SEL day is coming, and THIS is just the playbook you need! As an educator, you know that SEL day is every day, and there is always cause to celebrate it. Social and emotional learning is a living, breathing, ever-present opportunity. Why not make it feel like a celebration? It’s the stuff kids use forever: calming down, speaking up, solving problems, being a good teammate, and bouncing back when things get hard.
The best part? You can make it joyful without adding one more big thing to your plate.
The “Sizzle” SEL Playbook: 5 Days, 5 Themes
Use these as a simple backbone. Add the Labyrinth Adventures storybook kits to your toolbox because it is your ultimate playbook! Here are some other ideas. Just pick one mini-activity per day (5–10 minutes) and you’re done.
Monday: “Meet Your Amazing Brain” (Self-Awareness)
- Emoji Check-In (2 minutes): “Point to the emoji that matches your mood.”
- Superpower of the Day: Students choose a “power” like Bravery Boost or Kindness Shield and share how they’ll use it today.
- Closing: “What helped your mood today?”
Tuesday: “Calm Like a Ninja” (Self-Management)
- 1-Minute Reset: Try “hot chocolate breath” breathing (inhale/exhale slowly).
- Flip Your Feelings: Students name a tricky emotion + a strategy (“When I feel frustrated, I can stretch / ask for help / count to 10”).
- Teacher move: Narrate your own strategy out loud: “I feel rushed, so I’m taking one slow breath.”
Wednesday: “Empathy Detectives” (Social Awareness)
- Read-aloud pause: “How do you think the character feels? What clues tell you?”
- Empathy Spotlight: “Share some feelings you noticed today.”
Thursday: “Teamwork Olympics” (Relationship Skills)
- 2-minute challenge: In pairs, build the tallest tower with scrap paper OR solve a silly riddle together.
- Score it fast: Thumbs-up for “We took turns / We listened / We encouraged.”
- Micro-skill: Practice one sentence starter: “May I try?” “I hear you saying ____, do I understand you?” “Let’s compromise.”
Friday: “Kind Choices Festival” (Responsible Decision-Making)
- Kindness Noticing: Catch kids being kind and name it—quick and specific.
- Kindness Bingo (weeklong or just Friday): Students practice being kind by “inviting someone in” or “helping without being asked.” (Pro tip: it’s inspiration, not a race.)
- Closing prompt: “Which kind choice are you proud of?”
BONUS!! These themes align with the widely used CASEL framework’s five SEL competencies, which many schools use to organize SEL skills.
Plug-and-play, zero-prep, big impact SEL “Mini-Moments”
Drop one into your day wherever it fits—morning meeting, lining up, transitions, &/or dismissal.
- Weather Report Check-In: “I’m sunny / cloudy / stormy / breezy today.”
- Gratitude Popcorn: Students “pop” quick thank-yous around the circle.
- Compliment Confetti: Everyone writes one kind note; toss them in a jar and read a few each day.
- Emotion Compass: “On a 1–5 scale, how big is your feeling?”
- End the class on a happy note: “One thing I learned about myself today…”
SEL Centers That Kids Love
Set up 2–3 stations during choice time (10–15 minutes). Rotate or repeat favorites.
- Affirmation Poster Studio
Make mini-posters: “I can do this again to get better,” “Feelings are visitors,” “I can ask for help.” - Role-Play Corner: Choose-Your-Own-Ending
Give a scenario (“Two kids want the same marker”). Kids act out two endings: messy ending vs. skillful ending. - Appreciation Mail
Write (or draw) notes of thankfulness to classmates, staff, bus drivers, cafeteria heroes. - Calm-Down Lab
Test tools: breathing cards, stretches, sensory items, doodling—then vote: “How do these bring me closer to calm?
Now, cheer, “Go Team,” and enjoy the game!
