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Emotional Intelligence Apps and Games
Top Picks
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Daniel Tiger's Grr-ific Feelings
Songs and activities help kids express, recognize, understand emotions
Bottom line: Daniel Tiger and his friends present excellent examples for kids who are just learning healthy emotional expression.
Bouncy the People Trainer
Thorough, thoughtful multimedia social-emotional learning experience
Bottom line: Important info for all kids is especially helpful for at-risk students.
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
Sesame Street winner teaches kids how to keep calm and carry on
Bottom line: Highly effective tool for whole-class instruction or one-on-one intervention.
Zoo Academy
Uncage compassion and learn social-emotional awareness with a cast of cute zoo animals
Bottom line: Interactive program with practice activities teaches SEL to young students.
Peekapak
Complete SEL units in a neat and tidy package
Bottom line: Detailed social and emotional learning lessons provide teachers with almost everything they'll need to spark positive character development and reflection in their students.
QuaverSEL
Shake up SEL lessons with music and movement
Bottom line: Fun for students, easy for teachers, QuaverSEL uses the power of music to boost social and emotional learning.
Calm
Relaxing and serene app helps incorporate peace into daily life
Bottom line: If you're looking for a captivating app to teach relaxation and calming skills to students, Calm is an essential tool to add to your toolbox.
Touch and Learn - Emotions
Free app helps kids identify emotions, recognize body language
Bottom line: Bridges the gap between feeling or witnessing emotions and using words to describe them.
Social Adventures
Expert-approved activities nurture students' social skills
Bottom line: A treasure chest of social-skills-building activities created by speech and language pros that are worth the high price and need for facilitation.
Wisdom: The World of Emotions
Quirky game helps kids recognize and regulate anger in self and others
Bottom line: If they can get through the confusing bits, students will be able to identify, label, and perhaps manage strong feelings of anger or frustration.
Emotional ABCs Classroom
Strong learning approach to mastering SEL competencies
Bottom line: Excellent program for teaching young kids emotion identification, regulation, and social relationships.
Mindful Powers
Care for a cute creature to practice mindfulness and self-control
Bottom line: Meditation lessons and visual timers act as decent supplemental activities for introducing SEL skills.
Zoo U
Research-based social game has terrific assessment potential
Bottom line: A powerful and focused social problem-solving game designed to reach kids who need direct instruction.
Mind Yeti
Calming app with cute characters helps center kids
Bottom line: If you're someone who needs mindfulness-based approaches, Mind Yeti's characters could be the right fit.
Insight Timer
Popular mindfulness app offers daily, guru-guided meditation practice
Bottom line: This expert-guided SEL tool can help students -- and teachers -- build lifelong habits for relaxation, reflection, and focus.
7 Mindsets
Thought-provoking structured program simplifies SEL skills
Bottom line: If teachers take advantage of the extension activities, students can get great in-depth instruction and practice in SEL skills needed for life.
Mightifier
Compact process for positive praise builds classroom community
Bottom line: Great for a quick bonding activity when led by a positive instructor.
YouHue
Basic mood journal can help kids build self-awareness
Bottom line: Simple tool for a quick, daily check-in on students' emotions.
Me: A Kid's Diary
Unique take on self-exploration relies on prompts to guide reflection
Bottom line: With plenty of ways to express and document their thoughts and more, this app can help students learn something new about themselves.
Plotagon Education
Create animated movies with customized characters and actions
Bottom line: A fun way to show understanding of any subject matter, especially for those who enjoy making movies.
MyLife Meditation
Appealing app guides meditation, promotes compassion
Bottom line: An accessible, well-designed tool for making meditation a daily practice for both students and teachers.
Hall of Heroes
Responsive game helps students prepare for transition to middle school
Bottom line: Wonderful and fun social-interaction game designed to teach cooperation and friendship skills needed for middle school and beyond.
Character Playbook
Realistic comic book-style stories help build healthy relationships
Bottom line: A valuable series of modules to get kids thinking about how their choices help build strong character.
The Mood Meter
Well-designed tool encourages kids to reflect on and manage emotions
Bottom line: Appealing, thought-provoking tool builds emotional intelligence.
Calm Harm - Manages Self Harm
Immediate help for teens struggling with harmful urges
Bottom line: Powerful therapeutic tool teaches positive coping skills and mental wellness.
Pairin
Robust personality survey for students results in real-world insights
Bottom line: For educators who have the time, drive, and buy-in, this program is a great data-analysis and character-development tool.
Smiling Mind
Quick and easy meditation practice for busy classroom lives
Bottom line: This easy-to-follow meditation program can help reduce stress and support social and emotional learning.
Mitra
Insightful, minimalist app gets students tracking emotions and values
Bottom line: A practical tool to use in combination with discussion about emotional intelligence and character development.
Please Knock on My Door
Effective and affecting game about dealing with depression
Bottom line: A slow-paced SEL game for helping students understand the nuances of managing mental health.
Sift - News Therapy
Sifts through daily news content to offer a deep dive on hot topics
Bottom line: Sift can supplement students' study of a few hot-button topics -- and open up a conversation about media balance -- but it's lacking some learner supports.
Florence
Incredibly relatable story about navigating adult love and life
Bottom line: This heartwarming game helps kids empathize with the highs and lows of romantic relationships.
