Activities for Social Emotional Learning at Home
An SEL curriculum at school can be ideal for helping children to develop! Among classmates, friends, and teachers, a child can learn important life skills like emotional regulation and decision-making. But social emotional learning at home can also help to further cement these skills!
Fortunately, this type of learning doesn’t need to be kept within the bounds of the classroom. Beyond the academic curriculum, there are many ways children can engage with these skills. It can even provide a lot of added fun too!
If you’re looking for some simple ways your child can engage with social emotional learning at home, read about some great activities that will make short work of the after-school hours! You can also visit us to learn more about the importance of social emotional learning in your child’s life.
Practice Breathing Techniques
Meditation may be a practice that we often associate with yoga and even certain religious traditions. But meditation and its breathing exercises can be an ideal way to teach your child about self-awareness and self-management. Luckily, breathing exercises are a simple, easy activity that can be done at home, in the backyard, or even at a nearby park!
Children generally feel their emotions very strongly, and in these moments, worries and fears can be difficult for them to rise above. Breathing exercises and meditation can offer a way for children to deal with these emotions in a constructive manner. Whether your child is angry or sad, a few moments of rest to breathe deeply can help them to center themselves.
In order to teach this skill to your child, try setting aside a time each day for 10 or 15 minutes to test out this skill. By making it a daily practice, your child will be able to see the benefits of social emotional learning at home.
Encourage Mindfulness
Mindfulness can often be practiced alongside breathing techniques to achieve focus and balance. However, it’s also a skill that can be encouraged at home in a number of other ways. Luckily, most children have played the game ‘I Spy’ and it happens to be the perfect way to combine social emotional learning at home activities with fun!
To inspire a mindful approach in your child, have them look around the room they’re in. Whether it’s the living room, kitchen, or their bedroom, have them find three things they can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste. This is a simple way to ground your kids into the present moment so they can truly pay attention to where they’re at.
From this vantage point, children can focus on what’s immediate and reflect on the things right in front of them. It’s also something they can do to extend daily learning into the summer and breaks from school!
Make a To-Do List
It may not seem like the most obvious way for a child to practice social emotional learning. But making a to-do list or a daily schedule is all about exercising decision-making and self-management!
When it comes to weekdays in particular, a schedule can help a child stay structured and organized. Knowing what they have to do and what to expect can help them to better regulate their emotions and develop discipline when it comes to getting things done.
To do this, have your child create a list of tasks they would like to get done between Monday and Friday. Be sure to leave some flexibility in the schedule so there is room for a little spontaneity.
By organizing their own schedule, a child can establish their goals and engage with social emotional learning at home. It’s just important for them to know they may not always accomplish everything on their list, and that’s OK.
Give Back, Creatively
It’s helpful to practice social emotional learning at home activities that are directed inwardly. But it’s important to remember that this type of learning is also about engaging with others! For this reason, SEL is the perfect opportunity for a child to harness their creativity to engage with others.
To reflect in a positive way, have your child write a letter or draw a picture for someone they love. This will encourage them to think about the people in their life that they value and share their gratitude with them. No matter how their day has gone, a child can positively reflect on what’s good in their life.
Whatever artistic outlet they choose or whichever person, this is ideal for helping a child develop their relationships and appreciate what others have to offer.
Play Board Games
Whether it’s Monopoly or The Game of Life, board games offer hours of fun for families on a rainy day. Fortunately, board games are also one of the best social emotional learning activities to do at home!
In fact, board games offer up plenty of opportunities to practice the skills of teamwork, good sportsmanship, and decision making. No matter what your family plays, your child will have to wait their turn and exhibit consideration for other players.
Games like Monopoly and Sorry can provide the opportunity for showcasing empathy for others if your child decides not to buy a property or chooses not to have a fellow player lose a turn. And, when it comes to a classic like The Game of Life, it will force them to weigh the odds of their decisions so they know how to make choices for themselves!
Make Time for Social Emotional Learning at Home!
It’s great for a child to learn about social emotional learning with their teachers and classmates. However, it’s important to emphasize them in and out of the classroom so your child can truly grow! Whether it’s practicing breathing techniques or engaging with creativity in a thoughtful way, there are plenty of at-home activities that will have your children learning all the time.
References
Better Kids, Ltd. 5 Easy Social Emotional Learning Activities For Kids To Do At Home. https://betterkids.education/blog/5-easy-social-emotional-learning-activities-for-kids-to-do-at-home
Family Education. 15 Social-Emotional Activities for Preschoolers at Home. https://www.familyeducation.com/kids/development/emotional/15-social-emotional-activities-for-preschoolers-at-home
The Pathway 2 Success. 10+ Social Emotional Activities for Home. 10+ Social Emotional Activities for Home
