{"id":79624,"date":"2024-06-20T10:25:38","date_gmt":"2024-06-20T15:25:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casel.org\/?post_type=blogposts&#038;p=79624"},"modified":"2024-07-18T10:21:47","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T15:21:47","slug":"6-fun-ways-to-support-your-kids-social-emotional-learning-this-summer-in-english-and-spanish","status":"publish","type":"blogposts","link":"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/6-fun-ways-to-support-your-kids-social-emotional-learning-this-summer-in-english-and-spanish\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Fun Ways to Support Your Kids\u2019 Social and Emotional Learning This Summer (in English and Spanish)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"key-points\"><strong>Key Points<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Summer is a time for fun and an opportunity to continue nurturing important academic, social, and emotional learning skills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Activities like nature walks, art projects, cooking together, and summer jobs offer ways to encourage the development of SEL skills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The free time of summer also offers a chance to connect with community and each other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>As moms of young children and teens, we have been counting down the days until summer break when we don\u2019t have to wake up before the sun to get the kids out the door to school.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Families across the country are ready for a break. Summer is a time for fun and hopefully some rest (these tired moms are claiming it)! It&#8217;s also an opportunity to continue nurturing academic knowledge and social and emotional learning (SEL) skills.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalparentsunion.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>National Parents Union<\/strong><\/a>, we know these skills are essential for our children&#8217;s overall well-being and academic success, and the good news is that most parents already nurture these skills at home. From our families to yours, here are six fun ways families can support students&#8217; academic, social, and emotional development during the summer months (for free and possibly not at the crack of dawn):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Nature Walks: <\/strong>Whether we are in the yard, at a park, or riding up and down our block, my kids just love being outside. Take a walk and connect with nature. Use this time to engage in meaningful conversations with your child about their thoughts, feelings, and observations. After each walk, have them do some reflection in a journal or through art. This is a healthy way to promote mindfulness, enhance self-awareness and emotional expression, and get everyone outside for a short break.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>Say It Through Art: <\/strong>Tap into your child&#8217;s creative side by providing ample opportunities for artistic expression. Encourage them to create artwork that reflects their emotions, experiences, or hopes. Set up a designated art corner with various supplies such as paints, markers, clay, and collage materials.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Cooking Together: <\/strong>Food always brings my family together. Have your child choose recipes, measure ingredients, and assist with cooking tasks. Cooking together promotes teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Sharing food also provides you an opportunity to bond and have conversations.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>Be in Community: <\/strong>We believe it takes a village to raise these babies, so we stay in community. Volunteering as a family helps to nurture empathy, compassion, and social responsibility in your children. Volunteer at local shelters, food banks, or community gardens. Participating in acts of kindness and service not only benefits others but also builds deeper understanding of social issues.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"5\">\n<li><strong>Emotional Check-Ins: <\/strong>When you ask your child, &#8220;How are you feeling today?&#8221; or &#8220;Is there anything on your mind?&#8221;, this is an emotional check-in. Create a safe space where your child feels comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment, listen attentively to their responses, and validate their emotions. By fostering open communication, you help strengthen their emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills. This also helps you stay proactive about any small or big issues your child may be facing. One of us now knows way more than she would like about her child\u2019s 2nd grade drama, but she was able to help on a couple of occasions and it taught her how to advocate for herself.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"6\">\n<li><strong>Financial literacy and SEL: <\/strong>Parents with teenagers can help them find a summer job and learn about financial literacy together by assisting with job searches, preparing for interviews, and creating a budget plan to manage their earnings and expenses. During summer jobs, teenagers can learn valuable skills that employers look for and that align with SEL, such as effective communication, teamwork, time management, problem-solving, adaptability, customer service, and responsibility.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>So don\u2019t forget! While you\u2019re out enjoying the summer sun, you\u2019ll have plenty of supportive and fun ways to promote your children\u2019s social and emotional well-being and growth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"version-en-espanol\">VERSI\u00d3N EN ESPA\u00d1OL<\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PUNTOS CLAVE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>El verano es un tiempo de diversi\u00f3n y una oportunidad para seguir fomentando importantes habilidades de aprendizaje acad\u00e9mico, social y emocional.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Actividades como paseos por la naturaleza, proyectos de arte, cocinar juntos y trabajos de verano ofrecen formas de fomentar el desarrollo de habilidades SEL.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>El tiempo libre del verano tambi\u00e9n ofrece la oportunidad de conectarse con la comunidad y entre nosotros.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Como madres de ni\u00f1os peque\u00f1os y adolescentes, hemos estado contando los d\u00edas para que lleguen las vacaciones de verano, cuando no tenemos que levantarnos antes que el mismo sol para poner a nuestros hijos en camino a la escuela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Las familias a lo largo del pa\u00eds est\u00e1n listas para un descanso. Aunque el verano es el tiempo de diversi\u00f3n, y ojal\u00e1 tambi\u00e9n, tiempo de descanso (\u00a1estas mismas mam\u00e1s cansadas lo declaran!), es tambi\u00e9n una oportunidad de continuar fomentando las habilidades acad\u00e9micas y socioemocionales que son tan importantes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>En el Sindicato Nacional de Padres, sabemos que estas habilidades son esenciales para el bienestar integral de nuestros ni\u00f1os y para su \u00e9xito acad\u00e9mico, y la buena noticia es que la mayor\u00eda de los padres de familia ya practican \u00e9stas en casa. De nuestras familias a las suyas, aqu\u00ed les compartimos seis maneras divertidas en que las familias pueden apoyar el desarrollo socioemocional de sus estudiantes durante los meses de verano (gratuitamente y no en horas de la madrugada):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Caminatas Por la Naturaleza: <\/strong>Ya sea en nuestro propio jard\u00edn, en un parque, o movi\u00e9ndonos por nuestra misma cuadra, a mis hijos les encanta pasar tiempo afuera. Tomen una caminata y conecten con la naturaleza. Usa este tiempo para interactuar a trav\u00e9s de conversaciones donde escuches sobre lo que piensa tu hijo\/a, sus sentimientos y observaciones. Despu\u00e9s de cada caminata, pide que escriban en su diario o reflexionen a trav\u00e9s del arte. Esta es una manera saludable de promover la atenci\u00f3n plena, promover la autoconciencia y la expresi\u00f3n de emociones, y les da la oportunidad de salir a la intemperie a tomar un respiro.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>Dilo A Trav\u00e9s del Arte: <\/strong>Despierta el lado creativo de tu hijo\/a al crear oportunidades para la expresi\u00f3n art\u00edstica. Inv\u00edtalos a crear arte que refleje sus emociones, experiencias, o aspiraciones. Dise\u00f1a un espacio designado para el arte con materiales como pintura, marcadores, plastilina o arcilla, y materiales para realizar collages.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Cocinen Juntos: <\/strong>La comida siempre re\u00fane a mi familia. Pide a tu hijo\/a que elija recetas, mida los ingredientes, y te ayude con la preparaci\u00f3n. Cocinar juntos promueve el trabajo en equipo, la comunicaci\u00f3n, y las habilidades para resolver retos. Compartir alimentos tambi\u00e9n les da la oportunidad de crear conexi\u00f3n y conversar.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>Estar En Comunidad: <\/strong>Yo creo que se necesita de la comunidad para criar a nuestros beb\u00e9s y as\u00ed permanecer todos <em>en comunidad<\/em>. El voluntariado en familia ayuda a cultivar la empat\u00eda, la compasi\u00f3n, y la responsabilidad social en tus hijos. Pueden ser voluntarios en albergues locales, bancos de comida, o jardines comunitarios. Participar en actos de bondad y servicios no solo beneficia a otros, sino tambi\u00e9n crea una conciencia m\u00e1s profunda sobre los asuntos sociales.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"5\">\n<li><strong>Check-Ins Emocionales: <\/strong>Cuando le preguntas a tu hijo\/a, \u201c\u00bfc\u00f3mo te sientes hoy?\u201c o \u201c\u00bfQu\u00e9 traes en la mente?\u201d\u2013a esto se le conoce como un check-in emocional. Crea un espacio seguro donde tu hijo\/a se sienta c\u00f3modo expresando sus pensamientos y sentimientos sin temor a ser juzgado, escucha atentamente sus respuestas, y valida sus sentimientos. Al abrir una comunicaci\u00f3n abierta, est\u00e1s ayudando a fortalecer su inteligencia emocional y sus habilidades interpersonales. Esto tambi\u00e9n te mantiene proactiva ante cualquier asunto, peque\u00f1o o grande, que tu hijo\/a est\u00e9 enfrentando. Yo s\u00e9 m\u00e1s de lo que quisiera sobre el drama de mi peque\u00f1a en 2ndo grado, pero pude ayudarle en un par de ocasiones y ense\u00f1arle a defenderse y hablar por s\u00ed misma.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"6\">\n<li><strong>Educaci\u00f3n financiera y SEL: <\/strong>Quienes tienen hijos adolescentes pueden ayudarles a encontrar un trabajo de verano y aprender sobre la educaci\u00f3n financiera juntos al navegar con ellos la b\u00fasqueda de empleo, prepararse para entrevistas, y crear un plan presupuestario para administrar sus ingresos y gastos. Durante los trabajos de verano, los adolescentes pueden aprender habilidades valiosas que los empleadores buscan y que se alinean con el SEL, como comunicaci\u00f3n efectiva, trabajo en equipo, administraci\u00f3n del tiempo, resoluci\u00f3n de problemas, adaptabilidad, servicio al cliente y responsabilidad.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a1As\u00ed que no lo olvides! Mientras disfruta del sol de verano, tendr\u00e1 muchas formas divertidas y de apoyo para promover el bienestar y el crecimiento social y emocional de sus hijos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>The views in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CASEL.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Pascale Small<\/em><\/strong><em> is a mother of three Afro-Latino children in Charles County, Maryland, and the deputy director at the National Parents Union. Her purpose is to expand opportunities for historically resilient communities by building the capacity of those closest to the issues and cultivating partnerships with mission-aligned organizations and people to increase our collective impact towards community-led transformation. Pascale is a founding parent of Charles County Rise, a parent-led movement for positive change in Charles County Public Schools, that mobilizes parents and community members to work towards meaningful family partnerships, supportive and safe learning environments, and an equitable education for all children. She is also an active PTO member at her school, an Educational Equity Task Force member with Charles County Public Schools, a community partner with the Charles County Hispanic Heritage Month Committee, and a member of Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC).&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Shirley Irizarry <\/em><\/strong><em>is a single mother of two daughters, the organizing director west region at the National Parents Union, and has lived most of her life in Camden, New Jersey. For years, Shirley volunteered with local initiatives and nonprofit organizations that helped to bring the community together, all the while advocating for better schools. In the spring of 2021, during the pandemic, Shirley launched the nonprofit Parents Invincible, an organization that services families by providing information, resources, and wrap-around case management in the City of Camden. Shirley believes in parent power and works toward informing, empowering, and elevating their voices, one family at a time!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Posts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/sel-skill-building-at-summer-camp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SEL Skill-Building at Summer Camp<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/there-is-no-summer-vacation-from-tending-to-students-wellbeing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>There Is No Summer Vacation from Tending to Students\u2019 Well-Being<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/learning-about-sel-for-and-from-our-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Learning About SEL\u2014For and From our Children<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"write-for-us\"><strong>Write for Us<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you interested in writing for CASEL\u2019s blog, <em>Constellations<\/em>? <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1zSZFveKA8xsmlCADpfDP8t-y9emN0qswHQh1MnfmqBI\/edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more<\/a> about what we\u2019re looking for and how to pitch your idea!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Points Back to top As moms of young children and teens, we have been counting down the days until summer break when we don\u2019t have to wake up before the sun to get the kids out the door to school.\u00a0 Families across the country are ready for a break. Summer is a time for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":79627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","theme":[199],"class_list":["post-79624","blogposts","type-blogposts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","theme-spotlights"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogposts\/79624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogposts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blogposts"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/theme?post=79624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}