Introduction

Children in kindergarten may sometimes find themselves in situations where they feel overwhelmed or anxious, such as when they are exposed to loud noises, bright lights, or new smells. As educators, it’s important to teach students how to identify their emotions and develop strategies to cope with these situations. In this blog post, we’ll discuss a no-prep activity and discussion questions to help young students develop strategies to handle overwhelming situations and understand the concept of “switching tracks.”

No-Prep Activity: The Quiet Space Game

This activity requires no preparation or materials and helps students practice calming techniques while dealing with noise sensitivity. Here’s how to play:

1. Ask the students to sit in a circle on the floor.
2. Explain that they will be playing a game where they will practice finding a quiet space in their minds when they feel overwhelmed by noise.
3. Start by making some noise, such as clapping your hands or stomping your feet.
4. Ask the students to close their eyes and imagine a quiet, peaceful place where they feel safe and comfortable. This could be their bedroom, a cozy corner, or a favorite outdoor spot.
5. After a minute or two, ask the students to open their eyes and share their quiet spaces with the group.
6. Repeat this process a few times, gradually increasing the noise level each time.
7. Encourage students to practice finding their quiet space whenever they feel overwhelmed by noise.

Discussion Questions

• How did you feel when the noise level increased? What emotions did you experience?
• What strategies did you use to find your quiet space? How did it help you cope with the noise?
• Can you think of other situations where you might feel overwhelmed or anxious? How could you use the “switching tracks” concept to help you?
• How can you help a friend who is feeling overwhelmed or anxious in a noisy environment?
• Why is it important to communicate our emotions and needs to others?

Related Skills

Teaching students to cope with overwhelming situations and “switch tracks” is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Other related skills that are important for kindergarten students to develop include:

• Emotion recognition: Identifying and understanding their own emotions and the emotions of others.
• Self-regulation: Learning to manage their emotions and behavior in different situations.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
• Problem-solving: Identifying and resolving conflicts or challenges in a positive manner.
• Communication: Expressing their thoughts, feelings, and needs clearly and effectively.

Next Steps

If you’re interested in exploring more activities and resources to help teach social-emotional learning skills to kindergarten students, we encourage you to sign up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech. You’ll find a variety of tools and resources designed to support educators in teaching these valuable skills to young students.