Social-emotional learning (SEL) is one of the most important aspects of education that goes beyond academics. SEL focuses on helping children develop the emotional intelligence, social skills, and resilience necessary to navigate both their personal lives and relationships with others. For children in grades K-3, SEL is essential as it provides the foundation for their emotional development and helps them cope with challenges in a healthy way.
As educators, it is our job to provide young learners with the tools they need to understand and manage their emotions, build strong relationships, and develop resilience in the face of adversity. Social-emotional learning activities are a fantastic way to support this development. Below are 10+ activities that teachers can incorporate into their K-3 classrooms to enhance social-emotional skills such as emotional self-awareness, self-management, growth mindset, and building relationships.
Emotional Self-Awareness
Emotional self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one’s own emotions. It’s the first step in managing emotions, and it is an essential skill for children to develop in order to relate to others in healthy ways.
1. Photos Showing Different Emotions
One of the best ways to teach emotional self-awareness is by helping children recognize and name different emotions. Using photos of faces displaying a range of emotions—happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, etc.—can help children identify how they feel. Teachers can show pictures of people expressing various emotions and ask children to name them, share personal experiences, or discuss situations where they might feel similar emotions. This encourages children to identify and understand their own feelings in a visual and relatable way.
2. Feelings Journal
Journaling is an effective way for children to reflect on their emotions. Provide each child with a feelings journal, where they can write or draw about their emotions daily. This activity encourages introspection and allows children to express their feelings in a safe space. They can write about what triggered a particular emotion, how they felt, and how they responded to it. Over time, children will become more aware of their emotional triggers and learn how to manage them more effectively.
3. Emotions Check-In
An emotions check-in activity gives children the opportunity to express how they are feeling each day. Using an emotions chart with various faces or emotion cards, children can identify their current emotions and explain why they feel that way. Teachers can conduct these check-ins at the beginning or end of the day, allowing students to reflect on their emotional state and share with the class or with a partner. This promotes open communication, emotional expression, and empathy among peers.
4. Children’s Books for Emotional Self-Awareness
Reading books that deal with emotions can be a powerful tool for teaching emotional self-awareness. Books allow children to connect with characters experiencing different feelings, which can help them understand and process their own emotions. Titles like Big Feelings, How Are You Feeling Today?, and The Feelings Book offer relatable stories and illustrations that teach children about emotions in a fun and engaging way. These books provide opportunities for discussion and help reinforce the connection between words and feelings.
Self-Management
Self-management is the ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations. Children need to develop this skill in order to manage stress, control impulses, and make responsible decisions.
5. Brain Breaks
Sometimes, young learners need a break from their activities to reset emotionally and mentally. Brain breaks are short, intentional pauses in the classroom schedule that help children calm down and refocus. Activities like stretching, deep breathing, or simple movement exercises can help children release excess energy and reduce stress. These breaks teach students to recognize when they need a pause and how to manage their emotions when they are feeling overwhelmed.
6. Ways to Calm Down – Breathing Strategies & Yoga
Breathing exercises and yoga techniques are great tools for teaching children how to calm themselves down when they are feeling upset, anxious, or frustrated. Introduce simple breathing exercises such as “belly breathing” or “breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, and breathe out for 4.” You can also guide students through age-appropriate yoga poses, which help to center the body and mind. Both techniques can be integrated into classroom routines, and children can use them when they need to self-regulate their emotions.
7. Calm-Down Kit for a Calming Corner
A calming corner is a designated space in the classroom where children can go when they need to manage their emotions. This area can be equipped with sensory items like stress balls, soft blankets, fidget toys, and books that help children regulate their emotions. Teachers can encourage students to use this space when they are feeling overwhelmed. Creating a calm-down kit with relaxation tools also teaches children that it is okay to take a break and take care of their emotional needs.
8. Children’s Books for Emotional Self-Management
Children’s books that focus on emotional regulation can also be beneficial for teaching self-management. Stories like The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas and When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang can help children understand how to cope with their emotions and express them in healthy ways. These books show characters experiencing strong emotions and offer suggestions for managing those feelings, making them an excellent tool for teaching emotional self-regulation.
Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort, practice, and perseverance. Teaching children about growth mindset encourages them to embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and develop resilience.
9. It’s Okay to Make Mistakes – Brainstorm & Writing
One of the key components of growth mindset is teaching children that it’s okay to make mistakes. Children often become discouraged when they fail or struggle, so it’s important to normalize mistakes as part of the learning process. After an activity, engage the class in a brainstorming session where they can share what went wrong and what they could do differently next time. Encourage students to write or draw about how they can improve from their mistakes and develop a positive attitude toward challenges.
10. Act It Out Scenario Task Cards – Growth or Fixed?
Use task cards with different scenarios to help children distinguish between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. For example, one task card might describe a situation where a child makes a mistake in math, and the other might describe a child who persists through a challenge. Ask students to act out each scenario and discuss whether the character is demonstrating a growth or fixed mindset. This activity helps children practice resilience and problem-solving skills while reinforcing the idea that effort leads to improvement.
11. Growth Mindset Quote Posters & Mantras
Incorporating positive affirmations and growth mindset quotes into the classroom environment can help children internalize the idea that their abilities can improve over time. Create posters with motivating quotes like “I can learn anything” or “Mistakes help me grow” and display them around the room. You can also teach students to repeat these mantras to themselves when facing challenges, reinforcing the belief that they can overcome obstacles with perseverance.
12. Children’s Books That Teach Growth Mindset
Reading books that highlight the importance of effort and persistence can help students develop a growth mindset. Books such as The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires, Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak, and Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae show characters who face setbacks but continue to try and improve. These books can inspire children to embrace challenges and view mistakes as opportunities for growth.
Relationships and Friendships
Developing positive relationships and friendships is an essential part of social-emotional learning. These skills enable children to work collaboratively, navigate social situations, and build strong connections with others.
13. How to Be a Good Listener – Partner Practice & Strategy Poster
Being a good listener is a key part of building healthy relationships. Teach students the basics of active listening—such as making eye contact, nodding, and reflecting on what the speaker has said—through role-playing exercises. You can pair up students and have them practice listening to one another, followed by a discussion on what makes someone a good listener. Display a strategy poster that outlines listening skills to serve as a reminder for students.
14. Taking Turns Script
Turn-taking is an important social skill that helps children learn to share and cooperate with others. Use a taking-turns script, where students practice phrases like “It’s your turn now” or “Can I have a turn after you?” This activity can be paired with games or group activities where students have to take turns. This practice fosters mutual respect and collaboration.
15. Good vs. Bad Ways to Be a Friend Sort
A good way to teach students how to be kind and considerate friends is by sorting behaviors into “good” and “bad” categories. Provide students with a list of actions and ask them to sort them based on whether they are friendly or unfriendly. Discuss each behavior, emphasizing how being a good friend involves being kind, supportive, and respectful.
16. Children’s Books That Teach Relationships and Friendships
Books are a great way to teach children about building positive relationships. Stories like The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister and How Do Dinosaurs Make Friends? by Jane Yolen offer lessons about friendship, sharing, and kindness. Reading these books can spark discussions on what it means to be a good friend and how to resolve conflicts in healthy ways.
Conclusion
Incorporating social-emotional learning into the K-3 classroom is essential for fostering a supportive, empathetic, and resilient learning environment. The activities outlined above help students develop emotional self-awareness, self-management, a growth mindset, and strong relationship-building skills. By integrating SEL into daily routines, teachers can empower young learners to navigate their emotions, build meaningful connections with others, and face life’s challenges with confidence. Through intentional SEL activities, educators help students unlock their full potential—emotionally, socially, and academically.
