Social Skills Activities for Elementary School

Kids can have a hard time identifying the emotion that causes certain facial expressions.

Elementary school students are learning how to get along with each other, but they may lack certain important skills that will enable them to do so successfully. Social skills activities can help them learn the techniques and concepts they will need to work with and understand other people throughout their lives.

Facial Expression Charades

Understanding how faces can express emotions is an important ingredient in interacting socially with others. Write the name of an emotion on each card in a stack of notecards. For example, one notecard might say "frustrated," another might say "bored," and a third might say "excited." Place the stack in the center of a group of elementary school students, and instruct one to draw the top card and make the facial expression that goes with the word that they chose. The rest of the group should take turns trying to guess the emotion word that was chosen. The student who guesses correctly draws the next card.

Make Me Laugh

Being able to control emotions is another important social skill that elementary school students need to develop. In this game, one student dares others to make her laugh, using any non-physical methods they choose. They may make jokes, laugh out loud, or make funny noises, but they cannot tickle or otherwise touch the student. If the student does not laugh in a given amount of time (such as five minutes), she wins the game. If she does, the student who made her smile takes her place.

Blind Obstacle Course

In order to be socially competent, students need to learn to depend on each other. Create an obstacle course in a different room before class begins. Divide students into pairs and instruct one member of each pair to put on a blindfold. The blindfolded students should then take turns navigating their way through the obstacle course, directed by the other member of the pair. Pairs can talk to each other but cannot touch each other for guidance.

References

• Parenting Science: Social Skills Activities for Kids