Social Emotional Learning Strategies
Explore our specific social-emotional learning strategies for children in the developmental stage's toddlerhood, early childhood, and middle childhood. Discover how our activities can support the emotional development of young learners in the classroom.
"Research shows that SEL not only improves achievement by an average of 11 percentile points, but it also increases prosocial behaviors (such as kindness, sharing, and empathy), improves student attitudes toward school, and reduces depression and stress among students. Effective social and emotional learning programming involves coordinated classroom, schoolwide, family, and community practices that help students develop the following skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making" (Weissberg, 2016).
Toddlerhood Activities 1-3 Years
For toddlers, engaging in activities that promote self-regulation and empathy is key. Activities:
- Encourage role-playing,
- Storytelling books will help toddlers identify and express emotions
Early Childhood Activities 3-5 Years
In early childhood, children are focusing on building emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills.
Activities:
- Group activities like puzzles and games
- Emotion journals or reflection activities (what was one thing that made you feel happy today)
Middle Childhood Activities 6-12 Years
In middle childhood, children are becoming more self-aware, learning how to regulate their emotions, and developing stronger social interactions.
Activities:
- Group projects such as puzzles, community building activities, and academic group projects
- Role playing scenarios where students have opportunities to act out the scenario (10 Tips for Teachers to Practice Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom | Mental Health America, 2025)
Create Your Own Website With Webador