Fun Social Emotional Learning Activities for Kids

Children are constantly learning not just ABCs and numbers, but also how to understand emotions, build friendships, and express themselves in healthy ways. These essential abilities are part of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), a key part of early childhood development that helps children grow into confident, caring, and resilient individuals.

At The Learning Experience, social emotional development is nurtured every day through our L.E.A.P.® curriculum, engaging play-based activities, and supportive teachers who help children build strong relationships and emotional awareness.

In classrooms filled with creativity and discovery, children learn alongside beloved characters like Bubbles the Elephant, who celebrates kindness and friendship. Through these experiences, they come to understand that recognizing their emotions is just as important as developing academic skills.

Here are fun social emotional learning activities for kids that families can enjoy at home while supporting the important skills children practice each day at The Learning Experience.

Learning Activities

Feelings Charades

How to play:

Write different emotions on a small piece of paper, such as happy, frustrated, excited, proud, or nervous. Children take turns acting out the emotion while others guess what it is.

Skills children build:

• Emotional awareness
• Empathy
• Expanding emotional vocabulary

At The Learning Experience, teachers regularly talk with children about emotions and help them learn to identify and express their feelings in positive ways. The Learning Experience has specific themes chosen for our curriculum.  Starting September children explore “all About Me” in the beginning of the year which provides experiences for them to explore their identity, emotions, and how to build friendships.  Continuing in October, the curriculum theme is dedicated to “My Emotions and Feelings,” filled with activities just like this one to help children continue their path to understanding who they are, how to interact with peers, and to navigate the world around them.

The Compliment Circle

How to play:

Sit together in a circle and take turns sharing something kind about the person next to you. Encourage children to notice things like kindness, teamwork, or creativity.

Skills children build:

• Positive communication
• Self-confidence
• Friendship building

In classrooms at The Learning Experience, kindness and encouragement are part of the daily routine. Through group activities and cooperative play, children learn how to support their classmates and celebrate each other’s accomplishments.

Calm Down Jars

How to make one:

Fill a clear jar with water, glitter glue, and a little extra glitter. When shaken, the swirling glitter represents big emotions. As the glitter slowly settles, children can watch and practice calming their bodies.

Skills children build:

• Emotional regulation
• Mindfulness
• Patience

Helping children manage big feelings is an important part of growing up at The Learning Experience, teachers guide little ones through calming strategies like breathing exercises, quiet reflection spaces, and thoughtful conversations.

Friendship Building Activities

Activity Idea:

Invite kids to work together on a shared project, such as building a block tower, completing a puzzle, or creating a group art project.

Skills children build:

• Teamwork
• Cooperation and sharing
• Problem-solving

Collaborative play is a core part of learning at The Learning Experience. Through hands-on group activities, children practice communication, cooperation, and celebrating shared success.

Storytime with Feelings

How to do it:

After reading a story together, ask open-ended questions like:

• How do you think the characters felt?
• What could they do to solve their problem?
• Can you tell me about a time when you felt the same way?

Skills children build:

• Empathy
• Emotional reflection
• Understanding different perspectives

Storytelling plays a key role in the L.E.A.P.® curriculum at The Learning Experience. Through engaging stories, children explore lessons about kindness, perseverance, and caring for others.

Daily Gratitude Moments

How to practice:

At the end of the day, ask your child to share one thing for which they are thankful.

Skills children build:

• Positive thinking
• Emotional awareness
• Appreciation for others

Programs at The Learning Experience encourage children to celebrate their accomplishments, reflect on their day, and appreciate the friendships they build in the classroom.

Why Social Emotional Learning Matters for Young Children

Strong social emotional skills help children:

• Build healthy relationships
• Communicate their needs
• Solve problems with confidence
• Adapt to new situations

When children build strong social-emotional skills early on, they are more likely to thrive both academically and socially later in life, as supported by research from CASEL (the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning).  

At The Learning Experience, nurturing the whole child, academically, socially, and emotionally, is at the heart of everything we do. Our engaging classrooms, caring educators, and play-based curriculum create an environment where children feel safe, confident, and excited to learn.

Supporting Your Child’s Social Emotional Growth

Social-emotional learning happens in everyday moments, through play, conversation, and connection. When families support these experiences at home and partner with early education programs, they help children build the skills they need for lifelong success. At The Learning Experience, we are proud to help little learners grow into confident, compassionate individuals who are ready to explore the world around them. For more information and to see our curriculum in action – schedule a tour a center near you.