Social and Emotional Activities for Preschoolers: 8 Easy Ideas

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Social & Emotional Learning. Preschoolers are still learning to name big feelings and get along with others. These 8 activities build those skills through play, so your child has tools to use when emotions run high.

  • 8 activities
  • Ages 3–5
  • 5–30 minutes each
  • Everyday supplies

Quick Picks

Not sure where to start? Use this table to pick an activity by time and mess level. Tap a name to jump to the directions.

ActivityAgesTimeMess
Feelings Faces Game3–510 minLow
Calm-Down Corner3–515 min setupLow
Belly Breathing Games3–55 minLow
Kindness Chain3–510 min dailyLow
Turn-Taking Board Games3–510–15 minLow
Gratitude Jar3–55 min dailyLow
Role-Play Problem Solving3–510–15 minLow
Emotion Charades4–510 minLow

8 Social & Emotional Learning Activities

1. Feelings Faces Game

  • Ages 3–5
  • 10 min
  • Mess: Low

What you need

  • Paper plates or index cards
  • Markers

How to play

  1. Draw faces showing happy, sad, mad, scared, and surprised.
  2. Hold one up and ask ‘How does this person feel? When do you feel like this?’
  3. Make the face together.
  4. Each morning, let your child point to how they feel today.

What your child learns: Naming feelings, empathy, and self-awareness.

Make it easierUse two or three feelings.

Make it harderAdd feelings like frustrated, proud, and nervous.

2. Calm-Down Corner

  • Ages 3–5
  • 15 min setup
  • Mess: Low

What you need

  • A cozy spot with a pillow or beanbag
  • Soft toys, a book, and a feelings chart
  • Optional: a glitter jar

How to play

  1. Pick a quiet spot and set it up together.
  2. Explain that it’s a place to feel calm, not a punishment.
  3. Practice using it when your child is already calm.
  4. Offer it when big feelings come, and sit nearby.

What your child learns: Self-regulation and coping skills.

Make it easierUse a pillow and one soft toy.

Make it harderLet your child decide when to go and what to do there.

3. Belly Breathing Games

  • Ages 3–5
  • 5 min
  • Mess: Low

What you need

  • A small stuffed animal

How to play

  1. Lie down and place the stuffed animal on your child’s belly.
  2. Breathe in slowly through the nose so the animal rises.
  3. Breathe out slowly, like blowing a bubble, so the animal sinks.
  4. Repeat 3 to 5 times and rock the animal to sleep.

What your child learns: Calming the body and paying attention to breath.

Make it easierBreathe along with your child.

Make it harderUse belly breathing during a mild upset.

4. Kindness Chain

  • Ages 3–5
  • 10 min daily
  • Mess: Low

What you need

  • Strips of paper
  • Tape or glue

How to play

  1. Cut paper into strips.
  2. When your child (or anyone) does a kind act, write it on a strip.
  3. Make a loop and link it to the chain.
  4. Watch the chain grow and read the acts together.

What your child learns: Noticing kindness and building empathy.

Make it easierNotice kind acts yourself and say them out loud.

Make it harderAsk your child to plan a kind act for tomorrow.

5. Turn-Taking Board Games

  • Ages 3–5
  • 10–15 min
  • Mess: Low

What you need

  • A simple board game, like a color-matching or race game

How to play

  1. Choose a game with simple rules.
  2. Explain ‘my turn, your turn.’
  3. Practice waiting and cheering for each other.
  4. Talk about winning and losing: ‘It’s okay to feel sad. Let’s play again.’

What your child learns: Patience, rules, and handling disappointment. The CDC lists following rules and taking turns as typical at age 5.

Make it easierPlay a cooperative game where everyone wins together.

Make it harderTry a game with more rules and let your child explain them.

6. Gratitude Jar

  • Ages 3–5
  • 5 min daily
  • Mess: Low

What you need

  • A jar or box
  • Paper slips
  • Crayons

How to play

  1. Decorate a jar together.
  2. Each day, ask ‘What are you thankful for?’
  3. Draw or write the answer on a slip and drop it in.
  4. Read the slips together at the end of the week.

What your child learns: Noticing the positive and sharing feelings.

Make it easierUse pictures instead of words.

Make it harderAsk for two things each day.

7. Role-Play Problem Solving

  • Ages 3–5
  • 10–15 min
  • Mess: Low

What you need

  • Puppets or stuffed animals

How to play

  1. Make up a situation: ‘Bear wants the same toy as Rabbit.’
  2. Ask your child what Bear could say or do.
  3. Act out their idea and see what happens.
  4. Try a different solution and compare.

What your child learns: Problem solving, empathy, and using words to solve conflicts.

Make it easierOffer two ideas to choose from.

Make it harderReplay a real situation from the week with the puppets.

8. Emotion Charades

  • Ages 4–5
  • 10 min
  • Mess: Low

What you need

  • No supplies needed

How to play

  1. Whisper a feeling, like excited or tired, to your child.
  2. They act it out with their face and body.
  3. Guess the feeling together.
  4. Switch roles.

What your child learns: Reading body language and expressing feelings.

Make it easierUse basic feelings like happy and sad.

Make it harderUse harder feelings like jealous, proud, or disappointed.

Safety Notes

  • Practice calming tools when your child is already calm, so they are familiar when feelings are big.
  • A calm-down spot is never a punishment. Stay nearby and offer comfort.
  • If your child has very frequent, intense meltdowns, or you are worried, talk with your pediatrician.

See our general safety basics for more.

Where This Fits in the Curriculum

These activities line up with our free 12-month preschool curriculum. Try them alongside these months, or use them any time:

See the full 12-month plan or browse all preschool activities.

Social & Emotional Learning Activity FAQs

How do I teach my preschooler to handle big feelings?

Name the feeling, stay calm, and offer simple tools like breathing, a calm-down spot, or a hug. Practice when your child is calm so the tools feel familiar when emotions are big.

Is it normal for my preschooler to have tantrums?

Tantrums are common in young children, who are still learning to manage feelings. If they are very frequent, last a long time, or involve hurting themselves or others, talk with your pediatrician.

How can I help my child make friends?

Arrange short playdates with one child, practice phrases like ‘Can I play too?’, and model kindness. Read books about friendship and talk about feelings.

More Activity Types

Keep Learning with Social & Emotional Learning

Pair these activities with free printables and our 12-month plan.

Free WorksheetsColoring Pages

See the 12-month preschool curriculum · All preschool activities

Sources

This guide is general educational information for parents. It is not medical advice. Always supervise young children, follow product age labels, and talk with your child’s doctor or teacher about any concerns.