Olympics Themed Social Emotional Learning Activities To Share With Your Kids

Who isn’t mesmerized by the athleticism, leadership and character of the Olympic athletes? Young children picture themselves on these mats, fields and courts, so don’t miss the opportunity to use the Olympics to create social skills learning activities this summer.

Join the millions and even billions of parents who are focusing on helping kids to re-engage with their peers after almost two years of distance learning.

Social and interpersonal skills build on emotional competencies. Children must be able to use these skills effectively in order to contribute to a team, resolve disagreements and coexist peacefully with others.

Social emotional learning skills and gross motor activities

When we stop to think about what skills are involved in playing games and participating in sports, we realize that there are many social emotional learning skills (SELs) that impact a child’s success.

Passing a soccer ball involves physically kicking the ball… and making eye contact with a teammate, coordinating where they’ll be, etc. We need self-regulation and control to display good sportsmanship and we use analytical and abstract skills to play by the rules.

Sports, which combine physical activity and play, represent an important environment to intentionally build important skills such as teamwork and cooperation, empathy, planning, and problem-solving — just to name a few.

However, it is important to remember that the development of these skills requires intentional effort and a structured approach. 

Read the full article on YourTango.