Want to help your students or children be more mindful?
After reading this blog post, you’re going to come away with several ideas for easy, mindful fall activities that kids will love.
And the best part is, all of them can be done from home - using supplies you might already have around the house.
Hi, I’m Dani!
I believe in empowering our youngest learners to feel limitless in their great abilities - by creating high-quality, creative resources to support social-emotional learning.
My hope is to give you (teachers, librarians, counselors, mamas, dads & everything in between) the tools and confidence to support your child's well-being.
I’m here to help you find the sweet spot where life can be a little less serious.
Let’s normalize mental health being prioritized.
And if you take nothing else away from this blog post, I want you to know just how important you are.
Easy Fall Leaf Craft to Teach Self-Confidence
Autumn is a season of change.
What better way is there to teach kids about personal growth and resilience than through fall leaves?!
This activity is perfect for kids in Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.
It will help them develop confidence and self-esteem, while also promoting goal setting in a playful way.
What You’ll Need
- Crayons or markers for coloring
- Scissors for cutting
- Glue sticks or a stapler for your bulletin board
Simple and Cute Fall Pumpkin Craft
Teach gratitude AND the pumpkin life cycle!
Don’t you love it when we can teach multiple disciplines at the same time?!
This activity is ideal for primary-aged kids, and this craft is to use both at home and in the classroom - throughout October and November.
It also works perfectly as a thoughtful Thanksgiving project!
More than that, in the classroom, you can use the pumpkins that the kids create for an adorable bulletin board that everyone will love.
What You’ll Need
- Crayons or markers for coloring
- Scissors for cutting
- Glue sticks or a stapler for your bulletin board
- Green pipe cleaners for the pumpkin stems
- Hole puncher
Fall Friendship Craft & Good Friend Activity
Making and keeping friends is a skill that needs to be explicitly taught to kids.
This activity becomes a visual display that serves as a daily reminder that kids need!
This autumn SEL craft will promote positive relationship building skills, as students explore the big impact that small, kind acts have.
For teachers - the lesson plan begins with a minds-on story about an acorn who helps out a squirrel and whose generous act helps him grow to new heights.
Then, the kids will create a leaf and acorn craft, where your primary students will choose 3 of the pre-written kind acts of a good friend to glue onto their template.
Finally, they will wind down while watching a mindful fall video as they use the card or drawing templates to gift to friends in need.
What You’ll Need
- Crayons or markers for coloring
- Scissors for cutting
- Glue sticks for the “badges”
- Stapler for the bulletin board and flipbook
Apple Craft to Help Kids Develop Coping Skills
Do the kids in your life have healthy coping skills?
The truth is, we all develop coping skills - but they’re not always healthy or helpful.
This activity will equip kids with tools they need to cope with big feelings.
This apple activity includes a flip book and a poster to create your own beautiful fall bulletin board for your hallway, elementary classroom or counseling office decor.
This apple creativity invites kids to explore coping strategies by reflecting on what they can do if they feel mad, sad, happy or scared.
It also includes an editable apple to add an additional feeling to the lesson.
What You’ll Need
- Crayons or markers for coloring
- Scissors for cutting
- Glue sticks or a stapler for your bulletin board
Conclusion: Get These Activities and More In This SEL Bundle!
The bundle linked above has 11 incredible activities to help the kids in your life develop socially and emotionally.
And the best part is, this is a growing bundle - which means more will be added to it over time!