In a preschool classroom, it’s easy to get caught up in ABCs and 123s. But what if I told you there’s a set of skills that are even more important than academic ones? I’m talking about social-emotional learning (SEL).
Social-emotional learning includes the skills that help your little learners understand their big feelings, work through challenges, build relationships, and become awesome humans. And when your kids feel safe, calm, and connected, everything else — yes, even literacy and math — gets easier.
Let’s dive into what SEL in the preschool or Pre-K classroom looks like and explore 30+ fun, playful, and meaningful social emotional learning activities that will help your students thrive!
What Is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?
Social emotional learning is how children learn to understand their emotions, manage those emotions, and develop important skills like empathy, communication skills, and conflict resolution.
In preschool, these are brand-new concepts for many kids. That’s why it’s so important to teach social emotional skills intentionally and consistently. We’re not just managing behavior—we’re planting the seeds for lifelong success.
Here’s what social and emotional skills might look like in your classroom:
- Identifying and naming feelings
- Taking deep breaths to calm down
- Learning to build relationships
- Practicing kindness and empathy
- Working together and sharing
- Solving problems peacefully
The great news? Preschoolers can absolutely learn these things—with the right SEL activities and lots of modeling and practice.
Why SEL Matters in Preschool
Let’s be real: preschoolers can have some seriously BIG emotions. And that’s totally normal! But when we equip them with tools to handle those emotions, amazing things happen.
When you teach social emotional skills:
- Your classroom feels calmer
- Students feel safe, seen, and heard
- You spend less time managing behaviors
- Children become more independent
- Students learn how to work through conflict and solve problems
In other words, investing in emotional learning (SEL) now pays off every single day—and well into the future.
SEL Activities That Help Preschoolers Identify Emotions
Before kids can regulate, they have to recognize! These social emotional learning activities will help your students identify their feelings and understand the emotions of others.
Teach Emotion Words (Pre-K Pages) – Emotions are an abstract concept. A preschooler can feel them, but it is challenging to express those feelings into words. Using these ideas, you can help preschoolers identify emotions and begin to use emotion words.
Emotions Bingo Game (Pre-K Pages) – This printable bingo game will provide your students with practice identifying facial expressions and naming emotions. The real photos in this game will go along way to helping children identify the feelings of others.
Feelings Check-in Cards (Pre-K Pages) – Printable feelings chart and feelings check-in cards to help children learn emotional intelligence. These feelings check-in cards will help you create a feelings chart for your students to practice identifying their emotions and those of other kids all year long.
Exploring Emotions Game (Sunny Day Family) – Children can talk about when they feel certain emotions and make faces in mirrors to see what they look like with those emotions.
DIY Emotions Book (No Time for Flashcards) – I love class books…and this one with photos of kids making faces to show different emotions is a winner!
Emotions Sticker Collage (Childhood 101) – Draw faces on colored dot stickers (from the office supply store) and create a crowd of emotions.
Emotion Games and Activities
Draw LEGO Minifig Faces (Little Bins for Little Hands) – Draw faces that match play mini figures or create new faces of your own with this fun free printable.
Crazy Hair Magnet Faces (Little Pinch of Perfect) – Magnet wands, faces, and magnetic items create a fun exploration of emotions.
Empathy Dolls (Craft Train) – Add these homemade dolls to your blocks or puppets center to play out situations. Change the faces as emotions change.
Paper Plate Emotion Masks (No Time for Flashcards) – Kids can make and use these masks to explore emotions or play out situations.
Pout Pout Fish Puppets (Playground Parkbench) – Pout Pout Fish may be a favorite book in your classroom. Kids can make puppets of the Pout Pout Fish as they talk about feelings and emotions.
Feelings Faces – Use mirrors, emotion cards, or puppets to explore different feelings. Practice matching facial expressions to emotion words like happy, sad, angry, or scared.
Emotions Song and Chant – Turn identifying emotions into a song! Try a piggyback song that uses simple phrases like “If you’re feeling mad and you don’t know why, take a deep breath and give it a try!”
Read-Aloud Books About Feelings and Emotions (Pre-K Pages)
Books like The Color Monster, Grumpy Monkey, or Glad Monster, Sad Monster are perfect for helping kids connect to emotions through stories.
Emotion Sorting Games – Give students pictures of faces and let them sort them into categories like happy, sad, surprised, etc.
SEL Activities for Calming Down
When kids have big feelings, they need tools—not timeouts. Try these SEL activities that teach calming strategies in a way that’s playful and developmentally appropriate.
Calm Down Sensory Bottles (Pre-K Pages) – Calm Down Bottles or calm down jars are a great tool for self-regulation. Also, they are easy to make! Check out this list that includes thematic bottles for the whole year.
Quiet Bins (Pre-K Pages) – Sometimes a quiet activity can help a child settle down. These quiet bins are fun and build learning skills, too.
Soap Foam Calm Play (Teaching Mama) – A bin of soft and fluffy foam that’s scented with lavender can be very calming.
Calming Lavender Sensory Bin (The Chaos and the Clutter) – A water sensory bin is already a tool for practicing self-control. Add some lavender to bring on the calm.
Lavender Play Dough (Super Healthy Kids ) – Squeezing and manipulating play dough can help release stress and tense feelings. The smell of lavender can make the experience even more calming.
Calming Activities
Yoga for Preschoolers (Pre-K Pages) – Teach your little learners poses with animal names like “cat,” “tree,” or “frog” to help children move their bodies and regulate their energy through the use of posters, booklets, and cards.
Kid Yoga Videos (Pre-K Pages) – This collection of videos is just what you need to help your little learners refocus and calm down.
Calm Down Yoga Routine (Childhood 101) – Movement and breathing help with stress and anxiety. Also, kids can practice some simple movement for self-regulation.
Worry Hearts for Anxious Kids (Sunny Day Family) – A small felt heart in the hand or pocket may be just the tangible object needed to help an anxious child release some of that emotion.
Wacky Sack Stress Balls (Somewhat Simple) – These homemade stress balls may be perfect for the anxious child. Or add them to your calm area.
Create a Cozy Space to Practice SEL
A dedicated calming space in your classroom can be a game-changer. This area is not a punishment zone—it’s a safe, welcoming space where kids can go when they’re overwhelmed.
How to Set Up a Calm Down Corner (Pre-K Pages)
Calm Down Kit Ideas (Little Bins for Little Hands)
Best Calm Down Toys (Teaching Mama)
Slow Motion Calm Down Bottle (Childhood 101)
Play-Based Activities to Build Relationships and Social Awareness
Social awareness means understanding that others have feelings too—and that we can make choices that impact them. These activities will help kids build relationships and develop empathy through fun and play.
Teaching Teamwork and Collaborative Play (Pre-K Pages) – You have some great opportunities to begin working on teamwork and collaboration in your classroom.
Classroom Jobs in Preschool (Pre-K Pages) – Teamwork in preschool starts with a sense of belonging. Building a classroom community is the first step. One great way to get your kiddos to feel a sense of responsibility and belonging is classroom jobs. Create your classroom helpers chart by using the resources included in the Teacher Success Bundle.
Names Song Activity (Pre-K Pages) – Knowing and using names builds connection and friendship, strengthening the classroom community.
Friendship Matching Game (No Time for Flashcards) – This game uses the names and faces of your kids. Recognizing names and faces will build connections.
Apple Racing Cooperative Game (Teaching Mama) – In cooperative games, all the children work together to win rather than compete with one another.
Parachute Popcorn Game (Teach Preschool) – Parachute play is a great way for preschoolers to learn to work together as a team.
Friendship Bracelets – Make simple beaded bracelets for a friend and talk about kind actions we can do for each other.
Compliment Circle – Each child gives a kind comment to a classmate. Use sentence starters like “I like when you…” or “You’re a great friend because…”
Social Emotional Learning Activities That Encourage Teamwork
Working together doesn’t come naturally—it’s a skill we must teach. Use these SEL activities to help kids collaborate and solve problems together.
Build It Together – Give a group of students one set of blocks and challenge them to build something as a team. Talk about sharing, listening, and taking turns.
Partner Painting – Two students work together on one piece of art. They have to communicate, cooperate, and problem-solve together.
Play Games with Rules – Simple group games like Duck Duck Goose, Simon Says, or Red Light Green Light teach impulse control, listening, and fairness.
Role Play for Conflict Resolution and Communication
Role play gives preschoolers a safe way to practice real-life situations. Use puppets, dramatic play, or small-group skits to walk through common social challenges.
What Should You Do? Scenarios – Act out situations like:
- “Your friend took your toy.”
- “You want a turn on the swing.”
- “You feel mad but don’t know why.”
Discuss and model appropriate responses. Focus on words to use, body language, and listening.
Emotion Charades – Have students act out different feelings while classmates guess the emotion. It builds empathy and social awareness!
Spring Mural Cooperative Project (No Time for Flashcards) – While this idea focuses on a spring mural, any activity (art, construction, etc) in which kids work together to produce something builds a sense of community and teamwork.
Easy SEL Activities to Add to Your Daily Routine
Need low-prep ways to teach social emotional skills every day? Here are more simple ideas you can work into your schedule without missing a beat.
Daily Feelings Check-In (Pre-K Pages) – Let kids choose a face that represents how they feel each morning. This encourages emotional expression and classroom connection.
Affirmation Station Mirror Talk (Pre-K Pages) – Teach self-love by having students look in a mirror and say something kind about themselves.
Social emotional learning in preschool isn’t just a “bonus.” It’s essential. When we teach SEL skills, we empower our students to thrive—not just in school, but in life.
With these 30+ SEL activities, you can help your students learn to name their emotions, calm themselves down, work through problems, build relationships, and connect with others.
So go ahead—play games, sing songs, role-play tough moments, and create those cozy corners. Every time you focus on SEL, you’re building something powerful: a classroom where everyone feels safe, valued, and ready to learn.
More Picture Books for Social-Emotional Learning
Books About Feelings and Emotions (Pre-K Pages)
Books About Friendship and Kindness (Pre-K Pages)
Anger Management Books for Preschoolers (Pre-K Pages)
Books About Managing Feelings of Frustration (Pre-K Pages)
Social Emotional Learning Book List (Growing Book by Book)
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