Emotional intelligence activities in primary school
Emotional intelligence activities in primary school are based on practices that allow to identify feelings and learn to express them. Emotional communication is very important in our day to day, in Palacio Granda we include activities related to emotional learning, which are a reinforcement for their personal development.
What is emotional intelligence in children
Emotional intelligence is the ability to interpret and express feelings. There are two different levels in this learning process, on the one hand, it is important to recognize personal feelings and express them assertively, on the other hand it is also essential to interpret the feelings of others and act empathetically.
The phase that goes from 0 to 10 years old is basic in this sense, because during this period we learn to manage our emotions. A primary school child acquires the ability to self-regulate his emotional responses and, at the same time, to be empathetic with other people in terms of social skills.
Emotional intelligence activities for children
Interpreting emotions in the face
Facial interpretation of emotions is a fundamental aspect, because much of the sentimental information we receive comes from non-verbal expressions. Games based on expressing emotions with the face, or interpreting other people’s feelings from facial expressions, allow us to train this ability.
The expression of emotions through facial movements is something natural for adults, but in the case of children it is part of their learning, through specific activities we will achieve that they acquire this ability that will immediately improve their emotional intelligence.
What are you like?
Values are closely related to feelings. A very healthy exercise is based on defining ourselves through our own personal virtues.
Reviewing one’s own qualities is an exercise that reinforces self-esteem and also allows us to value the virtues of other people, in the case of a child, he/she will be aware of his/her own personality and the values that make him/her special.
This activity can be carried out by exposing a virtue that begins with each of the letters of his name, in this way he will be aware that adults understand and value his qualities.
Negative and positive feelings
Emotional intelligence is not based on encouraging positive emotions and hiding negative emotions, what we seek is that they are managed correctly, being able to express negative feelings properly.
Making a list of negative and positive feelings helps to differentiate them. It is important that the child expresses what each emotion suggests to him/her, that he/she understands its meaning and relates it to certain circumstances.
Put yourself in their shoes
In addition to personal emotional management, emotional intelligence also includes the interpretation of other people’s feelings. Empathy is the ability to put ourselves in other people’s shoes. Games in which the child analyzes other people’s emotions are very important to encourage empathic values.
What we are looking for is that the student perceives an emotion in another person and is able to put himself in his place.
Emotion stories
Nowadays, there are many children’s stories whose plots are based on emotions. What we achieve is that the child begins to perceive emotions as something common and that will have relevance in his daily life.
Many of these stories not only focus on telling a story, but also have sections in which the reader must participate, expressing their own feelings or analyzing the feelings of the characters.
The game of emoticons
Emoticons are nothing more than graphic representations of feelings. Through emoticons we can encourage children to express themselves, or to identify emotions.
One of the advantages of using emoticons is that for them, they are familiar elements that they use in their daily life, that is why it is advisable that they learn to relate them with real emotions and can express themselves emotionally through them.
What would you feel if…?
Emotional intelligence consists of being prepared for situations that require a response from us.
What would you feel if you got home and there was no one there?, what would you feel if you could not go back to school?, what would you feel if you could celebrate your birthday whenever you wanted?, these questions are related to emotions that we should know and that we can ask them through games.
From basic to more complex emotions
We have previously seen that the emotions we feel can be divided into negative and positive, however, this division can also be established between simple emotions and complex emotions.
A child has to learn to feel, express and interpret any type of emotion, from anger and joy to those with other implications. The management of basic emotions, among which are joy, sadness, surprise and anger, is the gateway to other feelings that will also affect us in our daily lives.
A child who learns to identify all kinds of emotions will be an emotionally healthy adult, it is important to insist that this learning is essential at any age, but assimilation at an early age will strengthen their emotional qualities in adulthood.
A school environment based on emotional learning
At Palacio Granda we are very committed to the emotional intelligence of our students we do Minfulness sessions in Children because we consider that learning in the classroom is a reinforcement for their emotional education, through specific activities we make them capable of expressing themselves assertively, also reinforcing their empathic abilities and self-control.
During the primary school years, a student learns to improve their self-esteem, behavior and motivation through emotions, if they have the necessary support they will become an emotionally healthy adult, capable of performing adequately in any circumstance.
Our primary school teachers work personally with each of our students, creating a suitable environment in which the child is free to express his or her feelings in a healthy way.
