Family Appreciations Box
Looking to add an extra dose of kindness to your home? Try making a family appreciations box!
Activities
Articles
Family Service Project Guidebook
Many families want to help kids understand the importance of acts of service and helping others in their community. But doing a service project as a family can feel overwhelming! Where do you start? What projects can kids participate in? How do you ensure that they’re getting the most out of the project, and that the project is really helpful to others? Download our quick guide with checklists, fill-in-the-blanks and example projects to build your own family service project.
Let's Take a Walk
Getting up and moving can be a great way to help restless kids manage their energy. What can be even more beneficial is combining movement with mindfulness.
Joy is a Snowman
Everyone needs some joy in their life! What’s great is that we can spread joy to others through acts of kindness. This activity gives children several prompts for spreading joy to those around them.
Wishing Stars
We can’t predict the future, but we can have hopes and wishes for it. This fun paper-folding activity guides kids through thinking about their wishes and hopes for the upcoming year.
My AccomplishMINT!
While it is important for students to receive recognition and encouragement from educators and caregivers, it is also important that they learn how to recognize and acknowledge their accomplishments on their own.
Four Today: A Reflection Activity
Ask a child what they did during the day, and you’ll often get, “I don’t know.” This free activity guides children through reflecting on their day.
Farm to Table: A Gratitude Activity
Combining food and gratitude, this activity teaches children how they can express gratitude for things that indirectly impact their daily lives.
Gratitude Scavenger Hunt
It’s the season of gratitude! And what better way to focus on gratitude than to make it a fun game? Consider a gratitude scavenger hunt. Check out our ideas for how to help kids notice all the many things there are to be thankful for through this simple activity.
Make a Friendly Monster: A Free Collaboration Lesson
Make a Friendly Monster is a lesson about collaboration that allows students to practice working with a partner to create a fun friendly monster. The lesson also teaches students what it means to be a good partner.
A Second Grade Hispanic Changemakers Project
We sat down with Momentous School second grade teacher Brenda Ortega to explain this classroom Changemakers project.
Five Days of Kindness: A Free Kindness Lesson
Five Days of Kindness is a kindness lesson that aims to teach students the importance of choosing to be kind. The lesson also teaches students that they can work together to show kindness.
X Marks the Goal: A Free Goal Setting Lesson
X Marks the Goal is a goal setting lesson that aims to teach students the importance of setting goals. The lesson also give students a tool to help them establish a plan for meeting their goals. Download your copy today for free.
Self-Care Snowflakes: A Self-Care Activity
Winter break is an exciting time, but it is also a good time for children to take some time to recharge their batteries. Everyone needs to practice self-care, including kids. This activity helps children practice self-care.
Family Facts: A Fun Get-To-Know-Each-Other Activity
This free activity book is for families to get to know each other better. Use it this holiday season to spark conversation!
I Celebrate: A Holiday Activity
This time of year, families are celebrating many different holidays. This activity lets students learn about the different holidays and traditions that their peers celebrate.
Fall Feelings
Use this fun 'Fall Feelings' activity to help kids learn more about feelings, specifically how there are A LOT of feelings.
Straw the Scared Scarecrow: A Free Feelings Workbook
Straw the Scared Scarecrow may be afraid of a lot of things, but he also wants to help kids understand that everyone feels scared sometimes. Learn more about straw in this free workbook.
No Tricks, Only Treats of Kindness
It's Halloween season, and we have a fun way for kids to learn about kindness. This activity is a social emotional learning take on trick-or-treat: No Tricks, Only Treats of Kindness.
We All Have Expectations: A Free Safe Relationships Lesson Plan
This free lesson plan, We All Have Expectations, introduces students to classroom expectations and guides students through established expectations for both the teacher and the students/classroom. The lesson can be adapted to fit any elementary or middle school classroom.
Goals for the Future
There is a moment, or perhaps many moments, when a parent looks at their child and thinks about what they want for their child’s future. And, most parents, whether consciously or not, have a list of goals for their child in each of these areas. So, today, let’s take time to write out that list.
Let's Make a Trauma Self-Care Plan
Trauma self-care is the act of caring for yourself while also caring for others. But we can only do it with a plan. Follow this downloadable guide to help you take care of your mental health.
A Week of Wellness: A Free Mental Health Workbook
Taking time to focus on your mental health can be a daunting task so we've got you covered with this free mental health workbook.
When I Feel: A Free Mental Health Lesson Plan
This free lesson plan, When I Feel..., introduces students to the concept of mental health and helps them explore ways to manage their mental health. It can be adapted for any elementary or middle school classroom.
Heroes of History: A Free Resilience Lesson Plan
This free lesson plan, Heroes of History, helps teach resilience to students and can be adapted to fit any elementary or middle school classroom. Age it up or down with your choice of books and vocabulary!
Four Fun Family Activities to Do at Home
The reality of COVID-19 is an unparalleled time in our country’s history to pause, spend quality time with our families and find creative ways to engage our children. Here are some top activities to have fun as a family:
It Just Takes 30 Seconds
"One of the most successful research-based strategies I used in my classroom was free and only took 30 seconds." Curious? Keep reading.
Gratitude Garden
Here’s one resolution you can make that will affect your emotional and physical health. It's easy, free, and makes you feel better instantly.
Kindness Calendar
Use a kindness calendar to encourage kids to keep kindness a regular part of their lives.
The Breathing Stick
Our P.E. teacher shares an amazingly simple breathing tool. You'll love it!
Vision Statements
Momentous School families write vision statements for their children. Watch this video to learn about the incredible impact this has on our families and teachers.
Rollercoaster
Former Momentous Institute therapist shares an art project that helps kids identify their feelings.
Kindness Challenge
Take it beyond teaching kindness - try this activity to put kindness into action.
Write it Down!
When kids have a hard time verbalizing their behavior, try this strategy from our therapeutic group leader, Eric.
Family Flag
A family flag can help identify values and help children have a stronger sense of self. Read on…
Mask
Kids have different parts of themselves that they show to others. Use this strategy to help learn more about a child's complex self.
What's in Your Bag?
Have a child fill a bag with a special item from home. Read more...
Self-Portraits
One way to show a child that he is seen and understood is to have him create a self-portrait. Read more...
Magic Kindness Carrier
It's important to teach kindness to young children, but finding ways to be kind can be tricky. Try this: Make a magic wand.... Read more.
Empathy Treasure Box
We love this short video that showcases a fun and easy activity that can help build empathy with kids.
Sesame Street: Empathy
Check out this great Sesame Street video on empathy. Perfect for teaching empathy to kids!
Empathy Guessing Game
This is a simple game that can be played anywhere, any time with no props! Read on...
Well Wishes
Kids always notice when another student in class is absent. So try building upon that. Send well wishes!
How Would Someone Feel If...
How would someone feel if he found out that his best friend was moving to a new city far away? Try this and other questions to help kids think about another person's perspective.
Blind Lego
For a great game that helps develop perspective taking, look no further than your mismatched Lego collection.
The Magic Sunglasses
Perspective taking is all about looking at things in a different way. Sometimes that can be really, really difficult for kids. The magic sunglasses are a concrete way to get the idea through to them, and it makes a huge difference.
Take a Walk of Wonders
Our brain needs training to zero in on the positive things around us. Here's one easy activity!
Toss That Thought!
It can be hard to be optimistic when negative thoughts are weighing us down. Sometimes kids need a way to get rid of the negativity before they can move on.
Create an Optimistic Bulletin Board
A simple way to encourage optimism in your classroom or home!
Appreciations
Momentous School teacher Jennifer Hartmann shares a strategy she uses to help kids express their appreciation for each other.
Grati-Toad
Use the adorable toad as a way to help kids express gratitude... or rather, grati-TOAD.
A Second Grade Service Project: The School Gratitude Tree
Momentous School teachers Sarah and Rene think that every school should have a gratitude tree. Read on to see why.
Gratitude Journals
Momentous School first grade teacher Ashley Stephenson shares about her class' gratitude journals in this short video.
Slowly Slowly Slowly Said the Sloth
Try this simple activity to help kids focus and take a minute to slow down.
Ribbon Wave
Kids can go from zero to 60 in no time at all. But the reverse? Not quite so fast. Try this activity to help kids focus and calm down.
Color Your Emotions
This simple art project can help kids build up the brain-body connection and get in touch with their emotions.
Senses Journal
A senses journal is a great way to get kids to pay mindful attention to the world around them.
Mindful Eating
An easy way to incorporate mindfulness into daily life is to take ordinary, daily activities and do them mindfully. Try mindful eating!
New Rule
Here’s a simple activity you can try to encourage focus and impulse control. We call it New Rule.
Pass the Cup
Watch this video to learn about an impulse control group activity called Pass the Cup.
Worry Dolls
Here's a simple strategy you can use to help a child who sometimes becomes consumed with worry.
Emotions Melt Away
Sometimes children get stuck in a feeling and have a hard time moving on. It’s important to teach kids that feelings can melt away. Here’s a really visual way to drive that lesson home for kids.
Bedtime Bubbles
Help a child release a worry and receive a joy with this simple activity.
Get Moving!
We all know about the value of exercise, but how can we get kids moving? Try one of these three strategies.
How to Make a Brain Hat, Part Two
Here's another version of the brain hat. Grab your caulk and get to work making this fun project!
Brain City
Just like cities are made up of small and large buildings, so are our brains! Read how one Momentous School teacher got creative with this idea and created Brain City.
Create Your Own Glitter Jar
A simple art project that teaches us about the brain and helps us calm down? Sign us up! Read on to learn how to make your very own glitter jar.
Friendly Wishes
An important element of social emotional health is kindness. In each interaction, we have the choice to be kind or unkind
Videos
Wishing Stars | Video
Here's a little peek into how the content team creates an activity featuring our Content Specialist, Michelle Cooper!
The Regulation Station!
Here's how we use a conflict corner during phys. ed. at Momentous Institute. Please feel free to adapt this to have it fit your learning space!
Vision Statements
We believe that all parents truly want the best for their children and have high hopes and dreams for their futures. At Momentous School, we ask all parents to complete a vision statement for their child. We use these to help guide our students and to refocus on the big picture if things go off-track. We encourage every school to add vision statements to their beginning of the year routine!