Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has been on the minds of educators and administrators all year, so as we head into summer, it’s no surprise that it’s on the minds of parents/caregivers as well! Summer is a great time to continue building SEL skills, especially since there is less academic learning demanding their attention.
If you aren’t familiar with Social Emotional Learning (SEL), The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning highlights five essential areas for academic and relationship success: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
Many everyday activities require the use of social-emotional skills; that’s because SEL skills are life skills! There are many ways to seamlessly incorporate social-emotional activities into your regular summer routines.
Make a vision board/list. As summer begins, take time to talk together about what your child is hoping to do over the summer (realistically!) Maybe your child wants to play in the sprinkler, learn to ride a bike, or read 10 books. No matter the goal, visualize it and hang your board up so that you can refer back to it and discuss the progress throughout the summer.
Go on a walk. Use this as an opportunity to practice mindfulness – taking the time to ask your child what they see, smell, feel and hear to help ground them in the moment.
Read together. Whether reading aloud to your child, or both reading your own books together, find a cozy space to read. Every story has social emotional lessons the character learns and are great opportunities for discussion. If you choose to each read your own book, you can discuss the challenges each of the characters face and how they overcome them.
Phone a friend or family member. Encourage kids to connect with one friend or family member on the phone each week. Practicing having conversation with others, taking turns, asking questions about the other person, and keeping the conversation going are all skills they can practice with those they can’t see in person all the time.
Garden. You don’t need a full vegetable garden to practice gardening (though wouldn’t that be nice?!) Plant a flower or vegetable and teach them to care for the plant and take ownership of it.
Practice yoga. Incorporating yoga into the beginning or end of your day together can help to set the stage for the day. If you don’t practice yoga yourself already, YouTube has awesome Yoga videos for children (and adults!) of all ages, so let a pro guide you from the comfort of your own home.
Write sidewalk messages. When you head to your local park, bring along some sidewalk chalk! Write positive affirmations and inspirational messages for those who are out walking, bike riding, or playing.
Cook or bake. Cooking takes a lot of focus, listening skills, and math! Since it seems everyone is always looking for a snack in the summer, why not get children involved in making them? Start small with snacks they can make on their own, and grow to helping them to make dinner for the whole family one night.
Play board games. Games are a great way to practice SEL skills – from taking turns, to being a respectful winner/loser. From as simple as tic-tac-toe to Monopoly, there are options for every age level!
Encourage free play. Sometimes having no plans is just what kids need! Free play allows kids to work on skills like decision-making, social expectations, problem-solving, and conflict resolution to name a few.
Watch movies. Sitting together with your child to watch a movie is a great opportunity to discuss how the characters felt or how they dealt with challenges.
Random acts of kindness. Consider creating a list of ways to be kind at home and in your community! See how many acts your family can complete in a month.
Create a chore chart. Summer is a great time to work with our children on being responsible around the house. From collecting the trash to watering the house plants, allow them to take ownership of their impact in the family community by choosing from a list of chores to complete each week.
These are just a few options to get you started, and we would love to hear from you! What activities do you like to do at home to practice SEL skills with your family?
Written by Dana Januszka and Sarah Fillion for Positive School Solutions 2021
