For teachers, counselors and school psychologists, Play, Learn, and Enjoy! is a social-emotional learning curriculum for elementary school children that bridges self-regulation skills with social-emotional competencies. It covers a broad range of self-regulation and social skills including executive functioning (attention, working memory, and inhibition), strategic skills (time-management and planning), self-awareness, emotional regulation, decision-making, communication, and collaboration with others. The curriculum is designed in a thematic, game-like format where children, together with story characters, go on imaginary trips into the wilderness. For example, they travel to mountains, a desert, a rainforest, and the Arctic. They take a riverboat trip, go ocean sailing and snorkeling. The curriculum consists of self-regulation games, social stories, collaborative problem-solving and planning activities, movement games, and mindfulness. It includes audio tracks and reproducible worksheets. This curriculum can be implemented in group counseling, after-school programs, and summer camps. Praise “Play, Learn, and Enjoy! embeds numerous skills in each lesson and provides a variety of activities to keep children interested during the session. By having a focus ‘location’ to drive each lesson, children don’t realize they are learning and practicing skills! This curriculum is a ground-breaking tool for children to improve their emotional-regulation skills.” – Erin C. Stone, BCBA-D, LBA, Autism and Behavior Services Coordinator “The authors have assembled a fun set of activities designed to enhance social-emotional and executive functioning in elementary school children. The use of themes to tie all the elements together is very creative and will be very engaging for children.” – Daniel C. Miller, PhD, Director, School of Neuropsychology Post-Graduate Program, KIDS, Inc. Reproducible worksheets for this title are available on the publisher's downloads page . About the Authors: Elena Savina received a Ph.D. in Developmental and Educational Psychology from Moscow State Pedagogical University, Russia, and a Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas. Presently, she is an associate professor at the Department of Graduate Psychology at James Madison University. She teaches courses in assessment and supervises clinical practica at the Combined-Integrate Doctoral Program in Clinical and School Psychology. Dr. Savina’s research interests include the impact of culture on child socialization and development; designing programs to promote self-regulation and socio-emotional competencies in children. Lindsay M. Anmuth received her Psy.D. in Combined-Integrated Clinical and School Psychology from James Madison University and M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Rowan University. Currently, she is working as a licensed clinical psychologist in an independent practice in Arlington, Virginia as well as mentoring LGBT graduate students in psychology. Her research interests have included well-being, personality, systemic and developmental perspectives of distress, and fostering adaptive functioning. Kelly Atwood received a Psy.D. in Combined Integrated Clinical and School Psychology from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Presently, she is completing a post-doctoral residency in health service psychology at James Madison University and Page Valley Memorial Hospital. Dr. Atwood’s research interests include attachment-based interventions and developing programs to promote wellbeing in children and families who experience separation and loss, as well as the development of programs that promote self-regulation and socio-emotional competencies in children. Whitney Giesing received a Psy.D. in Combined Integrated Clinical and School Psychology from James Madison University. She recently completed her predoctoral internship at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C. Presently, she resides in New York City. Dr. Giesing’s research interests include development and transformation of beliefs and values, leadership development, family development, and developing programs to promote self-regulation and socio-emotional competencies in children. Virginia Gallup Larsen received a M.A. and C.A.G.S in School Psychology and a M.Ed. in Community Agency Counseling from George Mason University. She also holds her national certification in School Psychology (NCSP) and diplomate board certificate in School Neuropsychology from the American Board of School Neuropsychology (ABSNP). Presently, she is a second year doctoral student in the Department of Graduate Psychology at James Madison University. Ms. Larsen previously served as a School Psychologist for Alexandria City Public Schools in Alexandria, Virginia. Ms. Larsen’s research interests include developing programs which promote self-regulation, emotional competencies and executive functioning in children and adolescents.
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