Top 5 Resources for Social-Emotional Learning at Home

If you’re feeling out-of-sorts these days, you’re not alone. 

Maybe your whole routine has been turned upside down, and you’re struggling to find the new normal, or maybe your routine hasn’t changed that much, but you find yourself feeling a range of emotions from one hour to the next. 

For all of us, life feels “off.” And we guess your kids are feeling that way, too.

To help you and your children process all that is happening, we’ve pulled together some of the best social-emotional learning resources out there. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. 

Yes, the days are uncertain. But adding these tools to your parenting tool bag can help you build a relationship with your child that is stronger than ever. 

1. Hey Kiddo

Workbooks and online courses don’t cut it when it comes to connecting with your child over a meal, in the car, or relaxing around the house. You need a quick, easy-to-implement tool that seamlessly fits into everyday life. 

That’s how Hey Kiddo was born. Hey Kiddo is an ingenious solution to develop your child’s character every day, even when you’re lacking ideas and are short on time. 

Developed by psychologists and child experts, Hey Kiddo sends daily texts with curated conversation starters, coaching tips, and activities to engage your child in meaningful conversations. Adjust the content to meet the exact needs of your child for an even greater impact. 

Spend less time googling and more time talking with Hey Kiddo.

 

2. Camp Kindness

Your child might not be going to camp any time soon, but easily organize your own camp at home! 

Camp Kindness provides articles, guidebooks, videos, and more, that cultivate important values such as authenticity, awareness, collaboration, compassion, curiosity, empathy, flexibility, forgiveness, generosity, honesty, and reliability. 

Check out this sample resource about honesty:

 

3. 5-Minute Film Festival: Videos on Kindness, Empathy, and Connection

After Camp Kindness, it’s film festival time! 

This free video collection is easily accessible and offers short, curated videos about the power of empathy, kindness, and human connections. Work through the playlist one at a time over a meal or before bedtime. 

4. Centervention 

Centervention provides game-based behavior interventions to help students in elementary and middle school practice and improve social and emotional skills.

Their social-emotional learning activities page is packed with free lessons, activities, and printables covering communication, cooperation, emotion regulation, empathy, impulse control, and social initiation

These resources are a great way to limit screen time and keep your children occupied with engaging activities that will help them work through difficult situations such as change, dealing, anxiety, fear, and worry.

 

5. CharacterStrong 

When it comes to social-emotional learning, CharacterStrong is a long-time favorite. Offering comprehensive solutions for effective, sustainable school culture change, they are now providing those same high-quality solutions to families for use at home. 

Family Character Workouts provide four weeks of activities help you grow closer as a family:

    • Week 1 Reconnecting: Heart-warming activities that help families open up and look forward to the future during this difficult time.
    • Week 2 Get Some Air: If you’re not able to get outside, the recommendations can be adjusted for indoor activities.
    • Week 3 Support Each Other: Activities that help strengthen the sense of support in your family (and an ingenious way to get your kids to more actively participate in chores.)
    • Week 4 (Coming Soon): Another week of character-building activities to tie it all together.

If you’re feeling ambitious (kudos if you do!), you can also catch some inspiring talks during Whole Child Summit Organized by CharacterStrong. Each day of the summit, CharacterStrong will release videos covering a variety of topics.

 

Good vs. Great

With extra time at home, it’d be easy to fill your time with lots of good things. 

And while many activities are good, stay focused on what is great — keeping your family close and connected with meaningful conversation, space to feel, and lots and lots of hugs and laughter. 

For even more ideas for your family, check out ClassTag Resources — your one-stop site for free software, games, videos, lesson plans and more.

 

Comments

  • Eveline
    April 6, 2020 at 11:48 am

    Awesome, thanks for sharing! <3

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