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Self-Care for Students
Self-Care Enrichment Activities
Sometimes it can be difficult for kids to identify and express their emotions. A "feelings chart" with faces or emojis that shows many different emotions can be helpful. A simple google search will find many options, pick one that works for your family and print it to have on hand when those big feelings come. Once your child can name the feeling then a self-care strategy can be chosen to help manage the emotion.
Brainstorm a list of 5 activities that you can do to take care of yourself and calm your body when you are having strong feelings. Put the list somewhere you can see it when you need it because when you are having big emotions it can be hard to remember your calming strategies.
Self Care Plan
Sometimes it can be difficult for kids to identify and express their emotions. A "feelings chart" with faces or emojis that shows many different emotions can be helpful. A simple google search will find many options, pick one that works for your family and print it to have on hand when those big feelings come. Once your child can name the feeling then a self-care strategy can be chosen to help manage the emotion.
Brainstorm a list of 5 activities that you can do to take care of yourself and calm your body when you are having strong feelings. Put the list somewhere you can see it when you need it because when you are having big emotions it can be hard to remember your calming strategies.
Self Care Plan
Managing Emotions
Emotion Management Enrichment Activities
Create your own calming box to use when you need to relax your body and mind. Some items to possibly include are: fidgets, a stuffed animal, putty, bubble wrap to pop, a journal, scrap paper to tear up, a pinwheel to encourage taking deep breaths, yoga activity cards, noise cancelling headphones, a puzzle, books to read, a coloring book, a doodle pad, music, a sensory bottle, a sand timer, a photo book, a jump rope, a kaleidoscope, a spinning top, etc.
Check out some of the emotion management videos from Second Step. The videos are grouped according to grade level and should be watched in order.
Second Step Emotion Management Lessons
Calm Classroom has released an E-book that can be used at home. The mindfulness-based techniques are designed to help practice breathing, stretching, focus and relaxation skills. The activities only take a few minutes to complete but the impact can last much longer.
Calm Classroom/Keep Calm & Practice
Create your own calming box to use when you need to relax your body and mind. Some items to possibly include are: fidgets, a stuffed animal, putty, bubble wrap to pop, a journal, scrap paper to tear up, a pinwheel to encourage taking deep breaths, yoga activity cards, noise cancelling headphones, a puzzle, books to read, a coloring book, a doodle pad, music, a sensory bottle, a sand timer, a photo book, a jump rope, a kaleidoscope, a spinning top, etc.
Check out some of the emotion management videos from Second Step. The videos are grouped according to grade level and should be watched in order.
Second Step Emotion Management Lessons
Calm Classroom has released an E-book that can be used at home. The mindfulness-based techniques are designed to help practice breathing, stretching, focus and relaxation skills. The activities only take a few minutes to complete but the impact can last much longer.
Calm Classroom/Keep Calm & Practice
Positive Thinking
Positive Thinking Enrichment Activities
Pick at least three affirmations that would be helpful to you when you feel negative thoughts sneaking into your brain. Make a poster or a silly song to remind you of your affirmations.
Positive Affirmations for Kids
Start a family gratitude journal, board, jar or daily dinner conversation. End the day by thinking of at least one experience you are grateful for from the day. It doesn’t have to be a big event. It can simply be the sun shining, a kind word, or a yummy cookie but acknowledging and appreciating the small “happy” moments in our day can have a big impact on our mindset.
Go to biglifejournal.com and enter the search word “positive”. You will find free articles and activities to increase the positivity in your life, including a list of growth mindset podcasts for kids. Pick one and try it out.
Big Life Journal
Pick at least three affirmations that would be helpful to you when you feel negative thoughts sneaking into your brain. Make a poster or a silly song to remind you of your affirmations.
Positive Affirmations for Kids
Start a family gratitude journal, board, jar or daily dinner conversation. End the day by thinking of at least one experience you are grateful for from the day. It doesn’t have to be a big event. It can simply be the sun shining, a kind word, or a yummy cookie but acknowledging and appreciating the small “happy” moments in our day can have a big impact on our mindset.
Go to biglifejournal.com and enter the search word “positive”. You will find free articles and activities to increase the positivity in your life, including a list of growth mindset podcasts for kids. Pick one and try it out.
Big Life Journal
Growth Mindset
Growth Mindset Enrichment Activities
ClassDojo and Stanford's PERTS Research Center teamed up to create the the first season of The Mojo Show. The five-episode video series (along with a few incredible activities) highlight the power of having a growth mindset, and how any student can learn this skill!
ClassDojo Growth Mindset Videos
Pick something that you can't do yet but would like to learn how to do. Fill out the Power of Yet worksheet to hang up as motivation.
The Power of Yet
Start a growth mindset jar. Keep slips of paper and a pencil next to a jar for all family members to write a goal they accomplished, something new that they learned, or a task they haven't mastered yet but are sticking with, and how they feel about it. Try to fill out one a day and at the end of the week, celebrate the effort that was put forth and how much everyone has grown and learned!
ClassDojo and Stanford's PERTS Research Center teamed up to create the the first season of The Mojo Show. The five-episode video series (along with a few incredible activities) highlight the power of having a growth mindset, and how any student can learn this skill!
ClassDojo Growth Mindset Videos
Pick something that you can't do yet but would like to learn how to do. Fill out the Power of Yet worksheet to hang up as motivation.
The Power of Yet
Start a growth mindset jar. Keep slips of paper and a pencil next to a jar for all family members to write a goal they accomplished, something new that they learned, or a task they haven't mastered yet but are sticking with, and how they feel about it. Try to fill out one a day and at the end of the week, celebrate the effort that was put forth and how much everyone has grown and learned!
Conflict Resolution
Conflict Resolution Enrichment Activities
Practice using "I" statements to tell others how you feel and what you need. Teach other family members how to use "I" statements too.
I feel ________ when you ___________________. Could you please ___________________?
Almost every fairy tale you have ever read has conflict. For example, the Big Bad Wolf destroying the pigs houses, Rapunzel being locked in the tower by an evil witch, and Cinderella being teased and left out by her step-sisters. Talk with your family about how these characters could have resolved their conflicts in a healthier way and how that may have changed their story.
Test out your listening and communication skills! Sit back to back with someone, one person thinks of a common object and tries to clearly and accurately describe it without actually saying what it is. The other person has to use their listening skills to figure out what they should be drawing.
Check out the Imagine Neighborhood podcast about problem solving from Second Step.
Second Step Problem Solving
Practice using "I" statements to tell others how you feel and what you need. Teach other family members how to use "I" statements too.
I feel ________ when you ___________________. Could you please ___________________?
Almost every fairy tale you have ever read has conflict. For example, the Big Bad Wolf destroying the pigs houses, Rapunzel being locked in the tower by an evil witch, and Cinderella being teased and left out by her step-sisters. Talk with your family about how these characters could have resolved their conflicts in a healthier way and how that may have changed their story.
Test out your listening and communication skills! Sit back to back with someone, one person thinks of a common object and tries to clearly and accurately describe it without actually saying what it is. The other person has to use their listening skills to figure out what they should be drawing.
Check out the Imagine Neighborhood podcast about problem solving from Second Step.
Second Step Problem Solving
Perspective-Taking
Perspective-Taking Enrichment Activities
Check out a podcast, fun Switcheroo game, music and a Go Noodle video all about seeing things from someone else's perspective! Second Step Activities
Optical Illusions are a fun way to talk about how people can look at the same thing but see it very differently.
Optical Illusions
Pick a familiar fairy tale and try to see it from the villains perspective. Check out "The Other Side of the Story: Fairy Tales with a Twist" series on youtube.com for some help seeing the villains point of view.
Play the Perspective-Taking Board Game from sociallyskilledkids.com
Check out a podcast, fun Switcheroo game, music and a Go Noodle video all about seeing things from someone else's perspective! Second Step Activities
Optical Illusions are a fun way to talk about how people can look at the same thing but see it very differently.
Optical Illusions
Pick a familiar fairy tale and try to see it from the villains perspective. Check out "The Other Side of the Story: Fairy Tales with a Twist" series on youtube.com for some help seeing the villains point of view.
Play the Perspective-Taking Board Game from sociallyskilledkids.com
Size of Problem/Size of Reaction
Size of Problem Enrichment Activities
Parents/Guardians can check out this short, informative video (Size of Problem/Reaction) and then work with students to create a Size of Problem/Size of Reaction chart for your own home.
Use some scrap paper to write down problem situations that your family brainstorms (try to use as many real-life problems that you or a family member have actually experienced). Then set up 3 different size buckets, small, medium, and big. Lastly, after deciding what size the problem is, crumple it up and "shoot" it into the appropriate size "hoop" for some size of problem basketball.
Have some fun roleplaying reactions to common problems. First, try the "unexpected" reaction that is too big for the problem (crying over a broken pencil) and be silly with it (think Pigeon from this week's book!). Then, try the "expected" reaction that matches the size of the problem. Talk about the difference and how you and others would feel about both reactions.
Parents/Guardians can check out this short, informative video (Size of Problem/Reaction) and then work with students to create a Size of Problem/Size of Reaction chart for your own home.
Use some scrap paper to write down problem situations that your family brainstorms (try to use as many real-life problems that you or a family member have actually experienced). Then set up 3 different size buckets, small, medium, and big. Lastly, after deciding what size the problem is, crumple it up and "shoot" it into the appropriate size "hoop" for some size of problem basketball.
Have some fun roleplaying reactions to common problems. First, try the "unexpected" reaction that is too big for the problem (crying over a broken pencil) and be silly with it (think Pigeon from this week's book!). Then, try the "expected" reaction that matches the size of the problem. Talk about the difference and how you and others would feel about both reactions.
Acts of Kindness
Acts of Kindness Enrichment Activities
Choose at least 3 acts of kindness from the list below that are safe and appropriate to do under the current circumstances.
Acts of Kindness
Pick a quote or two that inspires your family and post it somewhere you will see it regularly to remind you of the impact you can have on others.
Kindness Quotes
Encourage one of your local favorites. Pick a favorite restaurant, ice cream shop, store, gas station, etc. and send them an email or letter telling them how much you appreciate their service.
Choose at least 3 acts of kindness from the list below that are safe and appropriate to do under the current circumstances.
Acts of Kindness
Pick a quote or two that inspires your family and post it somewhere you will see it regularly to remind you of the impact you can have on others.
Kindness Quotes
Encourage one of your local favorites. Pick a favorite restaurant, ice cream shop, store, gas station, etc. and send them an email or letter telling them how much you appreciate their service.
Handling Change
Handling Change Enrichment Activities
Write a letter/email or make a video for a younger student letting them know what to expect in the next grade and the fun things they will do and learn about.
Make a time capsule that captures the uniqueness of this school year.
Write notes to teachers, other students, or family members letting them know your favorite parts of the school year and what you appreciate about them.
Before recycling or filing away the papers, projects, and drawings from the year, turn your house into a museum. Line the papers up around the "museum" and take a tour to celebrate your progress and growth.
Make a collage of your favorite memories from the past school year. You could also decorate and label a collage for the next school year in anticipation of all the fun memories you will make.
Even though this year's last day of school will look different than years past, keep any end of year traditions you usually have (last day picture, ice cream party, water balloon fight, etc) or tweak them if necessary. If you don't have a last day tradition, this year would be a great time to start one!
Write a letter/email or make a video for a younger student letting them know what to expect in the next grade and the fun things they will do and learn about.
Make a time capsule that captures the uniqueness of this school year.
Write notes to teachers, other students, or family members letting them know your favorite parts of the school year and what you appreciate about them.
Before recycling or filing away the papers, projects, and drawings from the year, turn your house into a museum. Line the papers up around the "museum" and take a tour to celebrate your progress and growth.
Make a collage of your favorite memories from the past school year. You could also decorate and label a collage for the next school year in anticipation of all the fun memories you will make.
Even though this year's last day of school will look different than years past, keep any end of year traditions you usually have (last day picture, ice cream party, water balloon fight, etc) or tweak them if necessary. If you don't have a last day tradition, this year would be a great time to start one!