Introduction
One of the most important skills for young learners is the ability to stay calm and communicate effectively, especially when their minds are preoccupied with a specific topic or question. In this blog post, we will explore an easy-to-implement, no-prep activity for educators to help kindergarten students develop these essential social-emotional skills. We will also discuss related skills, provide discussion questions, and encourage you to explore more resources for teaching these vital abilities.
No-Prep Activity: “Calm Down and Share”
This activity is designed to help students practice staying calm and communicating effectively in a group setting. It requires no preparation or materials from the educator, and can be adapted to any topic or situation.
- Have the students sit in a circle, and explain that they will be taking turns sharing something they are excited or curious about.
- Ask the first student to share their topic and encourage them to speak calmly and clearly.
- After the first student has shared, ask the next student to share their topic, but remind them to listen carefully and not interrupt the previous speaker.
- Continue around the circle, allowing each student to share their excitement or curiosity while practicing calm and effective communication.
- After everyone has had a turn, facilitate a brief discussion about how it felt to share their thoughts calmly and listen to others without interrupting.
Discussion Questions
Use these questions to stimulate further discussions about staying calm and communicating effectively:
- Why is it important to stay calm when we want to share something with others?
- How did it feel to listen carefully to your classmates without interrupting them?
- What strategies can you use to stay calm and focused when you feel excited or curious about something?
- How can we help our friends stay calm and communicate effectively in group settings?
- What are some situations where it might be challenging to stay calm and communicate effectively? How can we handle those situations?
Related Skills
In addition to staying calm and communicating effectively, there are other related social-emotional skills that can help kindergarten students thrive in group settings:
- Active Listening: Encouraging students to focus on understanding what others are saying, rather than just waiting for their turn to speak.
- Empathy: Teaching students to recognize and understand the emotions and perspectives of others, which can help them communicate more effectively.
- Self-Regulation: Helping students develop the ability to manage their emotions and behaviors in different situations, including when they are excited or curious.
- Cooperation: Encouraging students to work together and support one another in group settings, which can improve communication and overall social-emotional development.
Next Steps
To further support your kindergarten students in developing these essential social-emotional skills, we encourage you to sign up for free samples of skill-building materials and other resources at Everyday Speech. By incorporating these valuable resources into your classroom, you can help your students learn to stay calm, communicate effectively, and develop other important social-emotional skills for success in school and beyond.
