Introduction

As educators, we understand the importance of teaching our students not only academic skills but also social-emotional skills. One essential skill for PreK students is understanding and expressing empathy. Empathy allows children to recognize and respond to others’ feelings, making them better communicators and friends. This blog post will guide you through an easy no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills to help your PreK students develop empathy and understand the impact of tone of voice on communication.

No-Prep Activity

The “Emotion Relay” is a simple, fun activity that requires no preparation or materials. It helps students practice recognizing and expressing emotions through tone of voice and facial expressions.

1. Ask your students to stand in a circle.
2. Choose one student to start by saying a sentence with a specific emotion (e.g., “I can’t go to the laser tag party after school” in a sad tone).
3. The next student in the circle must repeat the sentence, imitating the emotion expressed by the previous student.
4. Continue around the circle until all students have had a turn.
5. Repeat the activity with different emotions (e.g., happy, angry, surprised, etc.) and sentences.

This activity encourages students to pay attention to the tone of voice and facial expressions, helping them develop empathy and improve their communication skills.

Discussion Questions

After completing the “Emotion Relay” activity, engage your students in a discussion about empathy and tone of voice. Here are some questions to get the conversation started:

1. How did you know what emotion the person was expressing when they spoke?
2. Why is it important to understand how someone else is feeling when they talk to us?
3. How can we show empathy to someone who is sad, angry, or frustrated?
4. Can you think of a time when you used your tone of voice to express your feelings?
5. How do you feel when someone understands and responds to your emotions?

Related Skills

Beyond empathy and tone of voice, there are other essential social-emotional skills for PreK students. Some related skills include:

• Active Listening: Teach students to listen carefully to others, maintain eye contact, and respond appropriately to demonstrate understanding.
• Nonverbal Communication: Help students recognize and interpret body language, facial expressions, and gestures to better understand others’ emotions.
• Emotion Regulation: Encourage students to identify and manage their own emotions, using strategies like deep breathing or counting to regain calm.
• Conflict Resolution: Guide students in resolving disagreements peacefully by expressing their feelings, listening to others, and finding a solution that works for everyone.

Next Steps

Now that you have some ideas for teaching empathy and tone of voice to your PreK students, it’s time to put these activities into practice. For more social-emotional learning resources, including free samples of lessons and activities, sign up at Everyday Speech. With these tools at your disposal, you’ll be well-equipped to help your PreK students develop essential social-emotional skills for success in and out of the classroom.