Introduction

Teaching young children self-control is an essential aspect of their social-emotional development. It helps them understand their emotions, manage their actions, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. This blog post will discuss an easy no-prep activity to help PreK students recognize their feelings and take steps to regain self-control, followed by discussion questions, related skills, and next steps for further exploration.

No-Prep Activity: The Body Check-In

This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and can be done in any setting. Here’s how it works:

1. Ask students to sit quietly and close their eyes.
2. Have them take a few deep breaths and pay attention to their bodies.
3. Encourage them to notice their physical sensations, such as hunger, thirst, temperature, and energy levels.
4. Ask students to open their eyes and share their observations with the class.
5. Discuss possible solutions to help them regain self-control, such as having a snack, getting a drink of water, or taking a stretch break.

By practicing this activity regularly, students will become more aware of their emotions and learn to take proactive steps to maintain self-control.

Discussion Questions

1. What are some signs that you might be losing self-control?
2. How do you feel when you are hungry or thirsty? How can you tell?
3. What are some ways to regain self-control when you have too much energy?
4. How can you help a friend who is struggling with self-control?
5. Why is it important to recognize our emotions and take steps to regain self-control?

Related Skills

Teaching self-control is just one aspect of social-emotional learning for young children. Other related skills that contribute to their overall development include:

• Emotion recognition: Identifying and naming emotions in oneself and others.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
• Problem-solving: Finding solutions to everyday challenges and conflicts.
• Communication: Expressing thoughts and feelings effectively and respectfully.
• Cooperation: Working together with others to achieve common goals.

Next Steps

Are you interested in discovering more engaging activities and resources to promote social-emotional learning in your PreK classroom? Sign up for free samples of the discussed skill and others at Everyday Speech. You’ll find a wealth of materials designed to support educators in fostering a healthy and supportive learning environment.