Understanding humor is an essential skill for making and maintaining relationships. When students grasp the concept of humor, they can better connect with others and feel more included in social groups. In this blog post, we will explore a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills to help educators teach PreK students the importance of understanding humor in social-emotional learning.

No-Prep Activity: Funny Faces and Silly Sounds

This activity is designed to help PreK students recognize humor through facial expressions and sounds. To begin, have the students sit in a circle. The educator will make a funny face or a silly sound, and the students must try to mimic it. Go around the circle, giving each student a chance to create their own funny face or silly sound while the rest of the group mimics them. This activity encourages students to recognize humor in non-verbal cues and engage in lighthearted, shared laughter.

Discussion Questions

1. How did you feel when you made a funny face or silly sound? How did you feel when others copied your funny face or silly sound?
2. Why do you think people like to laugh and joke around with each other? How does it make you feel when you share laughter with others?
3. Can you think of a time when someone told a funny story or made a joke, and you didn’t understand it? How did it make you feel? What can you do in those situations to show good social manners?
4. What are some examples of different types of humor, like sarcasm, funny stories, friendly teasing, or self-deprecating humor? How can you recognize them?
5. Why is it important to understand and appreciate other people’s humor, even if you don’t find it funny?

Related Skills

In addition to understanding humor, there are several other related skills that contribute to social-emotional learning and fostering healthy relationships. These include:

• Empathy: Empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others. By developing empathy, students can better connect with their peers and create stronger bonds.
• Active Listening: Active listening is the process of giving full attention to the speaker and providing feedback to show understanding. This skill helps students engage in meaningful conversations and develop better communication.
• Non-Verbal Communication: Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, body language, and gestures. Developing this skill allows students to better understand and convey messages without using words.
• Conflict Resolution: Conflict resolution involves finding a solution to a disagreement or problem. By learning to resolve conflicts in a healthy way, students can maintain positive relationships with their peers.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about teaching PreK students to understand humor and its importance in social-emotional learning, it’s time to explore more resources and activities. To access free samples of skill-based materials and other resources, sign up at Everyday Speech’s sample materials page. By incorporating these materials into your lesson plans, you can help your students develop essential skills for maintaining healthy relationships and thriving in social settings.