Introduction

Teaching young students to care about others is an essential aspect of their social-emotional development. By learning to show empathy and concern for the feelings of others, children can form strong bonds and develop healthy relationships. In this blog post, we will discuss a no-prep activity that educators can use to help kindergarten students learn to care about others, along with discussion questions and related skills.

No-Prep Activity

For this activity, you will need no materials or preparation. Begin by asking students to sit in a circle and close their eyes. Have them think of two people they care about and take three deep breaths, just like Britt did in the story. Next, share a short story about a character who didn’t show they cared about another character’s feelings, similar to Krista and Samika’s interaction. After sharing the story, ask students to open their eyes and discuss how the character could have shown they cared.

For example, you could tell a story about a student named Alex who didn’t help their friend, Jamie, when he was struggling to tie his shoes. Ask students how Alex could have shown he cared about Jamie’s feelings and what they would do in a similar situation. This activity encourages students to think about different ways to show care and empathy for others.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to show others that we care about them? How does it make them feel?
2. What are some ways we can show others we care about their feelings, even if we don’t know what to say or do?
3. How can we tell when someone else is feeling sad, worried, or upset? What can we do to help them?
4. Can you think of a time when you showed someone you cared about their feelings? How did it make you feel?
5. What can we do if we accidentally hurt someone’s feelings? How can showing we care help in that situation?

Related Skills

Teaching students to care about others is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Other related skills that can help students develop healthy relationships and emotional well-being include:

• Active listening: Encouraging students to pay attention and listen carefully when others are speaking.
• Empathy: Teaching students to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and understand their feelings.
• Communication: Helping students express their thoughts and feelings effectively and respectfully.
• Conflict resolution: Guiding students through resolving disagreements and finding solutions that work for everyone involved.
• Respect: Fostering a classroom environment where everyone’s thoughts, feelings, and opinions are valued.

Next Steps

If you found this blog post helpful and would like to explore more resources for teaching social-emotional skills in the classroom, we encourage you to sign up for free samples of our materials at Everyday Speech. You’ll find a variety of engaging activities, videos, and lessons designed to support students’ social-emotional development and help them build strong, caring relationships with others.