50 Social Emotional Learning Activities for Preschoolers

Children draw themselves and write or dictate phrases like “I am kind” or “I am brave.” It’s a simple way to blend emotional expression with identity building. This empowers kids to affirm positive traits and self-worth. Parents and teachers can display the drawings as daily self-esteem boosters.

A guided journal with emotion faces and simple prompts helps preschoolers reflect on daily moods and practice naming feelings. Ideal for at-home learning or quiet classroom reflection, it fosters regular self-check-ins. Kids can decorate their journals for added ownership and personal connection.

Match faces with labeled emotions using printable cards or toys. Helps young learners recognize feelings in themselves and others. It supports vocabulary building and strengthens early emotional intelligence. You can also pair this with storybooks to discuss how characters feel.

Using magazine cutouts or drawings, children create a collage of different emotions. This visual tool promotes open discussion and emotional literacy. Teachers can extend the activity by asking kids to share stories behind each image. It encourages emotional expression through color and creativity.

Sort colored pom-poms into cups labeled with emotions like “angry” (red) or “calm” (blue). A great tactile way for toddlers to associate colors with feelings. This sensory play helps build emotional and fine motor skills. It’s especially useful in early childhood classrooms and therapy settings.

Children choose a “weather” to describe their mood—sunny, cloudy, rainy, stormy. Helps preschoolers express emotions through metaphors. Teachers can integrate this chart into morning meetings or transition times. It’s a non-verbal way for shy children to communicate how they feel.

Shake a glitter jar and watch the glitter settle—just like emotions, they come and go. This visual metaphor teaches that all feelings are temporary. It’s a calming, mesmerizing tool perfect for preschool calm-down corners. Children can even make their own jars to use at home or in class.

This short, playful yoga sequence introduces preschoolers to mindful movement. Simple poses like “butterfly” or “tree” help release energy and guide children into a calm emotional state. Ideal for classroom transitions or winding down before nap time. Breathing deeply while stretching builds emotional control and focus.

Fill balloons with rice or flour, draw funny faces, and let kids squeeze when they feel overwhelmed. These silly stress balls provide sensory feedback, encouraging toddlers and preschoolers to regulate big emotions through their hands. They’re also a great take-home calming tool for parents.

Guide children to take slow “bubble breaths”—in through the nose, out like they’re blowing a bubble. This simple technique encourages mindfulness and lowers stress. Use during meltdowns, or make it part of daily SEL routines. Even infants benefit from observing adults model this calm practice.

Blow bubbles and tell children to stay calm and not pop them. It teaches body control and patience while staying engaged. This light-hearted game is great for toddlers learning to manage impulses and practice stillness in a playful way.

Create a personalized kit with fidget toys, sensory bottles, soft textures, and emotion cards. When kids feel upset, they visit the kit to regain control. This tool is perfect for both classroom corners and quiet spaces at home. Let children help choose what calms them most.

Reading this gentle-paced story teaches the value of slowing down. Pair it with quiet music and a cozy rug to create a soothing atmosphere. Ideal for toddlers and preschoolers during storytime, it models calm behavior and relaxed tempo.

Shake a glitter jar and let kids watch the sparkles settle. As the “storm” clears, talk about how their minds calm too. This visual tool works wonders in preschool settings where children struggle to verbalize their feelings. Invite them to make their own jars in class.

Play music and call out emotions—when the music stops, children freeze with that feeling on their face. This activity encourages both body control and emotional exploration. It’s fun, energizing, and can double as a physical and emotional regulation exercise.

Design a quiet space where children can choose from calming options: coloring, hugging a stuffed toy, deep breathing, or sitting silently. A visual board empowers them to self-soothe. This independence boosts confidence in managing big feelings.

Kids create and exchange simple bracelets using beads or yarn. The act of giving and receiving builds emotional connection and reinforces the value of friendship. Great for aulas preescolares during kindness week or birthday celebrations. Let children choose colors that remind them of their friends.

Using plush toys, children act out situations like sharing, comforting a sad friend, or saying sorry. This kind of pretend play helps toddlers and preschoolers explore social scenarios in a safe, imaginative way. Encourage dialogue to deepen emotional understanding.

Children build towers together using blocks, but each must check on their partner’s feelings before adding a new piece. This activity builds patience, communication, and emotional awareness. It’s a hands-on way to teach teamwork and empathy.

After reading a story, invite children to talk about how the characters felt. Ask open-ended questions like “Why was she sad?” or “What would you do to help him?” This helps develop social awareness and reading comprehension together.

Play BINGO using cards with expressive faces. Children learn to recognize and label different emotions while interacting with peers. It’s a fun, structured game that blends social play with emotional learning. Encourage kids to mimic each emotion they find.

Explore how people live in different parts of the world with photos, maps, or videos. Preschoolers build awareness of other cultures and begin to understand perspectives different from their own. Follow up with a discussion or creative art response.

Create small scenarios where one child accidentally hurts or upsets another (e.g., bumping into someone). Guide them through practicing a sincere apology and checking if the other person is okay. This teaches empathy and conflict repair skills.

Children work in pairs to mirror each other’s movements and facial expressions. This helps build attention to others’ emotions and body cues—key components of empathy. Use music or soft narration to keep it slow and focused.

Act out how animals might feel—an excited puppy, a sleepy cat, a scared bunny. Preschoolers love pretending, and this game links emotions to observable behaviors. It also encourages laughter, movement, and group connection.

Create a group poster where each child adds a cloud describing one kind thing they did that week. It reinforces positive behavior while showing how kindness connects us. Hang it up to inspire more thoughtful actions daily.

Children create a happiness alphabet—A is for “Adventure,” B is for “Best Friend,” etc. This helps preschoolers reflect on what brings them joy and introduces emotional vocabulary. Use drawings or photos for each letter to personalize it.

Lead children through a visualization of their happy place (e.g., beach, park, grandma’s house) and have them draw it. This activity boosts self-esteem, sparks imagination, and gives insight into what makes each child feel secure.

Even young children can benefit from journaling one thing they’re thankful for each day. Use stickers, drawings, or simple prompts. Gratitude builds optimism and confidence, and supports emotional regulation over time.

Children make small coupon books offering kind actions like “I will help clean up” or “I’ll give a hug.” Giving and using the coupons builds a sense of purpose and positive self-image. A fun activity to send home with families, too.

Children draw faces or symbols on small stones and use them to tell stories about themselves. This tactile method builds narrative skills and gives them a non-verbal way to express their thoughts and strengths.

Hide emotion cards around the room and ask children to find one that matches how they feel today. When they find it, they explain why. It’s a playful way to explore feelings and encourage self-knowledge.

Pair up children and guide them through a mini obstacle course where teamwork is the key to success. They’ll need to take turns, hold hands, or help each other through. It’s active, fun, and teaches communication and cooperation in motion.

Set up centers with activities that require sharing—like puzzles, blocks, or cooking toys. Model helpful language like “Can I have a turn?” or “Let’s build together.” These daily moments teach real-world collaboration.

Ask fun social questions like “Would you rather fly like a bird or swim like a fish?” It gets kids thinking, listening to others’ opinions, and practicing conversational turn-taking. A great way to foster peer connection.

Create a scavenger hunt where children find and name things they’re thankful for. When done in pairs or groups, they learn to discuss, compromise, and appreciate shared experiences. A lovely way to bond during transitions or holidays.

Hand out emotion cards and have children find their match—someone with the same or complementary feeling. Once paired, they share a time they felt that way. This activity combines emotion learning with social pairing.

Create a DIY fishing set with emotions written on paper “fish.” When a child “catches” one, they name the emotion and describe how to help a friend who feels that way. Cooperative and reflective, it’s ideal for circle time.

Children draw or tell a short story about a time they helped a friend. Then they swap and retell someone else’s story to the group. This encourages listening, perspective-taking, and storytelling.

In a circle, each child says one kind thing about the person to their left. You’ll be amazed at how quickly children light up. It boosts peer relationships and reinforces positive language in group settings.

Children sit in a circle and “pass a smile” from one to the next, with eye contact. It’s a simple but effective activity for building connection, emotional expression, and a sense of belonging in group settings.

Set up a pretend mailbox in the classroom where children can drop notes, drawings, or “kindness coupons” for their friends. Opening the mailbox daily builds anticipation and strengthens peer relationships with simple acts of giving.

Draw hopscotch squares with emotions instead of numbers. As kids land on each square, they act out the feeling with their face or body. This combines movement with emotional awareness in a fun outdoor activity.

Use puppets to act out simple conflicts, like two characters wanting the same toy. Then invite children to suggest fair solutions. Puppets create a safe distance for preschoolers to explore problem-solving skills without pressure.

Children take turns being “emotion detectives,” spotting feelings in storybooks, pictures, or classmates’ expressions. This sharpens observation skills and builds empathy by focusing on how others look and feel.

Give each child a feather and ask them to blow gently to keep it floating in the air. It’s a playful way to practice deep, slow breathing while improving focus and self-regulation in preschoolers.

Play musical chairs but instead of just sitting, when the music stops, each child must act out an emotion called by the teacher—like “happy,” “tired,” or “surprised.” It transforms a classic game into a playful way to practice emotional expression and social awareness.