As a school social worker, in addition to meeting with kids, you’re expected to attend IEP meetings, complete documentation, and call families to follow up on attendance concerns..You have to figure out how to juggle seeing kids for direct counseling services and dealing with the constant crises that pop up. Not to mention, you’re expected…
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…
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…
Recently I came across Reading Confetti’s Christmas Alphabet Sticker Tree: Learning Letters and my daughter LOVED the activity. Since I’m always looking for fun ways to teach her social emotional skills, I decided to modify the activity a bit to teach her about feelings recognition. It also turned into a great activity to get her…
I’m always on the hunt for fun and engaging ways to teach kids about their feelings. Children experience a wide range of emotions on a daily basis. They are better able to manage their emotions when they can name and express what they are feeling. The activities and worksheets in this resource are designed to…
We all want our children to have friends, to do well in school, and to have as many positive experiences as possible. It’s a relief when we know our kids are well-adjusted and happy. Fortunately, most kids are indeed well-adjusted. However, there are some children who lack healthy social-emotional skills which causes them to struggle with leading…