Dec 01, 2022 2022-12-01
Digital Learning • Learning Support
Child-Friendly Social–Emotional Video Series
A team of school psychologists and researchers at University of Connecticut has developed a free program to get students to express their feelings or reduce anxiety. The science-backed program uses puppets in short videos to explain concepts and includes kits for students to create their own puppets.
The videos are part of a series produced through a new pilot program called Feel Your Best Self. Each video is built around a simple strategy to help children recognize and manage their feelings—or to help friends who are struggling. For example, in one video, called “Push The Clouds,” children are encouraged to visualize their sad, heavy feelings as dark storm clouds and to imagine pushing those clouds away.
Each strategy comes with a corresponding Strategy Card, showing the steps involved in the strategy, using words and images; a Tip Sheet to facilitate discussion after watching a video and practicing the strategy; and a Journal Reflection Sheet, which allows children to reflect on their feelings before and after trying the strategy.
Although steeped in research, the videos sport child-friendly names such as “Float Your Boat” and “Chillax In My Head,” and spotlight puppet heroes CJ, Mena, and Nico, who are rendered in warm colors and with emotive smiles. Currently the pilot series has 13 unique videos, with multiple puppets and performers, which teachers and caregivers can access anytime online, at no cost, in both English and Spanish.
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Learning
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