Some of our topics include:
Skills for Learning
-learning to listen
-focusing attention
-following directions
-self-talk for staying on task
-being assertive
Empathy
-feelings
-accidents
-compassion
Emotion Management
-we feel feelings in our bodies
-frustration/disappointment/anger
-waiting/patience
-calming down strong feelings
Problem Solving
-inviting to play
-fair ways to play
-having fun with friends
-handling have things taken away
-handling name-calling
Cultivating a Growth Mindset
-learning about brains and how we can exercise our brains and make them
stronger with challenges and mistakes
Fun activities to try at home:
A kindness rock, sometimes called a kindness stone, is simply a rock that someone has taken and decorated with an inspirational message. These special rocks can be placed around your yard, a loved one's house or your neighborhood to spread cheer. Materials Needed: clean, smooth rock, acrylic paint, permanent marker or paint pen, paint brush, sealer, paper towels **See links below (#6) for painting steps/directions.
Belly Breathing is a state of deep breathing that’s controlled by the large muscles in our abdomen. Belly breathing reduces our heart rate and triggers a relaxation response by calming down our nervous system. It’s best to practice this when you are already relaxed. It helps build awareness of feeling calm. It can be established as part of a relaxation routine and later, to assist in calming strong emotions. To learn the steps for Belly Breathing, click on the link below (#9).
The Imagine Neighborhood Podcast is designed for children to grow Social Emotional Skills. The episodes cover lots of topics where the characters learn to handle BIG feelings. It is a great opportunity for parents to listen with their children and have discussions around handling emotions and problem solving. Click on link #5 below. Great to use at home, in the car...or anywhere!
Have fun and connect as a family by planning some quality time together. The link below (#13) has 40 ideas for creating Family Fun Nights! Some will have to be planned after COVID threats subside, but many could be enjoyed right now. Some ideas include: make your own pizza night, create a family video, tell stories about old photos, do a family interview, stargazing, talent show, and theme night.
Award Winning Animated Short Film (under 5 minutes) “Soar” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDkpVwrhYfo&feature=youtu.be
Watch this wordless video together to inspire a conversation about looking at things with a Growth Mindset. In the video, a girl with a plan can’t seem to make her airplane fly despite making multiple attempts. She then meets a small pilot with a big problem. She uses what she has learned to help him find his way home. What she accomplishes is more that she could have expected.
Questions to prompt conversation:
● Why do you think someone made this video? What did the author want people to think about and learn?
● What did the characters do that showed they put in effort? How did they keep trying? Why did their effort make a difference?
● What might have happened if the characters just gave up?
● How did the character’s feelings change?
● What might the girl do next?
● Does this remind you of a time when you or someone you know kept trying until they learned to do something?
Check out link #16 (below) to sing with the Sesame Street Crew about the power of YET!
Problem Solving is a critical component of Social Emotional learning! This fun Gumdrop Bridge building activity involves solving problems through discovery, resilience and careful observation. Perseverance and overcoming obstacles to find the best solution to an issue is an important life-long skill in learning. This fun project will allow participants to engage in these problem solving steps: identifying and defining problems, brainstorming strategies, observing carefully, accessing resources, monitor progress, and evaluating results.
**Gumdrop Bridge Building **
Materials needed:
-Popsicle sticks
-Toothpicks
-Plastic containers (to hold items and/or provide challenges to “rescue” toys)
-Gumdrops or marshmallows (see link # 18 below for other item ideas)
-Lego men or small plastic toys (optional, for crossing the bridge)
-Bridge building video (optional) : https://youtu.be/oVOnRPefcno
Helping at home with household “jobs” however small, can help members of the family develop skills to cooperate and work together to share important responsibilities. Kids LOVE to help and involving them in volunteering to do age appropriate jobs fosters an important sense of teamwork that benefits the whole family.
https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/big-jobs-home Big Jobs At Home
See link 19 below for a list of jobs by age.
One way to foster a positive attitude is to practice thinking about gratitude. There are so many things to be thankful for all around us! Click on the link for some scavenger hunt ideas that will help participants to celebrate things that bring happiness to ourselves and each other!
https://www.naturalbeachliving.com/gratitude-scavenger-hunt/
Links:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7FdMi03CzI Brain Jump with Ned the Neuron - Challenges grow your brain
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zrtHt3bBmQ Growth Mindset for Students (episode 1) Class Dojo
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhYtcadR9nw Cosmic Kids Yoga
4. https://www.gonoodle.com/ Movement and Mindfulness
5. https://www.imagineneighborhood.org/podcast-1 Fun stories and prompts to share feelings. Helps to build social-emotional skills.
6. https://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/kindness-stones-activity/ Kindness Rocks https://inspirekindness.com/blog/rock-painting Kindness Rocks
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BODa0g7pU5M Sesame Street: Everyday Heroes Club Song (with Aloe Blacc and Elmo)
8. https://www.storylineonline.net/books/the-rainbow-fish/ Ernest Borgnine reads The Rainbow Fish by Marco Pfister
9. https://youtu.be/izL-4DcsS64 Guided Meditation for Kids/ Belly Breathing with a stuffie
10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykhMJU7bYLo Healthy Hints: Belly Breathing with Deven and the Wellabeez
11. https://youtu.be/_mZbzDOpylA Sesame Street: Common and Colbie Caillat “Belly Breathe with Elmo”
12. https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/practice-mindfulness-with-belly-breathing PBS Kids Article/ Teaching Mindfulness with Belly Breathing
13. https://playfulnotes.com/the-best-family-night-ideas/ Family Fun Night Ideas
14. https://lifeofahomebody.com/10-at-home-fun-frugal-family-nights/ More Family Fun
15. https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-self-care-tips Self-Care Strategies
16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLeUvZvuvAs&feature=youtu.be Sesame Street Power of Yet with Janelle Monae
17. https://pbskids.org/naturecat/games/racing-rapids PBS kids-racing rapids game
18. https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/gumdrop-bridge-building-engineering-activity-stem/ Gumdrop Bridge STEM Challenge
19. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/46/c0/1a/46c01aae9fa3f842bfc263b003c89998.jpg Chores by age chart that could be offered as an age appropriate “job”
21. https://leftbrainbuddha.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/LetItGo.pdf Letting Go Imagery Exercise using balloons
22. https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/building-social-emotional-skills-at-home Suggestions to support SE skills at home