A central part of social emotional learning is the “I-Statement" or "I-Message." An I-Statement is a communication tool that helps kids express their feelings during trickier moments. Having a go-to script provides a comfortable foundation that they can use when they may be experiencing difficult emotions. There are many variations of I-Statements, but I’ve always used the following in my 3rd grade classroom: “I feel ____ when you ____ because ____. I would like you to ____.”

We've discussed the basics of Check-Ins, but let’s explore them more in depth. I believe they are one of the easiest and most insightful activities and a foundational part of a mindful practice. Read on for my favorite variations on an essential mindful activity! What is a Check-In? A Check-In is where you take a purposeful moment to pause and reflect on how you are feeling in that very moment. I often say to check in with your head, your heart, your body. I ask every child t

Build your kids’ emotional vocabulary by creating a list of feelings. Keep this list displayed or easily accessible and refer back to it often to increase emotional awareness and communication skills! One of the first steps in talking about emotions with kids is increasing their vocabulary. If we want them to be able to talk about how they are feeling, they must have the words to do so. When asked how they feel, most kids will resort to “good” or “bad.” But there’s so much mo

The essence of mindfulness is connecting the mind with the body and the easiest way to do that is with our breathing. Now, if you are like many of the kids I’ve taught, you are currently rolling your eyes and thinking, “I already know how to breathe.” And that’s the beauty of it: yes, we all know how to breathe! However, most of the time, we are breathing without thinking about it. So what happens if we start tuning into our breath? We connect our minds and our bodies in the

If you are new to mindfulness and don’t know where to start, I find these activities to be at the root of my practice and great basics with which to begin. All of these can be done in under 5 minutes! Checking In A Check-In is where you take a purposeful moment to pause and reflect on how you are feeling in the here and now. I often say to check in with your head, your heart, your body. HEAD: Where are your thoughts? Are you focused on one thing or juggling many? H