for Families

Conversation Starters andActivities for Elementary

School Families

at home

These simple activitiesand conversation startersare designed to promotesocial and emotionalskills at home. There arethree types of activities:1) TALK ABOUT IT, 2) DO ITTOGETHER, and 3) DIDYOU NOTICE.

Introduction

TALK ABOUT IT: Emotions matter! Sharea time you were affected

by someone else'simpatience or

excitement. Ask yourchild to share too!

Grades 2-3

at home

DID YOU NOTICE:Emotions are

contagious! Smile at afamily member five

different times today.Talk with your child

about the reactions youreceive.

Grades 2-3

at home

TALK ABOUT IT: Strong emotions can

make it hard toconcentrate. Share a

time you arrived to workor school upset. How did

that 1st hour go?

Grades 2-3

at home

TALK ABOUT IT: Describe a time that

you made a bigdecision. What role didyour emotions play?

Share together.

Grades 2-3

at home

DO IT TOGETHER: Our faces can show howwe’re feeling. Show thefeelings peaceful and

pleased. Can your childcan guess which is

which?

Grades 2-3

at home

TALK ABOUT IT:Sometimes we can’t tellhow people feel unlesswe ask. Discuss ways toask someone whetherthey feel frustrated or

disappointed.

Grades 2-3

at home

DID YOU NOTICE: When we’re aware ofhow we feel, we can

make better decisions.Before reacting to your

child, try to identify yourfeelings.

Grades 2-3

at home

DO IT TOGETHER:Practice self-awareness

with your child byasking each other how

you’re feeling atdifferent points of the

day!

Grades 2-3

at home

DID YOU NOTICE: Our bodies give us clues

about our emotions.With your child, describe

what happens in yourbody when you’refeeling nervous.

Grades 2-3

at home

DID YOU NOTICE: Which emotions bring

up the strongestchanges inside yourbody? When you’reEcstatic? Furious?

Disgusted?

Grades 2-3

at home

TALK ABOUT IT: Thinking about whatcauses our feelings

helps us understandourselves. Discuss a

time you felt confusedand why you felt that

way.

Grades 2-3

at home

DO IT TOGETHER:Practice understandingthe causes of emotionswhen reading together.Ask: why do you think

the character feels this way?

Grades 2-3

at home

TALK ABOUT IT: Keep talking aboutemotions at home!

Share what makes yougrumpy and how it

affects others. Ask yourchild to share too.

Grades 2-3

at home

DO IT TOGETHER: Discuss what makes

each of you feelcheerful. Take a selfie of

you and your childmaking your best“cheerful” faces!

Grades 2-3

at home

TALK ABOUT IT: Putting our emotionsinto words helps us

communicate what wefeel. Share about your

day and name fourdistinct emotions you

each felt.

Grades 2-3

at home

DO IT TOGETHER: This week, write downall of the feeling words

you encounter frombooks you read

together. Did you learnany new words?

Grades 2-3

at home

DO IT TOGETHER: There are many funways to build your

feeling wordvocabulary! Take turns

acting out emotionsand guessing what they

are.

Grades 2-3

at home

DID YOU NOTICE: The next time your childseems high energy in apleasant way, ask whatspecific emotion theyare feeling. You can

share yours too!

Grades 2-3

at home

TALK ABOUT IT:Happiness, sadness,and anger can take

many forms! Talk aboutthe different ways youhave seen each other

express these emotions.

Grades 2-3

at home

DID YOU NOTICE: Pay attention to how

family membersexpress emotions.

Compare thesimilarities anddifferences. Was

anything surprising?

Grades 2-3

at home

TALK ABOUT IT:Sometimes we need tochange our behavior to

deal with feelings.Discuss three healthy

activities you can try tohandle worries or stress.

Grades 2-3

at home

DO IT TOGETHER: Make a list of things you

can think about andthings you can say or

do to skillfully manageemotions! Post it!

Grades 2-3

at home