Introduction
Compliments are a simple yet powerful way to make others feel good and strengthen social connections. It’s essential to teach young children the importance of giving and receiving compliments as part of their social-emotional learning journey. This blog post will provide educators with an easy, no-prep activity to teach PreK students the art of giving and receiving compliments. We’ll also discuss related skills and provide discussion questions to stimulate further conversations.
No-Prep Activity: The Compliment Circle
This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and is a fun and engaging way to teach students about compliments.
- Have students sit in a circle.
- Explain that they will take turns giving compliments to the person sitting on their right.
- Model the activity by giving a genuine compliment to the student on your right, like “I like your colorful shirt.”
- Encourage the student to say “thank you” and then give a compliment to the person on their right.
- Continue around the circle until everyone has given and received a compliment.
This activity helps students practice giving compliments, receiving compliments graciously, and saying “thank you” as a polite response. It also helps build a positive classroom environment by fostering kindness and appreciation among peers.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important to say “thank you” when someone gives you a compliment?
- How does it feel when someone gives you a compliment? How does it feel when you give a compliment to someone else?
- Can you think of a time when you gave or received a compliment? How did it make you feel?
- Why is it important to give compliments that are genuine and specific?
- How can giving and receiving compliments help build positive relationships?
Related Skills
Teaching students the art of giving and receiving compliments is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Other related skills that contribute to developing well-rounded students include:
- Active listening: Learning to listen attentively and respond appropriately to others.
- Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
- Gratitude: Expressing appreciation for the things and people in our lives.
- Respect: Treating others with kindness and consideration.
- Assertiveness: Expressing one’s needs, feelings, and opinions in a respectful manner.
Next Steps
If you’re interested in exploring more activities and resources related to teaching social-emotional skills, we invite you to sign up for free samples of our skill-based materials at Everyday Speech. Our resources are designed to support educators in providing engaging and effective lessons that foster the development of well-rounded students.
