Summer Self-Portrait: Ask your child to draw or write about how they want to feel and what they want to experience this summer. Have them draw themselves doing something that brings them joy.

Cool Down Dance Break: Play a game of freeze dance! Put on fun summer music and have a mini dance party to release energy and boost mood. Ask students to share with you how they feel after moving their bodies!

Gratitude Jar: Ask students to decorate a jar (or paper) and write down one thing they are grateful for. Add something new everyday!

Beat the Heat Yoga: Practice cooling yoga poses to practice self-regulation and boost engagement on hot days.

The Perfect Day: Ask your child to brainstorm the "perfect day" during summer break. Have them share what they would do, taste, and feel. Then, ask them to come up with strategies to use to stay calm if their day doesn't go perfectly.

Bubble Blastoff: Blow bubbles and have your students chase them. Instead of having them pop the bubbles, ask them to catch them on their palms or noses. Practice and model emotional regulation strategies if they become frustrated.

Community Cleanup: Ask your child to help you organize a small cleanup project in your community/somewhere local. Create a poster with the location, time, and participants, then work together to get it done!

Rainbow Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of colorful summer-themed things to find, like red ladybugs, yellow flowers, and green leaves. Complete the hunt and check all of your items off the list!

Interview a Friend: You can do this with your child or facilitate them doing it with another child. Ask one another about your interests, hobbies, and dreams. Provide example questions to get the conversation started. Remind them to be accepting of differences.

Would You Rather?: Ask fun Would You Rather questions that encourage critical thinking and discussion. For example, "Would you rather be able to fly, or swim underwater?"

Consequence Brainstorming: Present your child with a common problem they may encounter over summer break. Offer 3 potential solutions,  and brainstorm the consequences of each. Have them vote on the best solution.

Calm Down Choices: Make a chart of emotional regulation strategies that they can use at home over summer break. Ask your child to brainstorm ideas before writing them down.

Campfire Story Chain: Sit around a campfire or make a scene of one out of construction paper. Take turns telling a story one line at a time. When the story is complete, ask your child to draw a picture of the story they just created.

Beach Ball Buddies: Sit in a circle and toss a beach ball around. When you catch the ball, you must say a kind word about the person you caught it from. Ask your child how kind words make them feel.

Kindness Chain: Ask your child to write/draw kind messages on paper chains and hang them around the classroom. Use these chains as summer decorations!