11 Essential Ways to Bring Social-Emotional Learning Activities into the Classroom

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Learn about the importance of SEL and 11 essential ways that teachers can incorporate social-emotional learning activities into the classroom today.

Children need social and emotional skills to navigate the world around them. Teachers can help children get a healthy start by incorporating social-emotional learning activities in the classroom. This post explains the importance of SEL, the everyday struggles teachers face, and 11 ways that teachers can include social-emotional learning activities into the classroom today.

Social-Emotional Learning Activities

Children need social and emotional skills to manage their emotional responses to everyday events and to participate appropriately in social interactions. To maintain healthy relationships and take care of themselves each day, they need to develop skills like self-regulation, emotional awareness, social awareness, problem-solving, and responsible decision making.

What is SEL and Why Should We Teach It?

CASEL defines social-emotional learning (SEL) as, “the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”

In a recent study, students who participated in evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs (like the DESSA System) scored 13 points higher academically, had a 6 percent higher high school graduation rate and were 11 percent more likely to graduate from college.”

According to a 20111 meta-analysis performed by CASEL of 213 studies involving 270,00+ students, it was found that those who participated in SEL programs had an 11% increase in academic achievement. SEL programs not only lead to future academic success, but they also lead to fewer problems, less emotional and mental health issues, improved attitudes, and positive social behavior in the classroom.

More than two decades of research shows that using social and emotional learning programs in classrooms leads to positive results that last a lifetime.

But where do YOU, the classroom teacher, begin?

Begin today by choosing to make SEL a part of your teaching agenda. Advocate for your students and their well-being. Select an SEL curriculum that is appropriate for your learners and make plans to teach lessons and activities often throughout the week. Strive to educate and inspire the minds and hearts of the children because you KNOW it will make a difference!

Common Struggles with Integrating Social-Emotional Learning Activities

As teachers begin to integrate social-emotional learning activities more into their classrooms, they may experience internal and external struggles.

A teacher’s time is limited. There are several responsibilities and topics that they are required to take on each day. Unless the school joins together to make SEL a priority, teachers may find it difficult to properly integrate an effective program with limited resources, time, and support.

But don’t let these struggles stop you or stand in your way of making a real difference in young lives.

Below are the most common struggles heard by teachers and a solution that should help teachers move past these hurdles.

Struggle #1: “I don’t have access to quality social-emotional learning activities, materials, and lessons.”

Access to adequate SEL resources can be a limiting factor in whether or not a teacher teaches social-emotional learning. Teachers may find that they are relying on a school counselor or community worker to supply the occasional SEL lesson or activity. They may not know where to begin or where to look for quality resources. They may have a program in their school, but not understand where to start or how to use the included materials.

Solutions:

find quality options online. Learn more about the mind+heart SEL curriculum.
see what is available in your school
seek out support to get started
team up with colleagues to learn and teach
seek outside PD on social-emotional development
Join the Mindful Hearts Classroom Club, where you will find a supportive community of teachers making SEL a priority.

Struggle #2: “I don’t have enough time or room in my day to teach SEL lessons.”

The demands of the current curriculum are intense, not leaving much room for anything else in one’s day. Teachers are required to spend X amount of time teaching math, reading, science, and social studies. Then, there are the blocks for gym, music, and art that take up any leftover spots quickly. The time you have left each day to teach social and emotional skills is minimal and often an afterthought.

Solutions:

combine social-emotional learning activities with the subjects you teach each day
integrate within the existing structure of your day
start small and teach SEL once a week
work up to more and teach once a day
strategize with colleagues about ways to creatively include SEL

Struggle #3: “I don’t understand why I should teach SEL in the classroom.” OR “My admin doesn’t think I should be spending time teaching social and emotional skills.”

The responsibilities left to a teacher are endless. There is a curriculum that needs teaching, assessments administered, and a classroom of students managed. But none of these things can be appropriately handled if there are internal and external struggles faced by the children we teach. We need to change our mindset and understand the importance of teaching social-emotional learning activities and how they can positively impact our classrooms.

Solutions:

read the research on SEL and its positive impact on young lives
have a meeting with your administrator to share your finding
Share the link to the CASEL website to educate others.
hold a mini-PD session during a staff meeting to share the information you have found
encourage open conversation with colleagues about implementing SEL

There needs to be a mindset shift. Before the importance of social-emotional learning becomes more widely known, it is our job to share what we know and learn, and what we see as useful in our classrooms.

Social-Emotional Learning Activities for the Classroom

Here are 11 effortless ways to bring social and emotional learning activities into the classroom each day. Highlight and focus on one skill a week to allow kids time to understand it and see it take shape in the classroom, as you facilitate.

Social-Emotional Activity #1 – Morning Meetings

Morning meetings provide a much-needed opportunity at the start of the day to connect with students. They encourage you to teach things that are not covered in the academic curriculum but are more relevant and deserving of your time.

They enable you to check in to identify what is working and approach things that need adjustments within the classroom community. Children actively listen to ideas and are empowered to share what needs work. Here is a step-by-step itinerary for running a class or morning meeting.

How to use morning meetings to teach SEL:

Make room for a brief morning meeting or afternoon wrap-up in your timetable.
Jot down a few questions you will ask related to the social or emotional skill focus.
Select a fun way for kids to greet each other to build relationships.
Plan an activity that builds community or reinforces an SEL skill.
Encourage kids to say something they are thankful for and give gratitude.
Make it a safe place for sharing by coming up with expectations together.

Social-Emotional Activity #2 – Discussions and Anchor Charts

Classroom discussions are an essential part of the day. These are the times when children can share their thoughts, ask questions, and learn new things related to the chosen topic. A lot of insight comes when social and emotional topics are discussed, and teachers can understand a child.

Anchor charts are useful in organizing the ideas and thoughts that come out of discussions. Together these are powerful components to use when teaching social and emotional skills.

How to use discussions and anchor charts to teach SEL:

Think about the current classroom climate and brainstorm social and emotional struggles.
Select one to focus on based on a current need.
Jot down a variety of questions you could ask to encourage conversation.
Select one main question to ask during morning meeting or lesson time.
Place the question are the center of the anchor chart.
Ask the question and record the ideas given by students.
Let their ideas encourage a discussion of possible solutions, future considerations, or related social-emotional activity.

For example, if there is a classroom issue using polite words, ask students, “What words do we use when we want something?” or “What does a respectful classroom sound like?”. Record their ideas and have them role-play with a partner asking and answering using polite words.

Social-Emotional Activity #3 – Community Building Activities

Community building games and activities or ice breakers are effective ways to build social and emotional skills. These short activities encourage students to get to know one another, have fun, and problem solve. Here are some fun ones to try: Community Building in the Classroom: Activities that Create Smiling Kids

How to use community-building activities to teach SEL:

Search the web for a vast number of free community-building activities.
Select a variety of community-building activities for the first week of school.
Continue to use these activities often to build connections and encourage relationships to form.
Teach games that kids can use independently or on the playground.

Social-Emotional Activity #4 – Using Children’s Books to Teach

Children’s books have the power to elicit our imaginations through a story. When a child hears a situation or a problem in a story, they can relate to them, connect to the experience, and learn social and emotional strategies similar to those characters. Here is a list to help you build your social-emotional library of books.

How to use children’s books to teach SEL:

Select a variety of SEL children’s books (or video versions of the books read aloud).
Connect the books to the social or emotional skill your class is currently learning.
Develop a collection of SEL books and organize them in one location.
Before and after a read-aloud, display SEL books on the classroom bookshelf.
Choose a few SEL books each week to read to the class.
Preread the book and jot down a few questions to ask that will elicit conversation.

Social-Emotional Activity #5 – Journal Writing

Writing a reflection or journal allows children a safe place to share opinions, feelings, and reactions to a social-emotional lesson. They can reflect on what they heard and what thoughts they have about a given topic. This therapeutic exercise is one with lasting impact. Kids get into the habit of expressing their ideas, hopes, and challenges in written form. They can also draw a picture to illustrate an experience or situation they have encountered. This writing gives clarity to the teacher.

How to use journal writing to teach SEL:

After a read-aloud about a social-emotional topic, children can reflect on the story or make a connection in their journal.
After a discussion, they record their thoughts and take-aways.
Provide writing prompts or sentence starters that make it easier for kids to organize their thinking. (i.e., “I am a leader when I...”)
Encourage kids to share something they are thankful for in a gratitude journal.
Create a safe place for kids to manage their emotions and share their feelings openly in a feelings’ journal.

Social-Emotional Activity #6 – Role-Play

Role-play is an excellent way to practice social skills. They practice a skill by acting out situations given to them. Opportunities to “try out” experiences offer children the practice they need to feel confident and ready in the future. Role-play is especially beneficial for our students with special needs and learning difficulties. It allows them time to practice skills and the strategies they may not have naturally.

How to use role-play to teach SEL:

Stick to real-life situations that kids are relatable. Be specific.
Always role-play the positive side to the situation or skill.
Allow kids to choose their roles, given the context of the situation first.
Practice role reversal so all parties get an opportunity to experience different points of view.
Guide students as they navigate through a given scenario, asking questions, and encouraging problem-solving.
Ask, “What would you say next?” or “What could you do now?”
Say “Tell them how this made you feel.” or “Show us how you could react to this positively.”
Reflect afterward as a group and encourage kids to share what they learned and how they felt.

Social-Emotional Activity #7 – Partner and Group Work

Students need plenty of chances to work with partners and in groups. These interactions build communication skills and community, as well as provide problem-solving opportunities. Being able to work cooperatively in a group is a skill they will need throughout their lives. Kids will learn who they are, what skills they bring to a group, and how to express their thoughts and opinions while working closely with others.

How to use partner and group work to teach SEL:

During a lesson, pause the discussion and have students “pair-share” with a partner.
After a lesson, provide directions for students to work together on a task.
Encourage productive group work with these suggestions.
Be clear about the purpose of the group work and set clear expectations.
Be mindful of groupings to meet students’ needs.
Encourage kids to work closely with a partner to complete an assignment.
Organize group games where kids interact and share with others.
Facilitate and guide partners to solve problems when they arise.

Social-Emotional Activity #8 – Play

Play provides opportunities for children to get to know each other and connect to their surroundings. It teaches communication skills, open-mindedness, compassion, and problem-solving, all of which are essential skills to have for success in school. When kids are allowed to follow their path and make choices, natural learning occurs.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that “Play is integral to the academic environment. It ensures that the school setting attends to the social and emotional development of children as well as their cognitive development. Play and unscheduled time that allow for peer interactions are important components of social-emotional learning.”

How to use play during social-emotional learning activities:

Reframe from overscheduling the classroom day.
Leave time for unstructured exploration of classroom materials.
Have a variety of “centers” or areas of the classroom that are set-up for free-play.
Provide open-ended learning activities that kids can experience on their own.
Allow ample time for kids to prepare to head out for recess and outdoor breaks.
Click here for 10 Ways to Incorporate More Play in the Classroom.

Social-Emotional Activity #9 – Kindness Challenge

Kindness is one of the most important social topics we can promote in our classrooms. When children lack the social skills to show or understand kindness and empathy, they may struggle to navigate through situations that arise at school. Kindness starts with us! When children see us act with kindness when we interact and behave, this has a powerful impact!

We should encourage them to find opportunities to show each other kindness in random, unexpected ways. A kindness challenge is an excellent opportunity for this! Organize a challenge during one week or month of the school year. Plan the challenge together or in small groups. Come up with different ways to show kindness. Execute the plan and complete the challenge.

How to promote kindness and use a kindness challenge:

Greet the class each morning with a smile and a kind word. Have them return it.
Ask kids and discuss “‘What is kindness?” and “How can we be kind?”. Brainstorm different ways they can be kind each day.
Read books and show videos about kindness.
Challenge kids to complete RAK daily and keep track on a kindness calendar.
Encourage kids to fill each others’ bucket using bucket filler activities.
Have students write “thank you” letters or “kind” notes.
Model giving compliments daily. Share them during classroom meetings.
Role-play kind acts that are simple to perform in the classroom.
Reinforce kindness in your classroom decor: Hang posters, bulletin boards, and banners with kindness messages.

Social-Emotional Activity #10 – Promote a Growth Mindset

Growth mindset is the belief that intelligence comes through effort. How much a child thinks they know or what they have grown to believe about themselves affects how they perform in school. We have an excellent opportunity to teach and encourage our students to develop a growth mindset. Here are 9 powerful ways of teaching a growth mindset in the classroom.

How to promote a growth mindset in students:

Discuss the differences between a fixed and growth mindset. Brainstorm what we can say that speaks growth and practice.
Allow students to make mistakes and learn from them.
Encourage the word “YET” to end sentences, such as “I can’t…” or “I don’t…”
Set goals, create a plan to work towards, and check progress.
Read books where the characters overcome challenges after developing strategies.
Avoid praising intelligence and focus on effort instead. Be specific and highlight using different strategies.
Ask questions about students’ processes to encourage self-assessment.
Participate in project-based learning, where kids face real-world obstacles.
Reinforce growth mindset in your classroom decor: Color and hang these free posters, bulletin boards, and banners with growth mindset messages.

Social-Emotional Activity #11 – Using Self-Regulation Tools

Children often come into our classroom lacking self-regulation skills. They may lack the ability to manage their emotions or behave appropriately. They lack self-control during their interactions with classmates or struggle to get the help they need when facing something difficult. These kids need our help. Teaching them how to identify and express their emotions is an essential first step to emotional intelligence.

How to use self-regulation tools to teach SEL:

Teach the names of different emotions, what they look like, and how they make us feel.
Practice breathing strategies that can help a child calm down. Try this balloon breathing strategy for free!
Read books and show videos of characters using self-regulation strategies.
Practice mindfulness activities with kids throughout the day.
Model ways to calm down and handle stressors.
Create a calm-down kit for kids to use independently.

Testimonials of Teachers Who Have Used Social-Emotional Learning Activities

“My class last year was filled with students who had poor self-regulation skills. At the beginning of the year, they could not identify what emotion they were feeling nor what triggered it. I had outbursts and emotional chaos daily in my room. I began morning meetings and direct modeling of emotions and the body’s reaction to those emotions. We began every problem-solving conference with identifying what emotion each person was feeling, what response they were having to it, and what triggered it. Then using positive language we discussed and acted out how to solve it. By the end of the year, my students were able to name their emotions and had begun to issue positive self-regulation in response to their triggers. SEL is VERY important in the primary classroom!” ~ anonymous

“I read the story Each Kindness to my class after noticing that a new girl was not being included during recess. The new girl was off working with a resource teacher, and I asked them to think about how she would feel if she left our school like the girl in the story. Would she remember them kindly? Would she remember being invited to play? That afternoon almost everyone in class invited her to play at recess.” ~ Sabrina, 2nd Grade Teacher

“Fill my bucket read & the juice box bully read aloud. We created our own promise that we repeat every morning like in the juice box bully to be a kind and caring community and we do fill our bucket Fridays where students can put positive notes in each other’s buckets. Students became more kind, caring and stood up for one another.” ~ Angela DuBose, 2nd Grade Teacher

“Morning meetings were very successful. We had a character trait each month we focused on. We discussed what it looked and sounded like and looked for examples. Students were eager to come to the meeting place and gradually took over the running of the meeting. They decided how students would greet each other, a question to ask and what activity we would do.” ~ Patricia Antus, 2nd Grade Teacher

“After a growth mindset lesson, some students were able to recognize when others were experiencing fixed mindsets during a task. They encouraged their friends to think about it in a different way and ‘grow their brains’!” ~ Kayla Borges-Vaz, 1st Grade Teacher

Social-Emotional Learning Lessons and Activities

The following social-emotional learning resources are filled with games that build important skills, as well as lesson plans, activities, discussion starters, and so much more.

Teach children in K-2 the most essential lessons in life when they need it the most with units and activities on emotions, self-regulation, growth mindset, empathy, and social awareness, friendship, kindness, respect, and responsibility. Click here to learn more.

Want to build a peaceful classroom filled with respectful, confident, and kind kids that can build relationships and communicate effectively? Then this SEL curriculum for grades 3-5 is for YOU! Click here to learn more.

More Social-Emotional Learning Ideas

The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Social-Emotional Skills in the Classroom

social-emotional learning games

growth mindset activities for elementary students

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Social Skills Games for the Kid-Friendly Classroom

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17 kid-friendly social skills games to use with kids in the classroom to teach communication, friendship, listening, emotions, and kindness!

Social skills games are great for teaching kids important social skills. Games that teach listening, friendship, and even making eye contact are effective options. When you use games to teach social skills, you make learning them a more enjoyable experience.

Social Skills Games for the Kid-Friendly Classroom

Looking for social skills games to play with your class? You’ve come to the right place! Here are some kid-friendly social skills games to teach listening, emotions, kindness, and more.

Social Skills Games for Listening Intently

Listening is a vital social skill that everyone needs to learn. It is an important skill not only for the social benefits but also for educational reasons. Good listeners tend to make friends more easily. It’s because they pay attention and their friends know they are valued. Additionally, listening in the classroom helps students learn concepts with less effort.

1. The Telephone Game – You can play this game with small or large groups of kids, making it perfect for the classroom. To play, have kids line up or make a circle. Whisper a sentence to the first person, and have them whisper that exact sentence to the next person in line. This will continue until the sentence gets to the last person. That person will then announce what they heard to the entire group. Kids are always amazed at how the sentence changes! Use this as a lesson to teach kids that listening is important so that the meaning of what they need to know is not lost.

2. Listening Mats – Another great way to practice is to have kids work on listening by following instructions. Listening Mats provide this type of practice in a practical way for the classroom. Kids follow directions as they color and draw on a scene. Kids will have a blast showing off their creative sides, all while practicing an important social skill! Check out the bundle of Listening Mats that includes activities for each month of the school year! Click HERE to download a FREE sample!

3. Don’t Interrupt Card Game – For the social skills card game, kids play in pairs and take turns reading and answering a question. The other person must pay attention, not interrupt, and respond with a related question after. This game gets kids really practicing good conversation skills! Find this game and more for building friendship skills HERE.

Social Skills Games that Teach Emotions

Kids need to be aware of their emotions and what they mean. Teach them how to recognize emotions – Describe them, what they look like, and why they might feel a certain way. These social skills games provide alternative ways to teach emotions.

1. Emotional Bingo – Kids can begin to recognize emotions and what they mean by playing Emotional Bingo. This social skills game is played exactly like traditional Bingo, with the only difference being that emotions are displayed on the Bingo cards instead of numbers.

2. Emotions Scavenger Hunt – Make a list of emotions that you want kids to spot. Type them as a checklist and print out. Kids then go on an emotions scavenger hunt throughout the school day. They check off the different emotions they see during that time, including the name of the person with that emotion.

3. Emotion Dominoes – This domino game is terrific for teaching emotions. On each domino, you will find an illustration of an emotion. They need to be matched to the real-life photo on a different domino. This social skills game will help kids recognize facial expressions for different emotions.

4. Emoji-tions Card Game – This fun card game teaches kids to identify the emotions represented by different emojis. Kids take turns asking for specific emoji cards in order to make matches. It’s a modern Go Fish game! Find it as part of the Emotions unit for K-2.

5. Express Yourself Board Game – This board game is also included in the Emotions unit for K-2. Kids travel around the board while answering questions and acting out scenarios about emotions.

Social Skills Games for Practicing Eye Contact

Eye contact is an important social skill that many kids aren’t naturally good at. Kids should learn that during a conversation, whatever they’re looking at is perceived to be important. If they’re talking to a friend, but staring at their phone, that friend will think that they’re not paying attention to them. Because eye contact is so important during social interactions, you can use these games to help kids practice.

1. Eye Pointing Game – You’ll want to start playing this social skills game one-on-one or in small groups. To introduce the game, start by selecting two objects to place on the table. Use your eyes to look at one of the objects and see if someone can guess which object your eyes are “pointing” to. Discuss with kids how our eyes communicate information. As kids become familiar with this game, expand it by looking at a more detailed space.

2. Look in My Eyes Train Engineer – This social skills game is available to download on an iOS device. With Look in My Eyes Train Engineer, kids practice making eye contact as they play the game. They won’t even know that they’re learning an important social skill as they explore different train sections.

Teach Good Communication with these Social Skills Games

There are two aspects of communication that kids need to learn: verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication has to do with the words that you say. Whereas non-verbal communication is how you communicate with your body and your facial expressions. These two social skills games will help kids develop both verbal and non-verbal communication. Precisely, by working in teams to achieve a goal.

1. Charades – Communication isn’t just about the words you say. Your body plays a major role in how you communicate. Help kids develop non-verbal communication skills by playing a few rounds of charades. During this game, one person must act out a phrase, using only their body to communicate. They are not allowed to speak. The others on their team must try to guess what that phrase is.

2. Blindfold Obstacle Course – This game is perfect for small groups of kids. Simply set up an obstacle course. One person will be blindfolded while the rest of the group works together to communicate how to get through the obstacle course.

Social Skills Games for Friendship

Teaching friendship skills through social skills games is helpful. With the help of social skills games, they can develop the skills necessary to look at friendships and decide if each one is a positive friendship to have.

1. Friendship Similarities – To play this game, kids take turns announcing a fact about themselves. When someone announces a similar fact, kids in the room jump up and say “Me, too!” if that fact applies to them. They should begin to notice how others are similar to them, helping them connect and develop deeper friendships with those around them.

2. Friendship Jeopardy – This is an online game that kids will love to play. To play Friendship Jeopardy, kids from each team select a category to answer, including such topics as relationships, “fakeships,” and manners.

3. Friendship Bingo – Spend some time teaching kids the qualities one looks for in a friend. Define those terms together and then play Friendship Bingo to practice. Descriptions of friendship qualities are read aloud and then those words are found and covered on the Bingo board. It’s Bingo with a social skills twist! Find this as part of the Relationship unit for 3-5.

Social Skills Games that Encourage Kindness

Kindness is a social skill that all people (not just kids) should learn. When you teach kindness to kids and embody this trait yourself, you’re guiding them to achieve their greatest potential. When teaching kids to be kind, you’ll want to help them understand what being kind actually is. Kindness games can help you achieve this goal!

1. Kindness Cards – This social skills game is easy to get started! Simply brainstorm with your students ways to be kind or use the kindness task cards. Inspire ideas such as smiling at someone, giving a hug, or sitting with someone new at lunch. Kids play this game by selecting a task card or idea from the list and completing the task. Encourage them to complete as many tasks as possible each day. Find the Kindness task cards as part of the Kindness unit for K-2 or make your own set with kids.

2. Acts of Kindness Challenge – Read this post that describes how to encourage children to show kindness to each other by using a challenge as a motivator. Kids love a challenge, and it will be almost like a fun game to play over an extended period of time! You can even use the printable calendar included to you keep track.

Build Social Skills with these Resources

Teach children in K-2 the most important lessons in life when they need it the most with units and activities on emotions, self-regulation, growth mindset, empathy, and social awareness, friendship, kindness, respect, and responsibility. Click here to learn more!

Want to build a peaceful classroom filled with respectful, confident, and kind kids that can build relationships and communicate effectively? Then this SEL curriculum for 3-5 is for YOU! Click here to learn more!

More Activities that Build Social Skills

Emotional Skills Books and Videos for Kids

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16 Social-Emotional Learning Games for Kids

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16 important social-emotional learning games are great for the classroom or home use. Teach positive social interactions, encourage relationship skills, and practice effective communication.

Social-emotional learning games are a great way to teach kids about their emotions and relationships. When you’re promoting emotional growth and awareness, it’s important to do so in a way that kids will connect with and enjoy. Kids need a safe place to discuss emotions and experiences. This will help them develop into well-rounded individuals with healthy mental awareness.

16 Social-Emotional Learning Games for Kids

There are different types of social-emotional learning games that you can use in your classroom or home. Depending on your needs, you can easily transform a game you already own into a social-emotional one. In addition, you can find plenty of game ideas online, or purchase games that are specifically designed to develop students’ social-emotional mindset.

Hands-On Social-Emotional Learning Games

When teaching social-emotional awareness, it’s important to do so in a way that kids understand and remember. Using hands-on games is perfect for this. Not only are hands-on games engaging and fun, but they also help tactile learners understand what they’re supposed to be learning. Here are some social-emotional learning games that are hands-on and fun for kids.

1. Don’t Break the Ice – A great way to get kids talking about their emotions is to use a game that they’re already familiar with. It’s easy to transform the game Don’t Break the Ice into a social-emotional learning game! Simply write different prompts on the different ice blocks. You can use a dry erase marker so that you can change the prompts easily. These can be anything, from questions about bullying to how different situations make them feel.

2. Emotions Jenga – In order to play this hands-on game, you simply need a Jenga set and a marker. On random blocks, write different emotions that you want your students to learn about. This should include such emotions as anger, happiness, worry, bored, jealous and more. A student pulls an emotion Jenga block out. Then, they tell their partner what that emotion means and what makes them feel it. For example, if they pulled the anger block, they would have to describe what anger means and express what makes them angry.

3. Empathy Games – Self-awareness is an important part of social-emotional growth. Using this self-awareness and empathy curriculum, you’ll get the chance to play hands-on social-emotional learning games with kids. This includes games such as the Empathy Game and ‘What Should I Do?’ board game. The games are interactive and hands-on so that your students stay engaged while they learn.

Whole Group Social-Emotional Games

You can also play social-emotional games as a group! This helps promote a sense of community and friendship amongst kids as they work together to start understanding emotions and building relationships. If you’re ready for some social-emotional fun, here are a few classic games that are perfect for the whole group.

1. Musical Chairs – Musical chairs is a whole group game that kids know and love! You can make this into a social-emotional learning game. Simply write different social-emotional topics on a piece of paper. Each round, tape one of the prompts on a random chair. Then, when the music turns off and students find their chairs, there is a student sitting at a social-emotional seat. You can then discuss that prompt or ask a question before moving on to the next round.

2. Kindness Scavenger Hunt – If you’ve ever organized a scavenger hunt, you know how much fun they can be! With this social-emotional scavenger hunt, you’re going to send groups of kids to look for acts of kindness. This game is perfect for recess since there will be kids from other classes outside. When putting together your scavenger hunt, include simple acts of kindness, or use the Kindness Calendar found HERE. For example, it could be something as simple as helping a friend zip a coat or pushing a younger child on a swing. See how many kindness things your students can find!

3. Who Am I? – It’s easy to play this fun classroom game with a social-emotional spin to it. Simply print different emoji icons on a piece of paper. If you plan to play this game frequently, you can laminate it to protect it. Then, tape a random emoji to each student’s back. Then, they race the clock in order to try to guess which emoji is stuck to their backs! They can ask other students yes or no questions in their quest to discover which emotion they are.

Social-Emotional Games You Can Purchase

Amazon is a great resource when it comes to buying social-emotional learning games. Below you will find high-quality SEL games that kids will enjoy!

1. Gifted Learning Flash Cards (Preschool to Kindergarten) – In order to teach younger kids social-emotional learning skills through games, they’ll first need to learn how to identify different emotions and identify what they look like. Thankfully, there’s a learning game for that! This social-emotional learning game helps kids learn how to identify different emotions. It helps them learn what they might look like in real life, as well as how to manage them.

2. Feelmo Speaking Cards (Age 4+) – Understanding and expressing emotions can be difficult for younger kids. These cards make it easy since kids can use the cards to describe their feelings. Kids select an emotion card and then discuss it, helping them understand why they feel an emotion and what it means.

3. My Feelings Game (Age 4+) – This social-emotional game comes complete with 280 different emotional scenarios to work through. This includes different ways to help regulate emotions, helping to give students the tools needed to deal with difficult situations, as well as movement cards that keep kids interested. Overall, this is a fun and interactive way to encourage social-emotional growth through learning games.

4. Silly Street (Age 4+) – Here’s a fun and silly game that will help kids develop their social skills, confidence, adaptability and more. This game help kids understand their emotions in different social scenarios. It does it in a silly way so that kids have FUN learning these important character skills.

5. 52 Essential Conversations (Age 5+) – This social-emotional learning game uses conversation starters to get kids thinking about social situations. It will help kids with social awareness, relationships, mindfulness, and self-confidence. By using these conversation starters, you’re helping kids develop into well-rounded adults with a healthy mindset.

6. Mad Dragon: An Anger Control Card Game (Ages 6-12) – Anger is an emotion that we’ve all experienced. Anger isn’t necessarily bad, but how we respond to it can be. With this social-emotional learning game, kids age 6-12 will learn how to control their anger. They can’t always control what makes them mad, but they control how they react.

7. Didax Social Skills Board Games (Grades 1-5) – If you teach or have elementary age kids, then you’ll appreciate this game. This social-emotional game focuses on important social skills that kids need to learn. This includes manners, what would you do scenarios, what makes a good friend, and more. It includes 6 engaging board games that kids will love!

8. Stop the Drama Thumball (Elementary – Teens) – With this interactive game, kids will have a blast discussing different social-emotional scenarios. Take turns tossing the ball to one another. The person who catches the ball looks to the question that their thumb lands on. Then, he/she must respond to that question. This game is fantastic because you can play it with larger groups endlessly. Even if another child gets a repeat question, they’ll still be able to answer it in their own unique way.

9. Mixed Emotions (Age 7+) – This social-emotional learning game is effective in the classroom setting! It comes complete with enough emotions cards for multiple players. This makes it perfect to do with large groups of students.

10. Mindfulness Matters (Ages 9-18) – As kids grow older, it’s time to start using social-emotional learning games that are age and developmentally appropriate. Mindfulness Matters is a card game that’s geared towards older students, from age 9-18. This card game uses different questions and scenarios to help kids express themselves about stress, anxiety, anger and more. For example, on one card, it states that mindfulness is the opposite of doing something carelessly. It then asks the player to describe a time they zoned out, but wished they would have been paying attention.

Use social-emotional learning games to help your students develop their awareness and develop a healthy mindset. When encouraging social-emotional growth through games, make sure you do so in a safe and comfortable environment.

Social Emotional Learning Resources

The following social-emotional learning resources are filled with games that build important skills, as well as lesson plans, activities, discussion starters, and so much more.

Want to build a peaceful classroom filled with respectful, confident, and kind kids that can build relationships and communicate effectively? Then this SEL curriculum is for YOU! Click here to learn more!

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Growth Mindset Activities for Elementary Students: Stop Hearing “I Can’t!”

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Whether you’re teaching K-2 or 3-5, you’ll find a wealth of information and resources for teaching growth mindset here. Try these growth mindset activities for elementary students today!

Growth mindset activities are vital to elementary students’ social-emotional learning. As a teacher, you want your students to develop into well-rounded humans. This means they have both the intellectual and emotional skills needed to succeed in life. In order to make this happen, you’ll need to teach your students to have a growth mindset. A growth mindset helps students achieve difficult skills, helping them persevere despite difficulties.

Growth Mindset Activities for Elementary Students

No matter how old your elementary students are, they need to learn how to develop a growth mindset. A growth mindset will help them achieve their educational goals for the year. It will also help them in life as they work through difficult tasks and ideas. Here are growth mindset activities for elementary students that can help them build a strong outlook.

Growth Mindset Activities for Grades K-2

These activities will teach students in grades kindergarten through 2nd all about how to achieve a growth mindset. From practicing positive mantras to reading children’s books as examples, these activities will help change your students’ thought processes.

Growth Mindset Quote Posters – This activity set comes with coloring sheets your students will love, as well as mantras that will help them achieve a growth mindset. Grab a FREE sample HERE!
Self-Regulation, Self-Control & Self-Esteem Social Emotional Learning Curriculum – Increasing your students’ self-esteem will help them in their quest for a growth mindset!
Try a student-led classroom – Stacking cups can be a great way to explain how students can support and lead their learning. This activity is perfect for encouraging a growth mindset!
Teach kids about the “power of yet” – To understand the “power of yet,” explain to students that sometimes things that are difficult take time to practice before succeeding. Remind them to have an attitude of “I can’t do this YET” but that one day soon, they WILL! Read the book Giraffes Can’t Dance, and perhaps use a graphic organizer to write down growth mindset take-aways from the book.
Encourage Determination – The book, The Little Linebacker is a great book to teach your students about determination and to never give up!
Highlight thoughts and feelings – Read The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes and take some time after reading for discussion. While talking about the book, ask students what thoughts and feelings the main character, Beatrice, expressed that showed her growth mindset versus her fixed mindset.
Have kids write and draw what they like about themselves – A strong self-esteem helps your students have a growth mindset. By writing/drawing positive affirmations about themselves, it reinforces a growth mindset. Encourage them to place their positive reminders in a place they see them every morning when they wake up.

Growth Mindset Activities for Grades 3-5

Older elementary students also need to learn how to have a growth mindset. As students get older, the skills they learn in school become more difficult. Because a growth mindset helps students persevere in the face of difficulties, these growth mindset activities are perfect for your classroom. These activities include ideas such as learning about the brain and bullet journaling.

Fixed vs. Growth Mindset – Sometimes, sorting thoughts and vocabulary is the easiest way to reinforce a concept. First, give your students the vocabulary needed to describe what a fixed mindset is vs. a growth mindset. Then, allow them the opportunity to sort those words either on their own paper. They can do it as a whole class on a visual chart, and/or in small group discussion.

Create thought maps – You’ll be amazed by your students’ responses when you do this activity. In effect, it involves brainstorming what several growth mindset terms mean.
Bullet journaling – Your students can use a bullet journal to cultivate a growth mindset! If you don’t know what a bullet journal is, it’s a free form of journaling. For example, it can include sketching, highlighting, coloring, and of course, bullet points. Kids usually enjoy the freedom to express themselves in journals. Also, they can be a great way to show their understanding.
Talk about famous failures – Use inspiration from famous people who have failed to encourage your students to develop a growth mindset.
Teach about the brain – The brain is a fascinating subject! You don’t have to know much about brain anatomy to teach growth mindset. For example, give a simple explanation about how the brain has different parts that work together to control and organize our thoughts. Children will understand that our brain plays an important role in our thought processes and behaviors.
S.M.A.R.T. goal setting – Encourage kids to strive for what they want to learn and set specific goals to keep them focused and on track. Setting SMART goals means that they are S-Specific, M-Measurable, A-Achievable, R-Relevant, T-Time Bound.

Growth Mindset Activities and Resources for All Ages

Regardless of what grade you teach, there are some activities that students of all ages can do. These growth mindset activities are perfect for students of all ages. Students will show growth with these activities, such as role-playing, using new vocabulary, and reading literature to make connections.

Teach the vocabulary – Talk about what the specific vocabulary is needed to describe what it feels like to have a growth mindset. A few examples of vocabulary words you might address are: perseverance, effort, mistakes, courage, risks, attitude, improve, challenge, and grit.
Use a graphic organizer – You can use a graphic organizer or two to help your students discover more about a growth mindset. Some that might work are: thought/word maps, compare and contrast, Venn diagrams, fact vs. opinion charts, or tree charts.
Inspire them with quotes – Try reading, verbally repeating, discussing, and writing inspirational quotes. It is a fun way for kids to learn about a growth mindset. Here are a few good examples.
Say the word “yet” – Let your students hear you respond with the word “yet” when they say “I can’t ______.” Consequentially, this response can change their whole outlook.
Using literature to guide discussions – There are so many great books that show great growth mindset examples! Pick any of these growth mindset books to give students a story example of having a growth mindset. For example, it will help them learn the concept in a thoughtful way. Then you can use the books to spur discussion.
Role-playing scenarios – Give students task cards with scenarios on them to act out in small groups. This will lead to helpful discussions on topics about growth mindset.

These growth mindset activities will help you teach your students all about a growth mindset. From coloring pages to journal ideas, you can teach your students why a growth mindset is important. Try using these growth mindset activities for elementary students. You’ll get the chance to see your students’ perspective on life change as the year progresses.

Growth Mindset Classroom Resources

The complete growth mindset unit for K-2 includes tons of helpful lessons and activities to help children develop a growth mindset and “I can” attitude. Click here to see everything included.

Watch the video to see the growth mindset unit for K-2 in action!

The complete growth mindset unit for 3-5 includes tons of helpful lessons and activities to help older kids build a growth mindset, learn about the parts of the brain, and how to set SMART goals. Click here to see everything included.

Watch the video to see the growth mindset unit for 3-5 in action!

More Growth Mindset Activities

Growth Mindset Examples: Books and Videos for the Classroom

Teaching Growth Mindset in the Classroom

Social Skills Games

The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Social-Emotional Skills in the Classroom

Classroom Management Strategies: The Ultimate List

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As a teacher, you continually try to keep your students engaged and on-task. This list of classroom management strategies can help you accomplish this goal! Your classroom management strategy will encourage students to follow your classroom rules and behaviors, all while helping to keep them engaged and learning.

The Ultimate List of Classroom Management Strategies:

Tips from Dedicated Teachers

There are so many classroom management strategies out there, you simply need to know where to look. This list of classroom management strategies helps you get started as you develop a strategy that works for you and for your class. I interviewed over 300 teachers to find out their favorite tips and tricks for classroom management, and these are a huge chunk of their ideas. Here are some strategies you can start using right away, from games to prizes. And the best part about them is that they are all POSITIVE methods – perfect for positive classroom management.

List of Classroom Management Strategies for Whole Class or Small Groups

Small groups are great for classroom management. Not only do students enjoy working together in small groups, you also get the chance to observe students more closely. Whether it’s for learning centers or a classroom lesson, this list of classroom management strategies can help you manage your small groups.

Class Meetings – Hosting a class meeting is the perfect way to start the school day, because it is an informal and unintimidating way to get important points across to students. The conversational style of a class meeting lends itself to open communication and supportive, encouraging talks about expected behavior and rewards/consequences.
Team Points – When your classroom is set up in small groups, give each group a chance to earn points when they complete an activity or exhibit a positive behavior. Your small groups will work hard to earn those points!
Table Wars – Similar to Team Points (above), use a little friendly competition to help manage your classroom. When your students are working in small groups, have them compete against one another, earning points for teamwork, staying focused, cleaning up supplies and more.
Team Names – Another great way to manage your small groups is to give your students a way to take ownership of those groups. Let them work together to come up with a team name.

Visual Classroom Management Strategies

When a student can see how they’re doing, they’re very likely to continue the positive behavior or to change the unwanted behavior. Visuals are perfect for this. Whether it’s a clip on a chart, a color-coded card, or a countdown clock for an activity, visuals give students the opportunity to gauge their behavior at a glance and make positive adjustments.

Class Dojo – Class Dojo is an online student behavior tracker that is perfect for classroom management. You can display Class Dojo on your smart board, using it to give students rewards and tokens. You can even use it to communicate with parents!
Sticker Charts – Sticker charts also help students visually gauge their behavior. Students will love working towards a prize or goal as they fill up their sticker charts.
Yacker Tracker – When students are working in small groups, you can use a yacker tracker to show students if their voice levels are appropriate. A red light would warn students to quiet down, while a green light will encourage them to continue their behaviors.
Color-coded Cards – Instead of using a clip chart, you can also use color cards to help students track their behavior. Students can flip their cards to a different color based on their behavior.
Behavior Punch Cards – While your students are working independently or in small groups, walk around with a fun-shaped hole punch and punch their behavior cards when you noticed positive behavior.
Gold Tags – When you notice a student following classroom rules or complete an activity, give them a gold tag. Gold tags can be exchanged for a classroom prize at the end of the day or week.
Countdown Clock – If students know when to expect an activity to end, they can make sure they complete all of their learning goals before the time is up. That’s why a countdown clock is perfect for your classroom.
Fill A Jar – Every time an individual student, table group, or the whole class does something positive, you can add an item to your jar. It can be anything, from pom-poms to rocks or marbles.

Verbal Classroom Management Strategies

Your voice is a powerful tool when it comes to classroom management. This list of classroom management strategies focuses on verbal cues and transitions you can use to keep your students organized and ready.

Callbacks – Callbacks are a great way for you to get your students’ attention and give them instructions for the next activity. Callbacks can be anything, from saying “Class, class” and having your students answer back with “yes, yes” to saying “1-2-3, eyes on me.” Find a callback that works for your class and make the most of it!
Shushing Pattern – Words aren’t the only thing you can use to get your students’ attention. You can also make a shushing pattern and have your students shush it back to you.
Classroom Transition Songs – When it’s time to move on to the next thing, get students moving with a transition song. You can come up with your own transition song or chant, or you can easily find a class favorite online.
Line Up Chants – A chant can also be used to get your students lined up for leaving the classroom. Not only will this get students in line faster, eliminating long transition times, it will also keep them focused and on good behavior as you take them into the hallway.

Non-Verbal Classroom Management Strategies

There are also plenty of non-verbal ways for you to keep your classroom under control. This list of classroom management strategies gives you a way to keep your students on task and learning.

Raise Your Hand – If it’s time for your students to transition to another activity or to simply work more quietly, then simply raise your hand and wait for students to quiet down and raise their own hands.
Sign Language – When you’re in the middle of an engaging lesson, the last thing you want to do is stop teaching the whole class to tell a student that they can grab a kleenex. That’s why sign language can be such an important classroom management strategy. Teach students simple signs such as bathroom, tissue, sit, stand, or I have a question. This will eliminate plenty of interruptions!
Routines – Kids thrive on routine, which is why you should make routines a part of your classroom management strategy. Decide what works best for your class and use that throughout the year, remaining consistent with routines and expectations.
Proximity – If you have a student that is not on task, it’s amazing how focused they can become as soon as you walk near them. Use your proximity to help manage students, encouraging them to be well-behaved and on task.

Classroom Management Games

Games are a great way to get students excited to learn! You can use these classroom management games to help encourage the behaviors you want and discourage the behaviors you don’t want.

Porky the Pig Classroom Blurters – When you have a student that blurts, it’s time to play the Porky the Pig game! Have a pig mounted on your whiteboard, along with a collection of coins attached to magnets. When a student blurts, they have to put a coin in Porky’s mouth. At the end of the week, if Porky has collected too many coins, the class does not earn a reward. If they meat their goal, then the whole class can enjoy something fun.
Candy Land Behavior Game – Mount a candy land board for your class to see. Each student gets 5 moves a day, but can earn extra moves forward or backward based on behavior.
Kindness Chain – Challenge your class to build a kindness chain. Each time your students are kind or follow classroom expectations, they can fill out a paper link and add it to the chain. Once you reach a certain number of links or length, the whole class can earn a reward!
Brownie Points – Give your students a chance to earn brownie points! These points can be displayed on a baking sheet at the front of the room so that they can see how close they are to earning their classroom prize. The reward could be a brownie dessert!
Classroom Puzzle – Mount magnets to the back of each puzzle piece and then give your students a chance to earn those puzzle pieces throughout the day. At the end of the day or week, students can put the puzzle together on the dry erase board, displaying a beautiful picture that represents their classroom behavior.

Brain Breaks for Classroom Management

When students have been working hard on an intense lesson, a brain break can work wonders for your classroom management. Give students a constructive way to work out their energy, such as playing a moving game or fidgeting with a stress ball.

Go Noodle – Go Noodle is an online resource that is a must-have for any classroom. Simply play a fun video and watch as students dance, jiggle and wiggle their energy out. They’ll be more prepared to learn after taking a Go Noodle Break
Fidget Toys – Some students need to fidget to help focus. Give students what they need by providing fidget toys, stress balls, or even notebooks to help keep them focused.
Calm Down Zone – Students also need a chance to calm down when they’re upset or hyper. Create a safe zone for students to calm down, such as a corner of the room with a cozy chair. During a break, students can use this area to calm down and get focused until the next activity. Make a calm down kit with a few special items that a child can use when needed.
Brain Break Activities – Have a set of brain break cards ready with simple activities that kids can do easily and quickly when they need a break. Great for the whole class to get up and moving!

Prizes & Rewards for Classroom Management

You can use prizes and rewards to keep your students on their best behavior! In small groups or as a whole class, students can work towards a goal by demonstrating the desired classroom behavior. Here’s a list of fun ways you can reward students for good behavior.

Prizes – Get some small prizes online or grab some items from a garage sale. Students will love earning little prizes.
Coupons – If you’re looking for reward ideas that don’t cost a thing, print off some coupons for students to earn. This can be anything, from picking their seat for the day or sitting by a friend.
Classroom Economy – Print some fake dollar bills and let students earn money to buy prizes. Not only is this a great classroom management skill, it also gives your students practice counting money, as well as spending it.
Raffles – You can also use raffle tickets for your classroom management strategy. Hand out tickets to students following directions and draw a few names at the end of the week. Whoever wins the raffle, will get a special prize.
Holiday-Themed Prizes – Students can be extra energetic before a holiday. Use that to your advantage and have a holiday-themed prize box. This can be anything, from a Boo Bucket for Halloween to a Pot of Gold for St. Patrick’s Day.
Fun Friday – Another free prize your students can earn each week is Fun Friday. If students meet their class goal for behavior, you can save the last 20 minutes of class as their Fun Friday time. Students will be able to play educational board games, centers, iPad apps and more!

Parent Communication

Parent communication is an important piece of your classroom management strategy. Enlist parents’ assistance by keeping them informed of their child’s behavior, both positive and negative.

Positive Notes Home – When a student does an exceptional job, make sure you send a positive note home. This will endear yourself to the child’s parents, letting them know that you love and care for their child. This will also make it easier to talk to the parents if you start to notice negative behavior.
Daily Folders – Use daily folders to communicate with parents. Each day, write a note to parents with the behaviors you’ve noticed, including both the good and the bad. Parents can also write back to you, keeping you informed of any personal issues that you should be aware of.
Thinking Sheet – When a student has displayed negative behavior multiple times, it’s time to do a little bit of thinking. Send home a thinking sheet with the student, giving them a chance to reflect on what went wrong for the day. This will also make the parents’ aware of any issues you’ve noticed.

A strong classroom management strategy is important for your students and for you, which is why this list of ideas is vital. Not only will classroom management help keep your students behaving, it will also keep them on-task and learning, a goal every teacher has!

Awesome Classroom Management Resources

The Ultimate Classroom Management Toolkit

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Teach Kids How to be Responsible with Books and Videos

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Teach kids how to be responsible in fun and interesting ways. These 15 responsibility books and videos do an excellent job of teaching this important characteristic in a way that kids can understand and connect to.

Responsibility is an important characteristic that all students need to learn. When you teach children ways of being responsible in the classroom, you’re teaching them something they’ll use for the rest of their lives. Here are great examples of books and videos you can use to teach responsibility for the classroom.

Teach Kids How to be Responsible with Books and Videos

One of the best ways to teach responsibility is to use both books and videos to supplement your lessons. This will help kids learn how to be responsible in a way they can understand. Responsibility looks different for children than it does for adults, making books and videos a great teaching tool in your classroom or home.

Books That Teach Kids How to be Responsible

You can use books to build responsible kids. The great thing about using books is that children will enjoy hearing a story, all while learning about the important characteristic they need to know. Here are 10 books that will help you teach ways of being responsible in the classroom.

1. But It’s Not My Fault by Julia Cook

Part of learning responsibility is accepting responsibility for your actions. Your students will learn this important skill when they read this book. In it, the character always says it’s not his fault, including when he doesn’t finish his homework. Eventually, he learns that he needs to accept responsibility for his actions.

2. Someday by Eileen Spinelli

This book on responsibility does a wonderful job of showing responsibilities for today and in the future. It gives students the chance to see what they should be doing currently when it comes to responsibility, as well as what they might expect from the future.

3. Peace Week in Miss Fox’s Class by Eileen Spinelli

Peace Week is all about accepting responsibility for your actions. In it, characters learn that they are responsible for their own actions, that they don’t need to respond when someone else is mean to them.

Brainstorm ways that people can be responsible together as a group. Have children choose 5 ways they are responsible at school or at home and write them down. Record them on a “Things That I Am Responsible For” printable. Click here to here to check it out.

4. The Juice Box Bully by Bob Sornson

If another student is being bullied, the responsible thing to do is to stand up to the bully instead of simply sitting back and doing nothing. In this book, the students at a school learn this, finding out that it’s better to be responsible and kind than it is to do nothing.

5. Tease Monster by Julia Cook

This book will teach kids the difference between teasing and bullying. They’ll learn that friendly teasing is ok, but mean teasing is not. This will help students learn how to differentiate the two when they’re being teased, as well as when they’re teasing their friends.

6. “I’ll Do It” Taking Responsibility by Brian Moses and Mike Gordon

If you want to encourage students to take responsibility for their actions, this is the book for your classroom. This could be anything, from taking responsibility for chores they need to do to helping out around the house or classroom. It could even be helping with a sibling!

Offer “special” jobs for kids when they want it or when they are bored and looking for something to do. These cards work great in the classroom as extra tasks that teach kids how to be responsible. Click here to check them out.

7. Do I Have To? by Nancy Loewen

If you say you’re going to do something, then you’re responsible for actually doing it. This book will teach students this important characteristic, helping them know that taking responsibility is important, both inside and outside the classroom.

8. Berenstain Bears and The Blame Game by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Our favorite bear family is back and ready to teach kids how to be responsible. In this, the Berenstain Bears learn that there is enough blame to go around, so it’s pointless to blame someone else. By accepting responsibility, you can work towards solving the problem rather than trying to blame someone else.

9. Dog in Charge by K.L. Going

Can this special dog be responsible for keeping some cats in line? In this book, Dog has to take responsibility for some cats. Can he do it? Your students will love the silly story as they learn about responsibility.

10. Stanley and the Class Pet by Barney Saltzberg

What will happen when Stanley brings the class pet home? Stanley quickly learns that taking responsibility for another being is tough. It means being responsible all the time, even when trouble hits.

Empower kids when they act responsibly! Get them to make their own “super kid” responsibility tie that they can wear to show others how they are responsible. Click here to check it out.

Videos That Teach Kids How to be Responsible

Did you know that you can also use videos to teach kids how to be responsible? These 5 videos really help your students understand what responsibility is, whether it’s singing a song or watching a story.

1. Being Responsible | Little Mandy Manners

This kid-friendly video sings through what responsibility really is, including giving examples of what responsibility looks like. This is great for kids because it gives them real-life examples of age-appropriate responsibilities, such as taking care of pets or brushing teeth. Your students will quickly catch on with this catchy tune.

2. Sesame Street: Bruno Mars: Don’t Give Up

Bruno Mars joins Sesame Street to sing all about responsibility and not giving up. This video will show some of your students’ favorite Sesame Street characters, such as Elmo and Cookie Monster. Add in the fact that Bruno Mars sings this melodious responsibility song, and it’ll quickly become a classroom favorite.

3. Classroom Responsibility

The students in this video are here to share what their responsibilities are in the classroom. This is a great video to show students, especially if you want them to take responsibility for some classroom jobs. This video will make a huge impact on your students since it’s made by kids their age and includes responsibilities that are age-appropriate.

If you’re looking for more examples to share with kids on how to be responsible, try using these scenario cards. They work great as a class game and for role-playing different responsible kid moments. Click here to check them out.

4. Mr. Responsible

Mr. Responsible is a sock puppet and is the star of the show in this video. The students in this video sing about what it means to be responsible. This includes wonderful examples about picking up trash, cleaning off a lunch tray, and playing nicely with friends at recess. Your students will enjoy learning about responsibility with this video.

5. Responsibility Song

If you want your students to have a good grasp of which responsibilities are great for kids and which ones are typically for adults, this song will help. In it, they sing about responsibilities that the child has, including making their bed or cleaning up toys. It also goes through some responsibilities that parents might have, such as going to work.

Make learning fun and interesting with these books and videos that teach kids how to be responsible. These examples provide excellent illustrations kids need to learn and grasp the concept of responsibility. From here, encourage them to take on responsibilities in the classroom, school, or home.

Effective Conflict Resolution Activities for Classrooms

Children learn social-emotional skills by watching, practicing, and eventually adopting the behaviors for themselves. Below you will find ideas about what conflict and conflict resolution is, and how to teach students the various aspects of this important life skill.

What is Conflict?

Conflict is a disagreement or problem that happens between two or more people. It can happen to anyone, from best friends to enemies. Most conflicts start small, but they continue to grow, snowballing into major problems. As teachers, we can explain what conflict is, in order to effectively teach how to keep conflicts from becoming major problems in the classroom.

What is Conflict Resolution?

When there’s a problem, it’s important to address the problem in a peaceful way, understanding both sides of the situation. This is conflict resolution or peaceful problem solving as I like to call it in my classroom. Conflict resolution is an important skill to have, both in the classroom and in life. By helping our students practice and adopt healthy ways of solving interpersonal problems, we help them succeed in other areas of their education and life as well.

How Do You Teach Conflict Resolution?

There are many steps to teaching conflict resolution. To truly teach conflict resolution, you’ll need to teach your students how to analyze the conflict. They’ll need to be able to identify the problem and try to understand what’s causing it.

Teach Understanding – Students need to understand what conflict is and how it can have a negative effect on a person. This type of understanding will help them know why conflict resolution is so important.
Teach Empathy – After understanding comes empathy. Once students understand conflict, they should learn to empathize with all other students involved. Conflict affects more than one person, so to resolve it, it’s important to empathize with the other person’s feelings
Teach Responsibility – Conflict involves more than one person. The students involved need to know how to take responsibility for their own part in the conflict. Whether they caused the problem or simply exasperated the situation, they need to admit that they were wrong and be willing to do their part to make amends.
Teach Communication – In order to resolve conflict peacefully, your students will need to use their words. Communication is vital to conflict resolution, so teach them how to talk about the issue and come to a mutually beneficial solution.
Teach Choice – Children need more than one strategy to solve a conflict independently. Talk about these different ways during a classroom meeting and have them practice different types with a friend. The ‘Wheel of Choice’ below offers many strategies that are simple and effective for kids.

How Can Conflict Resolution Activities Be Used in the Classroom?

Kids will always have some sort of conflict, whether big or small. The conflict between kids can be anything, whether they’re fighting over a toy or pushing another student down at recess. Conflict resolution can be used in the classroom to help keep the peace between kids. When a small problem arises, such as a friend cutting them in line, your students can use what you’ve taught them about conflict resolution to fix the problem before it becomes more of an issue.

Teach kids a peaceful problem-solving method that they can practice and use with growing independence at school. The process involves the children following 4 simple steps to solve their conflict.

Conflict Resolution Activities

Kids learn best when they practice. This is especially true for conflict resolution. When you give your students fun ways to learn conflict resolution, they’ll have a blast practicing it. The more they practice, the more it becomes second nature. If you’re looking forward to teaching conflict resolution in your classroom, here are a few activities you can use to make it fun.

Role Play – A great way to teach conflict resolution is to role-play various scenarios. By acting out tough situations that might require conflict resolution, your kids have a safe place to work through the issue. You can discuss the process with them after, going through what they could do better next time. Great scenarios to role-play include resolving conflict with a bully, fixing a friendship after a fight, or getting along with a sibling.
Play a Game – Playing games with peers involves learning to get along and figuring out rules together. If issues arise during a game, they can work together calming to solve the problem and continue playing. “What the Solution?” is a fun card game to play that involves kids coming up with solutions to solve common problems.

Creative Writing – Encourage kids to write down or draw a picture to depict a story that includes a problem and a solution. This can be done as a short story or as a script. Encourage students to read or share their story with the class and allow students to talk about what they would do to resolve the same conflict.
Puppet Show – This is a wonderful activity if you have some students too shy to stand in front of the entire class. Have students work in groups to put on a puppet show. Students will have fun designing puppets, all while working together to learn how conflicts can be resolved peacefully.
Peace Maker Promise – Have children learn and sort differences between a peacemaker and peace breaker. Have them take an oath to be a peacemaker in the classroom.

Books that Teach Conflict Resolution

Reading books to your students can help you teach them about conflict resolution in a safe but fun way. The problems the characters face are oftentimes ones that your students have faced as well. As the characters journey through their problems towards resolution, children will get the chance to see a healthy way to handle conflict. Here are just a few books you can read to you students to teach conflict resolution.

Talk and Work It Out – This book, written by Cheri J. Meiners, is a great way to teach conflict resolution to students. This book focuses on using your words to solve problems instead of acting out. By teaching students to use their words, you’re teaching them how to peacefully solve their problems instead of using anger and aggression.
Let’s Be Enemies – Janice May Udry is the author of this book on conflict resolution. In this story, two friends become enemies due to unresolved conflict. Your students will love listening to the story as James and John work out their issues.
Give It Back! – Conflict happens at home as well as in the classroom. This conflict resolution book teaches kids how to resolve conflict with their siblings. These conflict resolution skills can be used in the classroom and on the playground as well.
Enemy Pie – One of the best outcomes you can hope for is turning an enemy into a friend. This book, written by Derek Munson, helps kids understand more about resolving problems and making friends in a creative way.
Confessions of a Former Bully – True conflict resolution requires understanding. Trudy Ludwig uses this book to help kids understand what a bully might be going through. This can help them look deeper so they can figure out why a bully might be acting out, helping them to better resolve the conflict.

There are so many fun ways to teach conflict resolution to your students. Which of these activities do you plan to use in your classroom?

Conflict Resolution Activities and Resources

FREE Responsibility Punch Cards

Catch kids when they are being independent and responsible problem solvers with a hole punch in the “Caught Being Responsible” punch cards. Click the image below to download the FREE Responsible Punch Cards.

Responsibility & Conflict Resolution Curriculum

The Responsibility SEL Curriculum includes 5 lessons and many activities that teach children about responsibility, goal setting, conflict resolution, and anti-bullying.

mind+heart Social Emotional Learning Curriculum

The mind + heart Social Emotional Learning Curriculum includes 8 units with 5+ detailed, character education, research-based LESSONS filled with TONS of hands-on and mindful ACTIVITIES that encourage children to express themselves and build important emotional and social skills. Click HERE for more details on the program.

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Social-Emotional Learning Activities

What is SEL and Why Should We Teach It?

But where do YOU, the classroom teacher, begin?

Common Struggles with Integrating Social-Emotional Learning Activities

Struggle #1: “I don’t have access to quality social-emotional learning activities, materials, and lessons.”

Struggle #2: “I don’t have enough time or room in my day to teach SEL lessons.”

Struggle #3: “I don’t understand why I should teach SEL in the classroom.” OR “My admin doesn’t think I should be spending time teaching social and emotional skills.”

Social-Emotional Learning Activities for the Classroom

Social-Emotional Activity #1 – Morning Meetings

How to use morning meetings to teach SEL:

Social-Emotional Activity #2 – Discussions and Anchor Charts

How to use discussions and anchor charts to teach SEL:

Social-Emotional Activity #3 – Community Building Activities

How to use community-building activities to teach SEL:

Social-Emotional Activity #4 – Using Children’s Books to Teach

Social-Emotional Activity #5 – Journal Writing

How to use journal writing to teach SEL:

Social-Emotional Activity #6 – Role-Play

How to use role-play to teach SEL:

Social-Emotional Activity #7 – Partner and Group Work

How to use partner and group work to teach SEL:

Social-Emotional Activity #8 – Play

How to use play during social-emotional learning activities:

Social-Emotional Activity #9 – Kindness Challenge

How to promote kindness and use a kindness challenge:

Social-Emotional Activity #10 – Promote a Growth Mindset

How to promote a growth mindset in students:

Social-Emotional Activity #11 – Using Self-Regulation Tools

How to use self-regulation tools to teach SEL:

Testimonials of Teachers Who Have Used Social-Emotional Learning Activities

Social-Emotional Learning Lessons and Activities

More Social-Emotional Learning Ideas

Social Skills Games for the Kid-Friendly Classroom

Social Skills Games for Listening Intently

Social Skills Games that Teach Emotions

Social Skills Games for Practicing Eye Contact

Teach Good Communication with these Social Skills Games

Social Skills Games for Friendship

Social Skills Games that Encourage Kindness

Build Social Skills with these Resources

More Activities that Build Social Skills

16 Social-Emotional Learning Games for Kids

Hands-On Social-Emotional Learning Games

Whole Group Social-Emotional Games

Social-Emotional Games You Can Purchase

Social Emotional Learning Resources

More Social-Emotional Learning Ideas

Growth Mindset Activities for Elementary Students

Growth Mindset Activities for Grades K-2

Growth Mindset Activities for Grades 3-5

Growth Mindset Activities and Resources for All Ages

Growth Mindset Classroom Resources

More Growth Mindset Activities

The Ultimate List of Classroom Management Strategies:

Tips from Dedicated Teachers

List of Classroom Management Strategies for Whole Class or Small Groups

Visual Classroom Management Strategies

Verbal Classroom Management Strategies

Non-Verbal Classroom Management Strategies

Classroom Management Games

Brain Breaks for Classroom Management

Prizes & Rewards for Classroom Management

Parent Communication

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Awesome Classroom Management Resources

The Ultimate Classroom Management Toolkit

mind+heart Social Emotional Learning Bundles

Read More about Classroom Management

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Teach Kids How to be Responsible with Books and Videos

Books That Teach Kids How to be Responsible

1. But It’s Not My Fault by Julia Cook

2. Someday by Eileen Spinelli

3. Peace Week in Miss Fox’s Class by Eileen Spinelli

4. The Juice Box Bully by Bob Sornson

5. Tease Monster by Julia Cook

6. “I’ll Do It” Taking Responsibility by Brian Moses and Mike Gordon

7. Do I Have To? by Nancy Loewen

8. Berenstain Bears and The Blame Game by Stan and Jan Berenstain

9. Dog in Charge by K.L. Going