Social-Emotional Learning Activities

1. Decorate a box or jar to be a piggy bank for loose change, and decide where you will donate the money once it's full.

2. Read some new books together. Include some of these books that focus on mental health: https://www.readbrightly.com/kid-approved-middle-grade-books-mental-health/

For younger children, try some of these picture books with different SEL themes: https://www.movethisworld.com/family-community-engagement/2019-6-26-7-picture-books-to-teach-social-emotional-learning-this-summer/

3. Make “Thank you” cards for essential workers, or a thank you sign for your yard or window.

4. Ask each family member to identify one friend / classmate / neighbor that they haven't spoken to in a long time, then reach out and ask how they’ve been doing.

5. Watch movies as a family. Include Social-Emotional Learning in the experience by talking about the characters’ different feelings/motivations/perspectives. I recommend starting with Inside Out which encourages children to recognize and talk about their feelings and teaches them it is okay to be sad. Wonder is another great movie and book that teaches empathy and perseverance.

6. Play board games together! Try finding board games that can enhance problem-solving skills like chess or clue. There are also a lot of cooperative board games out there that require the players to work as a team toward a common goal.

7. Virtual Museum Trips. Visiting a history museum is a great way to learn about different cultures. Looking at art and contemplating what the artist may have been feeling can be an interesting social-emotional exercise.

8. Gardening! Teach responsibility and self-confidence by letting your children contribute to your garden. Once you teach them how, they can take ownership for taking care of their plants.

9. Practice yoga. Yoga helps connect your mind, body, and breath leading to self-awareness and healthy self-care habits.

10. Create artwork. Art can be a great way to connect with one's emotions and explore self-identity. A couple examples includes your child making a collage about themselves or using different colors to represent their different emotions.