Sensing My Body SEL Activity

Sensing My Body Game

Description: Relaxed sitting with eyes closed, sensing one's body.

Activity output: to learn to focus

Key SEL skill(s) targeted: Self-awareness and self-management

Time: 20 minutes

Space: a quiet space for children to sit or the classroom seating arrangement

Resources: None

Preparation: Make children sit relaxed with their heads straight and arms resting on their thighs. All must be silent.

Adaptation: If children can lie in a quiet open space like a playground (when it is not in the hot sun) or under a shady tree, the activity will be more effective, as relaxation is easier.

How To Do Sensing My Body SEL Game

1. Ask children to close their eyes. Also, no talking or making any noises, such as tapping or dragging their shoes.
2. Then, softly name a body part they need to pay attention to and ask them to start sensing it. Then, when you ask them to focus on a different part, they need to focus on and sense that part.
3. You may say, for example, "Focus on your smallest finger on your left leg,"  and give them about 10 seconds to sense the finger. When they sense it, they should raise their leading hand's index finger. Then you may say, "Focus on the 4^th finger of your left leg; can you sense it?" Likewise, you may continue naming the fingers of their legs, hands, feet, palm, and then the facial areas, etc.
4. After doing the exercise for about 10 minutes, you may ask the children to take a deep breath and open their eyes. The activity ends here.
5. In the end, share the message: "When we are going through stress and when we feel agitated and restless, gently focusing on parts of our body will make us feel relaxed. When we are relaxed, it is easier to make wiser decisions in life. Wise decisions help us live a happier life. Furthermore, this activity will help you develop self-regulation too.

Your brain becomes exclusively concentrated on one activity when you avoid distractions and concentrate on one task at a time. This lets you complete that task much more quickly than if you were trying to complete two or more tasks at once. Being focused is undoubtedly going to make you feel more positive and in control of your life. Knowing what's important in your life will be the seed that will determine where you want to be. Being dedicated to achieving your goals Focus can change your life if used correctly. Successful people understand how crucial having a clear focus is. The degree of success you experience will depend on your level of focus. Great outcomes will be achieved when your actions and focus are in harmony.