How to Be Happy With a Positive Self-Concept: Kindergarten SEL Lesson

Happiness is one of the most important pursuits in life, as it helps one feel confident in their skin, thrive in their passions, and succeed in interpersonal relations. There are many ways to achieve happiness, but true happiness only comes from within. This lesson aims for kindergartners to achieve happiness by teaching them that it comes from a positive self-concept.

To teach kindergarten students how positive self-concept results in happiness, this evidence-based SEL lesson engages them in a class discussion and an interactive poem that underlines what feeling happy is like.

During the discussion, the teacher reviews the students’ understanding of the process of achieving positive feelings about themselves. This positive feeling, as the teacher explains, is what results in internal joy and satisfaction. It is also what motivates them to think positively and do positive actions.

As a retention strategy and a fun learning experience, young students participate in an interactive poem called "Up and Down." It describes the results of positive and negative feelings through engaging and creative language, emphasizing that a positive view of oneself leads to internal joy. Feeling down is described as making them frown, while feeling up and high makes them fly. They recite it multiple times with accompanying actions, helping the students to understand and memorize its meaning.

The lesson ends this way, providing space for kindergartners to reflect on what they have learned.

Helping young students recognize that happiness is achieved by having a positive self-concept motivates them to take positive actions that improve how they feel about themselves. Achieving this kind of joy and internal satisfaction is important for their physical wellness, mental health, and emotional well-being.