Making the Most of Late Summer: Family Games with a Purpose

‍The school year is just around the corner—but there’s still time for meaningful moments.

Even as routines begin to shift from summer mode to back-to-school prep, many parents are looking for ways to stay connected as a family and ease the transition. What if these final days of summer could be more than just a countdown—but a chance to build your child’s confidence, empathy, and emotional strength?

Playing family games is a simple, powerful way to turn everyday time into fun, meaningful experiences that support your child’s social-emotional growth. Whether it’s after dinner or on a quiet weekend morning, these moments can help your child feel more grounded—just in time for the new school year.

What Is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)?

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is a process that helps children—and adults—acquire and apply the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop a healthy sense of self, manage emotions, work toward personal and group goals, show empathy for others, build supportive relationships, and make responsible, caring decisions.

It’s scientifically proven that SEL not only supports children’s emotional well-being and social skills, but also improves their academic performance, strengthens mental health, and helps them build meaningful, lasting relationships. In short, SEL provides children with the tools they need to thrive—both in school and in life.

Five Core Skills of SEL

1. Self-Awareness: Understanding your own emotions, thoughts, and values—and how they influence your behavior. This also includes recognizing your strengths and areas for growth.
2. Self-Management: The ability to regulate emotions, thoughts, and actions in different situations. This includes handling stress, resisting impulses, and staying motivated.
3. Social Awareness: The ability to recognize and understand the emotions and perspectives of others, including those from diverse backgrounds. It also involves demonstrating empathy and respecting social and ethical norms.
4. Relationship Skills: The ability to build and maintain healthy, supportive relationships through effective communication, active listening, empathy, and collaboration. It also involves understanding others’ perspectives, resolving conflicts, and discerning appropriate social behavior.
5. Responsible Decision-Making:The ability to make thoughtful, ethical, and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions. This involves considering safety, social norms, and the potential impact on oneself and others, as well as taking responsibility for the outcomes of one’s decisions.

These skills are crucial to a child's overall well-being and academic success—and many parents are already supporting their development in daily life without even realizing it.

5 Summer Family SEL Activities to Enjoy

Here are five recommended SEL activities for families to enjoy during the summer. These games are designed to naturally support children’s and youth’s social-emotional development through fun and interactive experiences.

1. Mindful Nature Walk to Art: A Self-Love Creative Journey – For younger children

Summer is the perfect season to connect with nature while nurturing your child’s mindfulness and self-confidence. Take a long walk together in the woods, encouraging deep breaths to fully absorb the fresh air and the calming benefits of nature’s natural scents, such as phytoncides. This quality time outdoors also offers a valuable opportunity for meaningful conversations, allowing you to reflect on life’s progress and express appreciation for one another. Try incorporating the “rainbow walk” technique—focusing on finding natural items in different colors—to enhance mindfulness and relaxation. As you explore, collect interesting materials around like fallen twigs, leaves, flowers, and seeds. Later, use these natural treasures to create self-portraits, inviting your child to express their unique qualities and strengths through their artwork. This hands-on project, called “Amazing Me,” encourages children to celebrate self-love and individuality by reflecting on what makes them special. This activity supports key social-emotional skills such as self-awareness—through recognizing personal strengths—and self-management—by fostering calm and focus through creative expression. It’s a wonderful way for families to bond, build confidence, and cultivate emotional balance together.

2. Family Volunteer Day: Giving Back Together  – For all ages

Engaging in volunteer activities as a family is a powerful way to strengthen bonds while teaching children important social-emotional skills. Choose a meaningful project that everyone can participate in—such as cleaning up a beach or forest, visiting an animal shelter, supporting a food assistance program, or spending time with seniors or children in care homes. You could also create handmade gifts to brighten someone’s day or join fundraising events like charity sales. Through volunteering, children learn empathy by understanding others’ needs, develop social awareness by connecting with different communities, and practice responsible decision-making by contributing positively to society. This shared experience fosters teamwork, communication, and a sense of purpose—valuable lessons that help build kindness, confidence, and emotional resilience in your child.

3. Create a Calming Toolbox – For all family members, adults included

Summer break is the perfect time to sit down with your child and create a personalized calming toolbox—a wonderful activity especially suited for younger children. Start by finding a special box, decorate it together, and give it a meaningful name. Then, talk with your child about what items and activities help them feel calm when emotions run high. These might include drawing supplies like pens and paper, a journal, stress balls, a cuddly toy, coloring books, noise-canceling headphones, or a water bottle. You can also add helpful SEL tools such as emotion charts, calming strategy posters, or breathing exercise guides to support them in recognizing and managing their feelings. For a fun DIY touch, search online for “homemade fidget toys” or “stress-relief toys” to add to the box—and make one (or even more) together. While you’re at it, consider creating a peaceful “calm corner” in your home—a cozy spot filled with pillows, blankets, art supplies, or a music box—where your child can retreat to relax and process emotions. Give this space a special name like “Safe Haven” or “Calm Corner” and encourage your child to use it whenever they need a break. Creating a calming toolbox is not only suitable for children but also beneficial for all family members—including adults.

4. Family Digital Device Detox Retreat  – For older children and teens

In today’s screen-filled world, a digital detox retreat offers families—especially youth—a meaningful way to reconnect and explore offline interests. It can be as short as having a phone-free dinner together, or as extensive as a week-long trip. Start with a family meeting to brainstorm ideas and set shared expectations. Ask your children, “If we had a retreat without devices, what would it look like? Where could we go, and what would we do?”

Including teens in the conversation is especially important. Invite them to share their thoughts and feelings about stepping away from screens, and work together to create a plan that feels fair and realistic. Flexibility matters—acknowledge daily needs and agree on practical guidelines, such as setting aside 30 minutes a day for essential tasks or check-ins on devices. This approach makes the detox more manageable and less stressful. Discuss potential challenges and develop strategies together to overcome them. Doing so helps build self-awareness, self-management, and responsible decision-making. The process also encourages active listening and strengthens relationship skills. More than just a break from screens, a digital detox retreat can create lasting memories and deepen family bonds.

5. Daily Family Practices: Building SEL Habits – For all ages

Incorporating small, meaningful activities into your daily routine can greatly support your child’s social-emotional development. For example, start or end the day with a simple mindfulness breathing exercise to help children focus on their bodily sensations and emotions, teaching them to stay present and calm. Guided scripts and videos for these practices are widely available online. During mealtimes, try a gratitude practice where each family member takes turns sharing something they appreciate about themselves, others, or the world around them. This not only fosters gratitude but also encourages positive self-talk and self-affirmation. Additionally, make it a habit to openly express appreciation and love for one another. These daily rituals nurture self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills—foundations that help children grow into emotionally balanced and caring individuals.

When doing these family SEL activities, it’s important to be patient and flexible, allowing each child to engage at their own pace without pressure. Focus on being fully present during interactions by turning off phone notifications, which helps deepen attention and fosters trust and connection between parents and children. Creating an open, supportive environment where everyone feels safe to share their feelings encourages honest communication and deeper connection. Use open-ended questions like, “What do you think?” or “How did you feel at that moment?” to invite open sharing and build a space of mutual trust.

Last but not least, modeling social-emotional skills yourself—like empathy, mindfulness, and responsible decision-making—sets a powerful example that helps children learn and grow naturally. By embracing these practices together, your family can build stronger bonds and nurture emotional well-being that lasts a lifetime. Wishing you a joyful and meaningful summer filled with love, growth, and connection!

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