Lesson Plan: “Say It or Save It?” – Your Social Filter
Have you ever heard a student blurt out something unkind without thinking? Just like a coffee filter catches the gritty grounds while letting the flavor through, our brain has a filter that helps us decide which thoughts to share and which to keep inside. This engaging lesson teaches children how
Lesson Plan: The Time Management Jar – A STEAM Challenge
Engage students in a hands-on STEM challenge to learn the importance of prioritization and time management. This lesson uses a jar, golf balls, and beans to illustrate how completing HAVE TOs first creates space for WANT TOs. Includes troubleshooting tips, writing prompts, and an extension activity!
The “What If?” Game: Tips for Taming the Worry Monster
We know that anxiety can be tough to deal with, especially when it seems like the “worry monster” is always lurking around the corner. But here’s the thing: that worry monster is a big fat liar. It loves to play the “What if?” mind game, focusing on the worst case
Winter Fun with Purpose: 10 Great Brain Boosting Activities for Kids
Are you looking for ways to keep your kids active and learning during the winter months? The chilly season might seem like a time for hibernation, but it’s actually the perfect opportunity to strengthen essential life skills—all while having fun. Executive function skills are the brain’s “management system.” These skills—such
Mind-Fall-ness: The Best Calming Activities for Autumn
As the fall season rolls in, it brings cooler air, vibrant colors, and new opportunities for children to connect with nature and their inner selves. Fall is the perfect time to slow down, notice the changes around us, and practice mindfulness. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or counselor, these seasonal
AMAZING Ideas – Teaching Flexible Thinking with Mazes
Have you ever planned your day, only to have things go completely off track? Maybe a traffic jam caused you to miss an important meeting. Perhaps you were all set to enjoy a sunny day at the park, only to be caught in a sudden downpour. For kids, these situations
Shake Up Your SEL with a Mind Jar
Have you ever noticed how children’s emotions can take over in a flash? Maybe you’ve seen a student’s frustration boil over during a tricky math problem or their anxiety spike when the unexpected happens. When this happens, unproductive words and actions can follow and even spiral out of control. As
These Classic Games are Fun and Good for Your Brain!
Remember those classic activities we used to do as kids, like word searches, crossword puzzles, and “Seek & Find” games? They were often assigned as busy work or something to pass the time, but did you know they also offer numerous benefits for brain development? It’s time to bring these
Parenting in the Age of Screens: Finding a Healthy Balance
Have you ever heard the quote, “You can’t put an old head on young shoulders”? It’s a proverb that emphasizes the value of experience in making wise decisions. My Irish Nana, like many grandparents of her generation, often used this saying to remind us that maturity and life experience are
An Ocean of Emotions: How to Navigate the Waves of Feelings
Imagine a beautiful beach, bathed in sunlight. The ocean stretches out before you, its waves rising and falling rhythmically. As you watch, you can’t help but notice how each wave is different—some gentle and peaceful, others powerful and intense. Just like those waves, our emotions ebb and flow within us.
It May Look Like Fun, But Play is Actually a Child’s “Work”
Have you ever wondered why children seem so immersed in play, as if it’s the most important thing in the world? What if I told you that for children, play is their most important work? Through play, children develop critical skills that shape their social and emotional development, and it’s
10 Great Games for Boosting Executive FUNctioning!
Did you know that in addition to being fun to play, board games provide great exercise for your child’s brain? Board games can be an enjoyable way for all kids, including those with learning and attention challenges, to build their brain’s executive function skills. Executive functions are the mental processes
Little Beads, Big Impact: Using Breathing Beads with Kids
Breathing beads are simple yet effective tools designed to harness the power of the brain in promoting mindfulness and self-regulation.
Teaching Students How to Take Responsibility for their Actions
Have you ever heard a child say, “He made me do it!” after getting in trouble? This common phrase highlights a challenge young students face: taking responsibility for their words and actions. Shifting the blame to others might seem like an easy way out, but it prevents them from learning
How to use a Mind Jar as a Teaching Tool for Calming Strong Emotions
Have you ever felt like your thoughts are swirling around like glitter in a snow globe after a vigorous shake? Well, that’s exactly what can happen to our minds when we experience strong emotions. But just like the calming descent of those shimmering flecks, we can learn to quiet the
Unwrapping Joy: How to Find and Create Joy
We live in a society that often tells us that happiness can be found in material possessions and external circumstances. We’re bombarded with advertisements telling us that if we just buy the latest gadget or designer handbag, we’ll find joy and fulfillment. Around the holidays, the word “joy” echoes in
Unfolding the Secrets of Learning: An Origami Lesson
Have you ever wondered how learning unfolds in our minds, much like the intricate folds of an origami project? Imagine the human brain as a complex origami masterpiece, with each fold representing a new learning experience. As we navigate the challenges and triumphs of learning, we forge neural pathways that
From Chaos to Calm: Unlock the Power of the Pause Place
As teachers and parents, we know that children can often become overwhelmed, frustrated, or anxious in the classroom or at home. In these moments, it is important to have a designated calming space where children can go to reset their minds and calm their bodies. One way to create a