100 Activities and Methods to Promote Social & Emotional Learning

First published 10/9/2018; updated 6/24/2020.

These activities and methods for promoting social & emotional learning (SEL) were put together in support of the Toolbox Training workshop, Promoting Social & Emotional Learning, which you can learn about more here. The workshop identifies seven SEL skills with which youth should be ARMORED (an acronym formed by the first letters of each of the seven words). Click on any of the below to go directly to the links for the SEL activities and methods under that category. You can also download these activities via the free pdf book 100 Activities and Methods for Promoting Social & Emotional Learning in Afterschool Programs.

Awareness of Self Regulation Motivation Others (Awareness of) Relationship Building Emotional Intelligence Decision Making/Problem Solving

---

Awareness of Self 8 Phrases That Nurture Growth Mindset 26 Questions to Help Kids Know Themselves Better Brag Bracelets Expression Through Art Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset (Sharing) I Statements I Wish My Teacher Knew Positive and Negative Self-Talk Reflective Writing Self-Assessment Tools: Emoji Style Stop and Think Things I Do That Might Bug Someone Else This Is How I Think I’m Doing (Self-Evaluation)

---

Regulation 8 Ways Kids Can Calm Down Anywhere Belly Breathing Calming Area Calming Strategy Cards Circle of Control Cool Down Corner Coping Skills Anchor Chart I Feel… I Can: A Coping Skills Toolbox Karma Completion (Building Resiliency) Noise Isolation Pipe Cleaners and Popsicle Sticks (Teaching Flexibility vs. Rigidity) Ready, Set, Go!: Impulse Control Strategies Visualization to Release Stress Wheel of Coping Skills Write Down, Rip Up and Throw Away Your Stress

---

Motivation Bin Toss Candy Hunt Monitor Own Progress Motivational Moment Paper Planes Quote of the Day Road Signs Rock, Paper, Scissors Chearleaders Starting Positive What Can I Say to Myself?

---

Others (Awareness of) Acts of Kindness Task Cards Alike and Different Appreciation, Apology, Aha Ants on a Log Back to Back Feel-Good Scavenger Hunt (Random Acts of Kindness) Find the Airplane (Perspective Taking) Guess the Emotion Game Helping Others If You Really Knew Me Interviews Mirroring Responding to I Statements Role Play Using Apples to Teach Kids About Bullying Write a Poem from Someone Else’s Perspective

---

Relationship Building Alligator Swamp Buddy Binder (Making New Friends) Circle Sharing Conversation Bingo (Conversation Initiation) Decode a Joke Find Someone Who… Happening Handshake Have a Conversation with Someone You Don’t Know Hi My Name Is… I Love My Neighbor Interest and Identity-Related Bingo Lester Drop (Working Together) Puppet Show (Nonverbal Communication Activity) Shipwreck Staying on Topic Talk Time Teamwork and Strategy Telephone Game (Body Language) What Are You Doing? Where We Came From

---

Emotional Intelligence Big Emotions vs. Small Emotions (Feeling Emotions Worksheet) Chameleon Moods (Identifying Emotions) Emotional Spectrum Feelings Charades (Feeling Empathy) Match the Emojis (Emotions Worksheet) Mixed Emotions Paper Chain Name the Emotion Today I Feel… Check In

---

Decision Making/Problem Solving 4-Way Tug of War All Tangled Up Choosing the Right Job Everyday Machines Evolution Freeze Dance Game Group Meetings Group Work Roles How Can I Solve a Problem? Poster Hula Hoop Challenge If You Build It… Minefield Peer Mediation Principal Wild Says (Following Directions) Save the Egg Should I Or Shouldn’t I? Shrinking Vessel Switch Think Before You Speak The Worst-Case Scenario

Resources: Click here for additional Toolbox Training resources as well as other resources and references about social/emotional learning.