Be kind. Encourage compassion. Inspire creativity. Nurture courage. Grow your mind.
Social and emotional learning takes place when children learn how to deal with feelings and relationships. Art can be a great way for children to explore and express social emotional concepts, such as empathy, kindness, generosity and curiosity.
Because art is seen as an activity rather than a challenge, it serves as a non-threatening and fun way to reach kids who may be resistant to other teaching strategies. For instance, art is an especially valuable learning tool for children with special needs. Art provides an outlet for free expression, encourages creativity and boosts self esteem.
Need some art activity inspiration? Here are five ways to use art as a social emotional learning tool.
You don’t have to be an artist yourself to use these art activities in your home or classroom.
Teach children how to cut out pictures of things that describe who they are or are important to them from old magazines, newspapers or family photos. Kids can use a variety of words, pictures, and even their own artwork to make a collage about themselves. This can be a great activity for kids to get to know each other while boosting their own self-esteem. While collaging, encourage each child to share why they included each piece with you or other children. Children can also learn to understand and appreciate other children’s values and perspectives.
For some children, drawing is a more effective way to express, process and understand their emotions. Ask your children to draw two different pictures of themselves to compare side by side – one drawing of what they look like when they are happy and one drawing of what they look like when they are sad. Ask your children to include drawings of things that make them happy or sad. Then, compare the drawings side by side while asking why they used certain colors or features. The goal of this activity is to help children make connections between their emotions and things they associate with those emotions while comparing what each of those emotions looks like to them.
In this activity, one child draws a scribble, and then every person in the group traces the same scribble. Next, each individual makes their own drawing out of the original scribble. Share your scribble with the group and discuss how each drawing is similar or different! This simple scribbling activity encourages children to see things from other people’s perspective and appreciate their differences.
Many kids need positive outlets to manage their emotions, and art can be a great self-soothing tool when they are stressed or anxious. Mindful coloring is a simple and easy way to teach art as a coping strategy. Encourage children to select a page from a coloring book on their own and spend time coloring while letting their minds rest. Do they feel calmer after this activity? Discuss how they felt before, during and after coloring.
Art is not only a great coping mechanism for kids but can also be used to teach kids to step outside of their comfort zones. If most children are comfortable with markers, crayons or colored pencils, try introducing a new material to draw with, such as chalk. Get outside and see what beauty you can bring to the sidewalk, street or driveway! Afterwards, ask the kids what it felt like to try something new.
Children can learn so much through art and other activities if they are willing to get creative and imaginative. Check out more activities for social emotional learning on Guion The Lion’s Let’s Play page!
Guion the Lion is a children’s book about an imaginative little lion who sees things differently from his friends. Using colorful illustrations and charming animal characters, the story portrays that new perspectives can open the door to unexpected fun. My vision for Guion The Lion is to present a message of kindness, generosity and adventure to support social emotional learning at an early age.
Follow Guion the Lion on Facebook or Instagram to join the adventure!
Mindsets shape how children perceive themselves and the world around them. They influence how they think, feel and behave and can have a pivotal role in their successes (and failures). This isn’t a new concept. American psychologist Carol Dweck is well-known and respected for her mindset research and theories. According to Dweck, children tend to develop either a fixed or growth mindset.
Children with fixed mindsets believe their abilities are fixed traits and cannot be improved no matter how hard they try. They believe they either have the talent/skill, or they don’t. Children with growth mindsets, on the other hand, believe their talents and abilities can be cultivated through hard work and dedication.
For example, imagine your son is learning how to ride a bike. Before he can find his balance to pedal down the sidewalk, he topples over. Does he get back up and try again? Or does he stomp away frustrated that he isn’t able to ride the bike? Is he willing to learn from his failure or does he shy away from the challenge? His reaction exposes his mindset.
Research suggests that children with a growth mindset perform better in school, have higher self-esteem and are more social. A growth mindset helps kids reframe their approach to challenges and stay motivated to learn and grow. It’s the difference between, “I can’t do this” and “I can’t do this, YET.”
Most children are not born with a growth mindset. Like kindness and empathy, a growth mindset is a social emotional skill that needs to be nurtured and developed. Here are a few ways to nurture a growth mindset in your children:
When you introduce the concept of a fixed and growth mindset at an early age, kids can begin to recognize the mindsets in story characters, others and even themselves. Children's books can present excellent opportunities for kids to see growth and fixed mindsets in action. For example, when reading Guion The Lion, they may notice the difference between Guion’s mindset and Rae’s mindset.
Change the way they think, and you can change the way they approach challenges. Teach them how to replace negative thoughts with more positive ones to build a growth mindset. For instance, use that magic word, “YET.” When they say 'I can’t do it,' encourage them to replace this with, “I can’t do it YET.” Keep doing this and soon they will learn to do this for themselves. Positive self-talk is a powerful thing!
Be very intentional and specific about your praise. Instead of praising your children for making “As,” praise them for how they studied for the test to earn the grade. This “process praise” reinforces that successes are due to effort (which the child can control) rather than some fixed level of talent or skill.
There will be times when they put in the effort but don't do so well. Talk about how making mistakes is the best way to learn and grow. Compliment their effort, point out what they can learn from the failure, and encourage them to try again. This will nurture their confidence and motivate them to keep trying!
Finally, give your kids the permission to mess up, make mistakes and just flat out fail. Re-emphasize that failure should not be feared since it is the best way to learn, and this will take the anxiety and fear out of learning.
Dweck summarized it this way, “If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves of praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence.”
I most certainly believe in the power of a growth mindset. And it’s one of the themes in Guion The Lion. My vision for the book is to not only present children with a message of empathy, but also curiosity and adventure to encourage a growth mindset.
Learn more about the book and join the adventure!
By: Rebecca Macsovits, Author of Guion The Lion
Raising a generous child goes hand-in-hand with encouraging kindness and empathy in children. We all want to raise children who are genuinely generous, but generosity does not always come naturally to children. In reality, kids naturally think of themselves and their needs first and aren’t always up for sharing…
It’s up to us as parents and teachers to convey and teach the virtue of generosity.
Generosity is the quality of being kind, understanding, and selfless. It describes a willingness to give freely without expecting anything in return. And generosity is not all about material possessions or money. We can be generous with our time, talents, knowledge and love, too.
Generosity is a wonderful trait to develop year round, but it is especially important to focus on during seasons when kids (and adults) may be tempted to focus on receiving, such as the holidays. Here are some ideas to help instill generosity into your kids:
Guion the Lion is a children’s book about an imaginative little lion who sees things differently from his friends. Using colorful illustrations and charming animal characters, the story portrays that new perspectives can open the door to unexpected fun. My vision for Guion The Lion is to present a message of empathy, generosity and adventure to support social emotional learning at an early age. Follow Guion the Lion on Facebook or Instagram to join the adventure!
Shopping for any little ones? Check out these books, toys and games that foster social emotional learning (SEL).
SEL is an important element of education and development. It promotes self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making skills in children (and adults). Social emotional skills can not only be taught through real-life experiences, but also through books, toys and games.
Playing with others and reading stories present boundless opportunities for emotional growth. SEL toys and books are especially effective learning tools for children with special needs as they sometimes struggle to recognize their emotions and the emotions of others.
Toys provide children with lessons of sharing, teamwork and cooperation. Similarly, children’s books provide those teachable moments that children can use to explore feelings and perspectives that may be outside of their comfort zones. Most children will not even recognize that they are “being taught” when playing and reading, but trust me, the lessons make an impression! SEL toys and books should present messages and opportunities for empathy, kindness, innovation, courage, growth, and of course, fun!
Ready to give the gift of social emotional learning to the little one(s) in your life? Here are 12 gifts for a variety of ages that foster SEL.
Do you have any other SEL gift ideas? I’d love to hear your recommendations. Happy shopping!
Learn more about Guion The Lion and join the adventure!
Did you know that babies begin learning social emotional skills from birth? If you’re a new parent, you’ve probably already noticed your child picking up on how you respond to their emotional needs.
Children begin developing and gaining an understanding of emotions as soon as they begin interacting with their parents and other caretakers. This process is called social emotional learning (SEL). Through SEL, children develop and practice self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships skills and responsible decision making.
It’s no secret that kids with healthy social emotional skills are more likely to thrive in school, work, and life. And this is what we all want for our kids, right? SEL takes time, and it’s important that we help to nurture our children’s social emotional skills at home.
It’s easier than you think to transform ordinary family activities into SEL opportunities. Here are a few ideas:
Use intentional conversation starters to turn family mealtime into intimate, fruitful conversation. Here are a few suggestions:
Playing board games as a family can help support a number of SEL skills, such as taking turns, having conversations, and showing good sportsmanship. Monopoly, Pictionary, Charades, Candy Land...the options are endless! As you play, compliment your children on how they are practicing SEL skills.
Art is such a powerful tool that helps shape the minds of children. Scribbling, painting and drawing can serve as positive coping strategies to manage stress and anger. You could also encourage your children to work together on a shared drawing to increase collaboration and relationship skills. There are lots of opportunities for learning with art! Scribble Art, Scribble Add On, Finish the Drawing and coloring pages are simple, but fun ways to encourage your kids to get creative. Check out these activities here.
Transform family movie night into a SEL experience. While watching the movie, pause and discuss how the characters might be feeling. Ask “how are they feeling?” and “how would you feel if that happened to you?” Use these conversation cues to encourage your children to consider how others feel.
Choose a book to read aloud to your children, and as you read, stop and discuss the SEL skills present in the story. Similar to movie night, you can ask how the character may feel or what they may be thinking. Depending on the book you choose, several SEL skills may be up for discussion. Guion The Lion is just one of many children's books that present messages of empathy, kindness, gratitude and more!
Guion the Lion is about an imaginative little lion who sees things differently from his friends.
Using colorful illustrations and charming animal characters, the story portrays that new perspectives can open the door to unexpected fun. My vision is for this book to present a message of empathy, curiosity and adventure to support social emotional learning at an early age.
Learn more about the book and join the adventure!
By: Rebecca Macsovits, Author of Guion The Lion
As parents and teachers, we encourage children to “be kind.” After all, kindness is a quality we all appreciate and hope children embrace. But, what is kindness really? And how do we encourage kindness in children?
Kindness, by dictionary definition, is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Mark Twain defined kindness as “the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Joseph B. Wirthlin said, “Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes.” Barbara De Angelis pointed out, “Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who received them, and they bless you, the giver.”
To me, kindness starts with empathy. While it’s easy for me to criticize the world from my perspective, it is so enlightening to step into someone else’s shoes -- try to feel what they are feeling and see the world from their point of view. With empathy, comes understanding, which produces kindness. Kindness is setting judgments aside, accepting someone for who they authentically are--differences and all, and loving them from a place of empathy.
In the world we live in, it’s more important than ever to encourage empathy and kindness. Try these tips for cultivating kindness in your home or classroom:
Kindness is contagious. Children learn kindness both from watching our interactions with others and experiencing kindness from us. How are you spending your time, interacting with others and treating your children or students? Be sure that your actions align with the values you are seeking to teach. Volunteering at a local charity, taking dinner to a family in need and responding with kind words (when you really don’t want to) are simple ways to model acts of kindness in your home.
Like I said earlier, kindness begins with empathy. Our kids need to get out of their comfort zones to see that people who are different from them exist and have the opportunity to connect with those with different backgrounds and perspectives. This can be as simple as going somewhere new, starting a new activity or sitting by a new student!
Teach your kids or students the concept of thinking before they speak to or judge others. Simply ask them to consider how they might feel if someone said or did the same thing to them. Young kids (and adults) need reminders about putting themselves in someone else’s shoes!
Kindness is best expressed in action. If your child or student goes out of their way to do something for you or someone else, acknowledge their act of kindness. Likewise, point out ways that others act kindly toward them.
Children’s books, like Guion The Lion, can be a great tool for teaching kindness. Even at a young age, reading books about kindness allows children to see the impact of kindness illustrated in a fictional story and its characters. "If You Plant a Seed" by Kadir Nelson, “We’re All Wonders” by R.J. Palacio, and “The Monster Who Lost His Mean” by Tiffany Strelitz Haber are a few other children’s books we love that present messages about empathy and kindness.
Guion the Lion is a children’s book about an imaginative little lion who sees things differently from his friends. Using colorful illustrations and charming animal characters, the story portrays that new perspectives can open the door to unexpected fun. My vision for Guion The Lion is to present a message of kindness, generosity and adventure to support social emotional learning at an early age.
Follow Guion the Lion on Facebookor Instagram to join the adventure!
As a mom to a son who has Down syndrome, raising awareness of the condition, advocating open-mindedness, and celebrating the achievements of people with Down syndrome comes naturally to me. It has really become a passion of mine due to the way so many people misunderstand Down syndrome and are hesitant about how to treat people with special needs. I humbly admit that before Guion, my son with Down syndrome, my exposure to this population was limited and the diagnosis devastated me.
While I was pregnant with Guion, my doctor noted indications that he may have Down syndrome, but that did not make learning of his diagnosis any easier. My husband, Mac, shared the news with me about an hour after Guion was born. We were shocked and scared. Excited to have our son in our arms, but worried about what his future may look like and how he may be treated.
If you’re not familiar, Down syndrome is a condition in which a baby is born with an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. The extra copy of chromosome 21 impacts how a baby’s body and brain develop, which can cause cognitive and physical differences which vary greatly depending on the person—just as physical and cognitive differences exist in all people.
Guion sometimes gets stares when we’re out and about. He doesn’t notice (he’s often staring right back), but I do. And to be honest, it frustrates me. Guion may look or sound different, and “different” just scares people. People look at Guion and see Down syndrome instead of an individual with interests, emotions, abilities, and dreams.
Because Guion looks and sounds different, he often gets put into a box. People assume that he won’t live a “normal” life and do what “typical” teenagers like to do. These assumptions are limiting to Guion and other children with Down syndrome. They steal their opportunity to be who they authentically are. And perhaps, just as importantly, they rob the person making the assumption of the opportunity to engage and learn from Guion and others like him.
In the first few months of Guion’s life, Mac boldly led us in learning how to be parents to a child with Down syndrome. He immediately began calling people to learn more about the condition and get engaged with the community. We met with several families who had children with special needs and had the opportunity to ask them questions, get to know their children, and ultimately, gain a better understanding of what Down syndrome could mean for our family.
Our takeaway was that as long as children with Down syndrome are seen and treated as though they are different, they will not have the opportunity to be more. Guion has so much to offer if he is given the opportunity. He’s funny, intuitive, and kind. He surprises us daily with his beautiful perspective of the world around him. Sure, he can be shy but just ask him questions as you would other children, and he’ll open right up.
We decided early on that Guion’s diagnosis would not define him, and we keep our expectations for him high. We resolved that his appearance would not dictate his abilities and opportunity must precede ability. Guion is an older brother to his two siblings, and we treat them equally when it comes to expectations (don’t lie, cheat or steal among others), opportunities, and access to our community resources (sports, education, entertainment, etc.).
The day we discovered Guion had Down syndrome was tough. Like I said earlier, “different” is scary. But, different doesn’t have to be so scary.
The reality is, we’re all different in all sorts of ways. Embracing the differences in each other makes our world a beautiful and colorful place. I’m far from perfect, but that is one lesson having a son with Down syndrome has taught me. Because of who Guion is and how he sees the world, I’m a much better person.
Guion inspired me to write Guion The Lion, a children’s book about an imaginative little lion who sees things differently from his friends. The story presents children with a message of empathy, curiosity, and adventure before they begin making their own judgments and assumptions about people who are “different.”
While the book was inspired by a person with special needs, it is applicable to so many other issues our children face today. My hope is that it encourages children, and parents alike, to embrace others’ differences and perspectives. Don’t be scared by the differences you see around you, engage in them and grow from them. I bet your world will become a more colorful place for you.
In case you haven’t heard, October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. I invite all of you to join me and our GTL friends to celebrate the differences that make our world a beautiful and colorful place this month and all year long. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram!
