Cognitive skills are the core skills our brain uses to learn, think, read, and pay attention. These are skills children need to develop in order to succeed in school and eventually the work place. For the purposes of this website, we will be focusing on a particular set of cognitive skills. Namely, those related to…
Inside: 100 + social skills activities for preschoolers that teach them about manners, making and keeping friends, understanding their emotions, and more! Social skills activities for preschoolers helps teach young children valuable social skills. There are many benefits to children developing pro-social skills. For instance, research indicates that academic success in the first few years of school is…
Inside: Powerful behavior management strategies to help defiant and disrespectful students calm down during stressful situations.
Getting some kids to open up and talk can be like pulling teeth. They don’t always have insight into what they’re thinking and feeling and find it hard to express themselves to others. Psychotherapists discovered that using mandalas with kids can help them develop a better understanding of themselves and their experiences. Mandalas are helpful…
Journal writing is a therapeutic technique often used to encourage self-expression through reflective writing. Experts suggest that when you write down your thoughts and feelings, it helps you to work through negative emotions. Additionally, journal writing helps you to be more self-aware and in tune with your feelings. You gain insight into your mood and…
Learning how to identify and express feelings are crucial aspects of children’s social and emotional development. Sometimes we forget that kids experience some of the same feelings that adults do. They feel joy, disappointment, anger, sadness, frustration, fear, and so much more. However, children often don’t have the words to identify and express their feelings. …
After watching Disney’s Inside Out for what seems like the millionth time, we decided to make plastic Easter Egg Inside Out Memory Orbs. The kids are fascinated with the Memory Orbs from the movie so it didn’t take much to convince them to do this activity. In case you’re not familiar with Memory Orbs, they are…
Plastic Easter eggs threaten to take over my house every Easter. Sure these eggs are fun to fill and hide. However, once the kids empty their goodies from the plastic eggs, they become a nuisance. They end up on the floor, under couches, in toy bins, EVERYWHERE! Even when I put them away, I still find…
Mindfulness practice continues to gain popularity as a coping strategy to help children deal with problems ranging from everyday stress to severe trauma. The dictionary defines mindfulness as “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.” Through mindfulness practice children…
Emotion regulation refers to our ability to control our feelings and not let them get the best of us. Kids who are able to use effective emotion regulation skills tend to have less meltdowns and tantrums. At the end of the day, fewer meltdowns is a win for both kids and caregivers. Therefore, it makes…