings and find out how to cope with different challenges.
SEL books often have an empathetic storyline, where the reader can put themselves in the shoes of others. Here are a few SEL book suggestions that you and your child can explore:
For children aged 4 to 8
• Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts: A story about kindness, wants versus needs, and doing the right thing.
• A Spark in the Dark by Pam Fong: This is about the emotions we all feel and how to find courage and connection.
For children aged 8 to 12
• Wonder by R.J. Palacio: A story about acceptance and kindness. It also has a strong anti-bullying message.
• Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt: A girl finds her voice with help from someone who sees her differently. This encourages children to be accepting of others.
A simple notebook can go a long way. When students make a habit of writing in a gratitude journal every day, it helps them to reflect on any ups and downs in their lives.
Depending on their age, you can encourage your child to write or draw in their journal. Give them the flexibility to tell their own story, with a focus on:
• What they are grateful for
• Something positive that happened that day
• A challenge they faced and how they handled it
This activity supports self-awareness and can open the door for parents to have important conversations. Plus, journaling can encourage a love of writing and storytelling.
Kiddos can decorate their special book with stickers, photos and artwork so they are left with something they feel proud of.
Small, achievable goals help children gain confidence while empowering them with a sense of achievement.
Whether it’s learning to tie their shoelaces, packing their lunch, or reading every night, goal setting gives kiddos something positive to work toward.
You can work with your child to create age-appropriate goals, but keep in mind that they may need to be split into short-term and long-term goals. For example, if they want to learn to play a rock song on the guitar, their short-term goals may be practicing every night and not skipping any lessons.
Goal setting can be done in different ways. For younger ones, reward charts are a good place to start. Children can design their own chart and use stickers as they progress. Older children may prefer a paper planner or a digital app.
This process gives children control over certain areas of their lives.
At bina, social-emotional learning is a core focus. Through engaging projects and meaningful activities, SEL helps our students build confidence, emotional intelligence, and empathy for others.
While SEL skills are part of a live classroom, this learning doesn’t have to end once the school day is over. Parents can build on this learning at home with a range of fun activities like reading books together, journaling, and games. Even everyday moments, such as asking about their day or setting goals together, can guide them in the right direction.
To learn more about the benefits of SEL and how we weave it into our lesson plans, check out this guide to social-emotional learning for parents.