Involving Parents to Boost Kids’ SEL Development

Promoting social and emotional learning (SEL) in preschool education is like planting beneficial seeds for the future. Many children, especially those affected by the pandemic, face emotional challenges and need help to understand and manage their feelings. This important work isn’t just for teachers—parents play a key role too. When we work together, we can create a caring environment that supports children’s emotional growth and builds habits that will benefit them for many years.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEL IN EARLY CHILDHOOD 

SEL forms the foundation of emotional regulation and social connections. According to research, children who develop these skills at an early age are better prepared to face challenges later in life. Many preschoolers struggle with emotional regulation, which affects their behavior and social interactions, so parental involvement becomes extremely important. 

When parents engage in SEL activities and discussions, they reinforce emotional understanding and strengthen the parent-child bond. This approach helps children navigate emotions while building a solid foundation for social connections.

BUILDING EMOTIONAL VOCABULARY 

Identifying emotions is the first step in social and emotional learning. Young children often feel emotions intensely but struggle to name or express them. Educators can start by introducing fun emotion posters and a play-based environment where preschoolers can strengthen their emotional vocabulary. 

The following activities help children identify and articulate their feelings.

Rainbow parachute game: Have children hold a large parachute. The teacher calls out an emotion (e.g., “happy” or “angry”), and children place a small ball on the corresponding color of the parachute. As they shake the parachute, the ball bounces across the colors (link colors with feelings, teamwork).

Color corners: Set up four corners in the room, each representing an emotion (e.g., joy, fear, anger, surprise). When an emotion is called out, children move to that corner, then act it out or draw how it feels on a small whiteboard (relate emotions to physical actions, express feelings).

Emotions dice: Create large foam dice with different emotions on each face. Children take turns rolling the dice and must act out the emotions that land face up. A variation of the game involves other students guessing the emotions (nonverbal skills, express creativity).

Clay emotion frames: Provide colorful clay for children to create shapes or faces representing various emotions inside a small frame. Afterward, they present their creations and explain what each emotion means (reinforces vocabulary, confidence in speaking).

Emotion monsters: These can be made using either clay or watercolor to explore deeper emotions. For the clay, children mold shapes into monsters and add faces to represent various emotions. For watercolor, review different emotions and choose an emotion, then paint a splash of color on paper and blow on the wet paint to create patterns. Once the paint dries, children draw faces and add googly eyes to bring their emotion monsters to life (artistic expression, coping with hard emotions).

HABIT BUILDING WITH EMOTION TRACKING

Once children have an emotional vocabulary, tools for habit building enable parents to continue SEL practices at home. I use the following two helpful tools for emotion tracking.

Mood meter poster: Display a mood meter in the classroom that categorizes emotions into four color zones (or try Canva for simplified, child-friendly versions). Each day, children place stickers or name tags on their mood for that moment (build self-awareness, encourage emotional check-ins).

SEL class cards: Create cards representing SEL topics covered each week with discussion questions and resources on the back. Children use these cards as a review activity in class or to share their feelings in circle time, while parents can use the back of the cards to have discussions at home (reinforce lessons, spark at-home conversations).

CALMING TECHNIQUES FOR EMOTIONAL REGULATION

To complement vocabulary building and habit formation, simple breathing exercises can help preschoolers with emotional regulation while practicing focus and controlled breathing. Encourage parents to practice the following techniques at home.

Shapes breathing: Show children how to trace shapes with their fingers while controlling their breath. For example, they can draw a triangle in the air, inhaling as they trace one side and exhaling as they trace the next.

Blowing games: In this activity, children blow on lightweight objects such as feathers or strips of paper across a table. Alternatively, they can create a paper caterpillar and use a straw to blow it along a surface.

Yoga for kids: Introduce simple yoga poses that promote body awareness and relaxation. For example, you can show children how to imitate a stretching kitten while focusing on their breathing.

Bubble breathing: Blowing bubbles is a fun way to visualize slow, controlled breathing. Children take a deep breath in, hold it, and then slowly blow out to create bubbles.

Hoberman sphere: Use it to model deep breathing. As the sphere expands, children inhale deeply, and as it contracts, they exhale slowly. You could also add a creative story—making the sphere a magic object—to make this exercise more engaging for children. (The Hoberman sphere can be purchased.)

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

Consistent practice of SEL skills, supported by parental involvement, leads to stronger emotional resilience and better mental health for children. Engaging parents in their children’s emotional learning is essential for fostering understanding and creating lasting habits. Encourage parents to set up a “calm corner” in their home with sensory items like soft pillows, toys, and favorite books. This space serves as a safe area where children can relax and practice self-regulation.

Involving parents in SEL strengthens the connection between home and school, helping children develop emotional skills in a stable environment. With fun activities, calming tools, and daily emotion check-ins, parents can seamlessly integrate SEL into their routines. When SEL becomes a partnership between parents, teachers, and children, it nurtures emotionally resilient young learners who are prepared to thrive both in school and beyond.