28 Social-Emotional Learning Activities for the Classroom

What is Social-Emotional Learning, and What Are Its Benefits?

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which people develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. 

According to CASEL, research shows that integrating SEL activities in your lesson plans and classroom routines leads to positive outcomes, including better academic performance and decreases in stress and anxiety. The benefits of social-emotional learning at school extend into adulthood. Being able to build positive relationships, understand and manage emotions, set and achieve goals, develop a healthy sense of identity, and feel and show empathy are all lasting advantages that social-emotional learning offers. 

As one of just 12 middle and high school programs endorsed for social-emotional learning by ESSA, Facing History integrates SEL throughout its curricular resources. We’ve also curated a number of simple social-emotional learning activities that you can implement within your own lesson plans and as regular classroom routines. 

Activities to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning in Your Classroom

Build your students’ SEL skills through these simple classroom routines and flexible activities.

All of our SEL activities are designed by a team of curriculum developers with scholarly expertise, many of whom are former teachers. While they’re primarily geared toward middle school and high school students, many of them could be adapted for other contexts as well.