Emotional Intelligence
The ability to recognise, understand, and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others.
Here’s a thoughtful and engaging set of practical activities to support the development of emotional intelligence for home educated children. These activities help children recognize, understand, express, and manage their emotions, as well as develop empathy and positive social skills.
🧠 What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence includes:
Self-awareness: Recognizing your own emotions
Self-regulation: Managing emotions appropriately
Empathy: Understanding others’ feelings
Social skills: Communicating and interacting effectively
Motivation: Setting and working toward goals
🎨 Creative Expression Activities
1. Feelings Art
Ask children to draw or paint how they feel today.
Use colors and shapes to express emotions.
Encourages emotional awareness and expression.
2. Emotion Masks
Create masks showing different emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised).
Use them in role play to explore feelings and reactions.
3. Mood Monsters
Design a “monster” for each emotion.
Talk about what makes each one appear and how to calm it.
📚 Storytelling & Reflection Activities
4. Read & Reflect
Read stories with emotional themes.
Ask questions like:“How did the character feel?”
“What would you do in that situation?”
Builds empathy and emotional vocabulary.
5. Feelings Journal
Children write or draw about their day and how they felt.
Include prompts like “Today I felt…” or “I was proud when…”
6. Emotion Charades
Act out emotions without words.
Others guess the feeling.
Helps with non-verbal communication and recognition.
🎲 Game-Based Emotional Learning
7. Emotion Sorting Game
Use cards with scenarios or facial expressions.
Sort them into categories: happy, sad, angry, scared, etc.
8. “What Would You Do?” Cards
Present real-life situations (e.g., “Your friend is crying,” “You lost a toy”).
Discuss possible responses and feelings involved.
9. Empathy Bingo
Create bingo cards with kind actions (e.g., “Helped someone,” “Gave a compliment”).
Mark off when completed.
🧘 Mindfulness & Regulation Activities
10. Breathing Buddies
Lie down with a soft toy on the belly.
Watch it rise and fall while breathing slowly.
Teaches calming techniques.
11. Calm Down Jar
Fill a jar with glitter, water, and glue.
Shake it and watch the glitter settle.
Use during moments of stress or big emotions.
12. Emotion Check-In Circle
Start the day by asking: “How are you feeling today?”
Use emotion cards or a feelings wheel to help children express themselves.
🧺 Everyday Emotional Intelligence Boosters
13. Kindness Challenge
Set a daily goal: “Do one kind thing today.”
Reflect on how it made them and others feel.
14. Role Play Conflict Resolution
Practice resolving disagreements calmly.
Use puppets or toys to act out scenarios.
15. Gratitude Jar
Write things they’re thankful for on slips of paper.
Read them together weekly to build positive emotions.