Helping Kids Thrive This Holiday Season with SEL
As the holiday season approaches, children face a mix of excitement, stress, and unpredictability. For kids, especially those in under-resourced communities, this time can bring unique challenges that affect their social and emotional well-being. At Wings for Kids, our expertise in social-emotional learning (SEL) allows us to empower children with the tools they need to thrive, no matter the season.
Why SEL Matters During the Holidays
The holidays are a time of celebration, but they can also disrupt routines, heighten emotions, and increase social pressures. Teaching children SEL skills like self-awareness, emotional regulation, and empathy helps them navigate these challenges with confidence.
We’ve spent decades refining our approach to SEL through hands-on work in afterschool programs. Our commitment to equipping kids with essential life skills has established us as a trusted leader in youth development.
Before Winter Break
Whether you’re an educator, youth-worker, or parent, here are ways to weave SEL into holiday activities:
Encourage Empathy:
Discuss how others might feel during the holidays. Share stories about giving back and involve kids in activities like toy or food drives to connect their actions to community impact.
Foster Emotional Regulation:
Help kids recognize and manage holiday stress. Use tools like emotion charts or breathing exercises when emotions run high during busy events.
After Winter Break
Practice Gratitude:
Encourage kids to express what experiences they might have had during the holiday that they’re thankful for. Create a gratitude chain where each link represents something a child appreciates, or have them write thank-you cards for gifts or acts of kindness.
Maintain Routines:
While the holidays bring fun changes, kids thrive on structure. Because of their time away from school rules and routines, they will need help reacclimating to classroom expectations and reengaging with their schoolwork.
The holidays are the perfect time to nurture kindness, resilience, and emotional growth in children. With the right tools and support, kids can develop the social-emotional skills they need to thrive—not just during the holiday season, but for life.
Our Commitment to SEL Expertise
For over 25 years, Wings for Kids has been a trusted partner in developing SEL programs tailored to the needs of children in under-resourced communities. Through research-backed strategies, we’ve shown that fostering SEL not only improves academic outcomes but also builds stronger, more compassionate individuals.
As a nationally recognized nonprofit, Wings for Kids blends experience and expertise to create programs that truly make a difference. Our curriculum, consulting, and professional development workshops empower educators and youth-workers to support kids year-round.
Looking to bring more SEL into your school or organization?
Learn more about how we can build a partnership to create lasting impact together.