Introduction

Teaching young children the importance of waiting and using safe hands is an essential aspect of their development. In this blog post, we will explore Social-Emotional Learning skills for PreK students, focusing on the concept of waiting, keeping hands to oneself, and self-regulation strategies. These skills will help children develop better relationships with their peers, manage their emotions, and make better choices in challenging situations.

No-Prep Activity: The Waiting Game

Here is a simple no-prep activity that you can use to teach your students the value of waiting and using safe hands:

1. Ask your students to sit in a circle.
2. Place a small toy or object in the center of the circle.
3. Explain to the students that they will take turns passing the object around the circle. However, they must wait patiently for their turn and use safe hands when handling the object.
4. Start the game by passing the object to the first student. Encourage them to use safe hands and wait patiently for their turn.
5. Continue the game until each student has had a turn. Praise the students for waiting patiently and using safe hands.

This activity helps students practice waiting, using safe hands, and self-regulation in a fun and engaging way.

Discussion Questions

After completing the activity, use these discussion questions to further explore the concepts of waiting and safe hands:

1. How did it feel to wait for your turn during the activity?
2. What strategies did you use to help you wait patiently?
3. Why is it important to use safe hands when handling objects or interacting with others?
4. How can using safe hands and waiting patiently help us have better relationships with our friends?
5. Can you think of a time when you had to wait for something and used safe hands? How did that situation turn out?

Related Skills

Teaching students the importance of waiting and using safe hands also helps develop other essential Social-Emotional Learning skills, such as:

• Self-awareness: Understanding one’s own emotions and recognizing the impact of one’s actions on others.
• Social awareness: Developing empathy for others and understanding diverse perspectives.
• Responsible decision-making: Making constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions.
• Self-management: Regulating emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about the importance of waiting and using safe hands in PreK students’ Social-Emotional Learning, take the next step by signing up for free sample materials from Everyday Speech. These resources will provide you with additional activities and lessons to help your students develop essential Social-Emotional Learning skills.