Education is about more than arithmetic and reading. An important part of a school’s curriculum and a child’s development involves becoming proficient in social emotional learning, or SEL, which teaches self-awareness, social development, emotional regulation and decision making. Essentially, SEL provides kids with skills they’ll need in life, not just at school, and is an important part of growth no matter their age. In fact, research has shown the effectiveness of SEL, and that it improves children’s emotional well-being and academic performance.

Parents play a huge part in this too. As we prepare for summer, here are some easy activities you can do to encourage social emotional learning with your son and daughter, no textbooks or homework required:

• Start a gratitude jar or journal, in which your child (or you, if they’re not reading or writing yet) writes down something they’re grateful for or happy about daily. The idea behind this is to get them comfortable with expressing their emotions

• DIY a sensory item. In addition to fidgets, stuffies and other miscellaneous comfort items, crafting a sensory item tailored to your child’s needs can help them calm down and learn how to manage their big feelings. Some ideas for this include a glitter jar, a sensory bag filled with hair gel and beads or a sand box filled with mini toys and shovels.

• Keep to a daily calendar or schedule. Kids, especially anxious kids like mine, thrive on routine, and for some little ones, this can be most helpful when dates and events are written out. Writing out a schedule and visualizing it provides structure and helps kiddos reflect on things they’ve done and prep for what’s coming up.

• Try deep breathing or grounding exercises. It’s not only stressed out and overstimulated parents who can benefit from meditation, deep breathing or stretching routines to help reset the body (seriously though, can someone hook me up with this?).  Studies have shown that higher cortisol levels can lead to behavior problems in kids. Not sure where to start? Try an app such as Wisdom: The World of Emotions, which uses gamification to help kids ages 4-8 practice their SEL skills, or apps for kids’ mindfulness like Headspace, Calm and Cosmic Kids Yoga.

• Make your own calm-down corner. Many preschool classrooms have a calm down corner, a relaxing, low-stimulation spot in a room where kids can go to decompress. If you have some room (or even a corner of a room) to spare at home, set up your own at home complete with books, comfy bedding, screen-free toys and kids’ podcasts or relaxing music.

• Play a verbal game. Board games are fun and all, but sometimes they’re not necessary. Whether it’s a game of 20 questions, Would You Rather? or word association, games you make up or play without pieces and boards test kids’ acute listening skills and encourage back-and-forth conversation.

• Have kids help with chores. Okay, your 5-year-old won’t be much of an assistant when it comes to making dinner. But having them assist with basic household duties teaches kids independence and responsibility. 

• Model positive behavior. Ultimately, the best way to teach good behavior is to practice what we preach; kids learn by watching and observing their parents. If you show them healthy conflict resolution, managing emotions well and being kind to others, you’re off to a good start.

Do you do any of these activities at home already?

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