Introduction

Strong emotions like anger, frustration, or sadness can fill our whole brain and make us choose poor decisions. Learning to control emotions, even strong ones, is an essential skill for students in their early years. By teaching them to “Change the Channel” on their feelings, we can help them stay safe and make better decisions. This blog post will discuss a no-prep activity to teach this skill, along with discussion questions and related skills to reinforce the concept. By incorporating principles of Social-Emotional Learning, we can empower our students to handle their emotions more effectively and make better choices.

No-Prep Activity

The “Emotion Charades” activity is a fun and engaging way to teach students how to recognize and control their emotions. Here’s how it works:

1. Have the students sit in a circle.
2. Choose a student to start by acting out an emotion without speaking (e.g., happiness, sadness, anger, etc.).
3. Other students in the circle will try to guess the emotion being acted out.
4. Once the emotion is correctly identified, discuss how the student can “Change the Channel” on that emotion by thinking of something new or positive.
5. Continue with other students taking turns acting out emotions and discussing ways to Change the Channel.

This activity helps students become more aware of their emotions and practice strategies to control them, all while having fun and engaging with their peers.

Discussion Questions

• How do you feel when you’re experiencing a strong emotion? Can you give an example of a time when you felt this way?
• Why is it important to learn how to control our emotions and make better decisions?
• What are some strategies you can use to Change the Channel on your emotions? How can you practice these strategies?
• How do you think changing the channel on our emotions can help us stay safe and make better choices?
• Can you think of a time when you successfully changed the channel on a strong emotion? How did it make you feel?

Related Skills

Besides learning to Change the Channel on strong emotions, there are other relevant skills that can be taught to help students manage their emotions and make better decisions. These include:

• Deep breathing exercises: Teach students to take slow, deep breaths when they start feeling overwhelmed or emotional. This helps them calm down and think more clearly.
• Mindfulness techniques: Encourage students to practice mindfulness by focusing on the present moment and their surroundings. This can help them become more aware of their emotions, thoughts, and actions.
• Emotion identification: Teach students to recognize and label their emotions accurately. This can help them gain a better understanding of how they feel and how to manage their emotions.
• Problem-solving strategies: Encourage students to think through situations and come up with solutions to problems. This can help them make better decisions and manage their emotions more effectively.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about teaching PreK students to Change the Channel on strong emotions, it’s time to put these strategies into practice. To help you get started, we invite you to sign up for free samples of this skill and other related Social-Emotional Learning materials. These resources will provide you with the tools and guidance needed to empower your students to control their emotions and make better decisions. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your students’ emotional well-being and decision-making abilities.