Fourth Graders Turn Social Emotional Learning Into Board Games

What happens when you combine creativity with the skills fourth graders have developed in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) class? You get student-designed board games built from the heart — with meaningful lessons woven into every rule.

Throughout the year, students have met once per cycle to explore topics such as leadership, emotional identification and regulation, and setting intentional achievable goals, and supportive positive thinking strategies.  This culminating project brought those lessons together — not through a worksheet or reflection paper, but through collaboration, creativity, and connection.

In SEL class with Lower School Counselor Abbie Slatus, students were challenged to create a game that takes place at Peck, can be played by their peers, and incorporates everything they’ve explored this year: leadership, core values, gratitude, goal-setting, and managing negative thoughts.

“It had to represent the things we’ve worked on,” explained James S. ‘30, whose game is based on Monopoly and reimagined through the lens of Peck values. “Our game is all about care, courage, and the InDeCoRe values as players move around the game board earning Downy-Redhead tickets.”

These student-generated ideas exceeded expectations in its inaugural rollout. Some games incorporate “Job Well Done” tickets while others borrow inspiration from classics like Candy Land. All reflect meaningful SEL lessons translated into interactive, kid-friendly play.

“What made this project so special was watching students take ownership of their learning. They worked together, supported one another, and brought our SEL lessons off the page and into real, playable experiences,” said Slatus.