The first week of May is National Screen Free Week! It’s a great time to encourage families to put the screens aside ad spend time together outside, inside, or anywhere they choose! Below you’ll find lots of activities to try together with kids to encourage social, emotional, and mental well being with awesome National Screen Free Week activities!
National Screen Free Week Activities
Day 1: Make Fortune Tellers
Kids love making fortune tellers (and so do I!). Make one on any relevant topic, like coping skills, self control, conflict resolution, or anything else that makes sense for your students right now.
Day 2: Make Palm Mandalas
This is one of my favorite mindfulness activities to do with older students! I did this with my middle school students regularly, and they loved it every time. Students trace their palms and then create mandalas within the outline. Use watercolors or colored pencils to fill them in. Get full instructions here.
Day 3: Paint Kindness Rocks
Pick up some river rocks and paint pens, and you’re all set! Paint rocks with kind words to encourage your school community or neighborhood. Kids love being able to hide these in plain sight for everyone to find!
Day 4: Make Worry Monsters
All you need for this activity is watercolor paints and straws! Help kids make personified worry monsters by blowing watercolors and adding eyes, legs, or even tentacles! Get the full instruction here.
Day 5: Make a Sensory Bottle
Grab some empty water bottles, glitter, glue, and any other items you want to put inside and make sensory bottles! These are perfect for calm corners and self regulation moments. Get full instructions here.
Day 6: Make a Black Glue Mandala
Add some black paint to white glue, turn on some calming music, and draw a mandala! Once it’s dry, fill in the spaces with watercolors. This is an awesome activity for mindful mornings, art, worry groups, anger groups, or self regulation activities! Get full instructions here.
Day 7: Make Your Own Play Dough
There are so many recipes for DIY play dough out there! It’s easy to turn this into a mindfulness exercise with spices or essential oils you have on hand. Get instructions for gingerbread play dough here.
Get more counseling and SEL crafts here!
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