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Pick an essential skill you want to build
ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork
ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork
ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork
ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork
ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork

Staying Positive

The receiving, retaining and processing of information or ideas
The oral transmission of information or ideas
The ability to find a solution to a situation or challenge
The use of imagination and the generation of new ideas
The ability to use tactics and strategies to overcome setbacks and achieve goals
The ability to set clear, tangible goals and devise a robust route to achieving them
Supporting, encouraging and developing others to achieve a shared goal
Working cooperatively with others towards achieving a shared goal

Advanced

By this stage, your child will be able to identify and manage risks and rewards in opportunities.

Introduction video for parents and carers

This video is approximately 1 minute long.

Build the skill with your child

Have a go at some of these activities with your child to develop this skill. We recommend you spend the amount of time to best suit you and your child - perhaps completing one section at a time. You can always come back and carry on!

Read

This section gives you a simple skill story to read and share together.

Talk

This section suggests questions for you to ask when speaking with your child about this skill.

Do

This section provides an activity idea for you and your child to do together.

Start here

Then this
Transcript

Now this
No items found.

Books to read and share with your child

An open book on a table outside

Introduction video for parents and carers

This video is approximately 1 minute long.

Build the skill with your child

Have a go at some of these activities with your child to develop this skill. We recommend you spend the amount of time to best suit you and your child - perhaps completing one section at a time. You can always come back and carry on!

Read

This section gives you some more information about the skill to read and share together.

Talk

This section suggests questions for you to ask when speaking with your child about this skill.

Do

This section provides an activity idea for you and your child to do together.

Start here

Then this
Transcript

Now this
No items found.

Introduction video for parents and carers

This video is approximately 1 minute long.

Build the skill with your child

Have a go at some of these activities with your child to develop this skill. We recommend you spend the amount of time to best suit you and your child - perhaps completing one section at a time. You can always come back and carry on!

Read

This section gives you more information about the online tool that can be used to support your child to build their essential skills.

Talk

This section suggests questions for you to use when speaking with your child about their use of this online tool.

Do

This section provides an online activity for your child to complete with support, or independently if more suitable for them.

Support your child to build this skill with interactive learning modules

Read

We have suggested modules to support your child's skill development at this stage. However, it can also be used to support individual needs or guide your child through a choice of courses based on the essential skills.

Your child (11+) can sign up to build their essential skills in three steps:
Identify key learning related to the skill step.
Practise the skill step with a choice of interactive online and offline activities.
Articulate (talk about) their understanding of the skill step through written words or discussion with others.

As a parent/carer, support your child to use Skills Builder Launchpad to:

  • Support your child to independently build their own essential skills.
  • Give opportunities for your child to apply the skill at different times and places.
  • Encourage your child to reflect on their skills.
  • See the results of skills-building conversations and activities at home.
  • Support the transition to next steps such as: moving up a year at school, applying for employment/ further education and preparing for independent living.

Talk

Here are some suggested questions for you to talk about together when using Skills Builder Launchpad:

  • What have you learnt in this module?
  • Which activities did you do to practise this skill? How did you get on?
  • Shall we talk through the reflection questions at the end of the module?
  • When is your next chance of applying this skill? How will you go about it?
  • Can you think of any examples of when you have used this skill?
  • What might you do next to develop this skill?

Discover strengths and areas for improvement with our self-assessment tool

Read

Skills Builder Benchmark is an online tool for your child to reflect on their essential skills.


Your child (11+) can sign up to explore their essential skills in three steps:
Step 1: Choose an essential skill and answer some simple questions.
Step 2: Find their strengths and areas for development, alongside practical ideas to improve their skills.
Step 3: Download their own Skills Report to use and share with others at home or at school/college.

As a parent/carer, support your child to use Skills Builder Benchmark to:

  • Support your child to reflect on their essential skills in everyday life.
  • See the results of skills-building conversations and activities at home.
  • Support the transition to next steps such as: moving up a year at school, applying for employment/ further education and preparing for independent living.

Talk

Here are some suggested questions for you to talk about together when using Skills Builder Benchmark:

  • How did you feel whilst reflecting on this skill?
  • Can you share your strengths and areas for development for this skill?
  • When do you use this skill in your everyday life? Can you think of any examples?
  • What could you do based on the suggestions to improve this skill?
  • Where else could you continue to practise and improve this skill?

Do

Discover strengths and areas for improvement with our self-assessment tool.

START YOUR
Staying Positive
ASSESSMENT

Introduction video for parents and carers

This video is approximately 1 minute long.

Build the skill with your child

Have a go at some of these activities with your child to develop this skill. We recommend you spend the amount of time to best suit you and your child - perhaps completing one section at a time. You can always come back and carry on!

Read

This section gives you more information about the online tool that can be used to support your child to build their essential skills.

Talk

This section suggests questions for you to use when speaking with your child about their use of this online tool.

Do

This section provides an online activity for your child to complete with support, or independently if more suitable for them.

Support your child to build this skill with interactive learning modules

Read

We have suggested modules to support your child's skill development at this stage. However, it can also be used to support individual needs or guide your child through a choice of courses based on the essential skills.

Your child (11+) can sign up to build their essential skills in three steps:
Identify key learning related to the skill step.
Practise the skill step with a choice of interactive online and offline activities.
Articulate (talk about) their understanding of the skill step through written words or discussion with others.

As a parent/carer, support your child to use Skills Builder Launchpad to:

  • Support your child to independently build their own essential skills.
  • Give opportunities for your child to apply the skill at different times and places.
  • Encourage your child to reflect on their skills.
  • See the results of skills-building conversations and activities at home.
  • Support the transition to next steps such as: moving up a year at school, applying for employment/ further education and preparing for independent living.

Talk

Here are some suggested questions for you to talk about together when using Skills Builder Launchpad:

  • What have you learnt in this module?
  • Which activities did you do to practise this skill? How did you get on?
  • Shall we talk through the reflection questions at the end of the module?
  • Can you think of any examples of when you have used this skill?
  • When is your next chance of applying this skill? How will you go about it?
  • What might you do next to develop this skill?

Discover strengths and areas for improvement with our self-assessment tool

Read

Skills Builder Benchmark is an online tool for your child to reflect on their essential skills.


Your child (11+) can sign up to explore their essential skills in three steps:
Step 1: Choose an essential skill and answer some simple questions.
Step 2: Find their strengths and areas for development, alongside practical ideas to improve their skills.
Step 3: Download their own Skills Report to use and share with others at home or at school/college.

As a parent/carer, support your child to use Skills Builder Benchmark to:

  • Support your child to reflect on their essential skills in everyday life.
  • See the results of skills-building conversations and activities at home.
  • Support the transition to next steps such as: moving up a year at school, applying for employment/ further education and preparing for independent living.

Talk

Here are some suggested questions for you to talk about together when using Skills Builder Benchmark:

  • How did you feel whilst reflecting on this skill?
  • Can you share your strengths and areas for development for this skill?
  • When do you use this skill in your everyday life? Can you think of any examples?
  • What could you do based on the suggestions to improve this skill?
  • Where else could you continue to practise and improve this skill?

Do

Discover strengths and areas for improvement with our self-assessment tool.

START YOUR
Staying Positive
ASSESSMENT

Continue to build this skill at home by taking part in these weekly skill challenges - encourage all of the family to join in and have fun together!

More Listening Skill Challenges

Ask a family member or friend to read you an interesting news story or tell you about something interesting that has happened.

Your aim is to show you are listening by using eye contact but also be able to summarise the story after they have told you it.

Extension: Switch roles with the person, tell them a news story or something interesting that has happened.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you make sure you are listening carefully?

Intermediate: What does it mean to summarise what you have heard?

Advanced: Why is summarising or rephrasing what you have heard useful sometimes?

Mastery: How might changing the language (words) used affect how you feel about something?

Listening

Demonstrate your listening skills by playing a game of 'Simon Says' with your family or friends.

Pick another member of your family or friends to be ‘Simon’. Everyone else must follow Simon’s instructions but only when they say ‘Simon says…’. For example, if 'Simon says touch your nose', you touch your nose. However, listen carefully because if the person does not say 'Simon says' you do not need to do it.

Extension: Encourage everyone to show their listening by changing who ‘Simon’ is.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you make sure you are listening carefully?

Intermediate: What does it mean to summarise what you have heard?

Advanced: Why is summarising or rephrasing what you have heard useful sometimes?

Mastery: How might changing the language (words) used affect how you feel about something?

Listening

Watch a video on a topic that you are interested in. After watching the video, take time a moment to think about what you heard and note down the key points covered.

Extension: watch the video again while reading your summary of the key points. Did you note down all of the most important information? If you missed something, add in that information.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you make sure you are listening carefully?

Intermediate: What does it mean to summarise what you have heard?

Advanced: Why is summarising or rephrasing what you have heard useful sometimes?

Mastery: How might changing the language (words) used affect how you feel about something?

Listening

Listen to the people around you talking to each other - perhaps your friends or family. Observe the conversation and listen for when someone interrupts.

Extension: Why did they interrupt? Was it for a positive or negative reason? How do you know?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you make sure you are listening carefully?

Intermediate: What does it mean to summarise what you have heard?

Advanced: Why is summarising or rephrasing what you have heard useful sometimes?

Mastery: How might changing the language (words) used affect how you feel about something?

Listening

Listen to an audio book or ask a family member to read a book to you.

Write a review of the book, including a summary of characters and main events. Share your review with a friend or family member.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you make sure you are listening carefully?

Intermediate: What does it mean to summarise what you have heard?

Advanced: Why is summarising or rephrasing what you have heard useful sometimes?

Mastery: How might changing the language (words) used affect how you feel about something?

Listening

Listen to a new song, paying particular attention to the lyrics (words) in the chorus.

Listen carefully twice and then try to write down the lyrics by singing the song in your head.

Extension: What is the song about? What is the main message behind the song?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you make sure you are listening carefully?

Intermediate: What does it mean to summarise what you have heard?

Advanced: Why is summarising or rephrasing what you have heard useful sometimes?

Mastery: How might changing the language (words) used affect how you feel about something?

Listening

How can you tell you have really understood what someone has told you?

One way to do this is to repeat back exactly what you have heard.
Another is to rephrase what you heard.
A third way is to ask questions to check your understanding. (You can use who, what, when, where, why and how questions, but make sure they are linked to what the person was speaking about).

Over the next week, have a go at using all three of these strategies to check you have understood what someone has said to you.

Which one worked best? Did the situation make a difference as to which strategy you used?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you make sure you are listening carefully?

Intermediate: What does it mean to summarise what you have heard?

Advanced: Why is summarising or rephrasing what you have heard useful sometimes?

Mastery: How might changing the language (words) used affect how you feel about something?

Listening

Ask a member of your family or friend to tell you about their day in detail. Ask them to include details like what time they got up, when and what they had for lunch, who they talked to and what activities they did.

Write down what you can remember. Read your notes back to the family member / friend. Could you remember the key parts of their day?

Try again with another family member or friend. Did you remember any more this time?


Try taking notes as they are talking instead of afterwards. Does this help you remember more?

Are there any tactics you can use to help you remember the important information you hear?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you make sure you are listening carefully?

Intermediate: What does it mean to summarise what you have heard?

Advanced: Why is summarising or rephrasing what you have heard useful sometimes?

Mastery: How might changing the language (words) used affect how you feel about something?

Listening
More Speaking Skill Challenges

Organise a game of 'Who am I?' with your family or friends.

Each member of the family writes the name of a famous person and places it in a bowl. Take it in turns to pick a name, describe clearly the person without saying their name and see if your family can guess who it is.

Challenge: Use a timer to see how many names people can guess in one minute.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do we know if we are speaking clearly?

Intermediate: As you speak how can put your points into a logical order so you can be easily understood?

Advanced: How can you use tone, expression and gesture to make your speaking engaging?

Mastery: How can you adapt the content of what you are saying, in response to listeners?

Speaking

Think about the five most interesting facts about yourself.

Once you have thought about the facts, plan out the logical order that you would tell someone in.

Then, speak clearly when telling either a family member or friend these facts.

Think about how you might use tone, expression and gestures when telling a family member or friend.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do we know if we are speaking clearly?

Intermediate: As you speak how can put your points into a logical order so you can be easily understood?

Advanced: How can you use tone, expression and gesture to make your speaking engaging?

Mastery: How can you adapt the content of what you are saying, in response to listeners?

Speaking

Think about a person you admire. This could be someone that you know, someone that you’ve learnt about or someone from a story/movie. Imagine you could invite this person to your birthday party.

Plan how you could encourage the person to come to your birthday party by using facts and examples to support why you would like them to join your party.

What tone might you use? What might you say to convince them to come?

Extension: Pretend a family member or a friend is the person you would like to invite and try to convince them to come.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do we know if we are speaking clearly?

Intermediate: As you speak how can put your points into a logical order so you can be easily understood?

Advanced: How can you use tone, expression and gesture to make your speaking engaging?

Mastery: How can you adapt the content of what you are saying, in response to listeners?

Speaking

Think of an activity that you enjoy doing. This might be something you do at home or at school.

Imagine that you are a teacher and you need to teach your friend how to complete this activity in a series of steps.

Plan how you would explain the activity clearly and put the steps in a logical order.

How might you use your hand gestures and body language to teach this activity more effectively?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do we know if we are speaking clearly?

Intermediate: As you speak how can put your points into a logical order so you can be easily understood?

Advanced: How can you use tone, expression and gesture to make your speaking engaging?

Mastery: How can you adapt the content of what you are saying, in response to listeners?

Speaking

Think of your favourite place, this could be your house, a relative's house, a park, a museum or anywhere else you have been.

Imagine that you are giving someone a video tour of your favourite place.  

Plan where you would take them and how you could talk about the different parts or features of it. Role-play giving the tour, or write yourself a script with descriptive language.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do we know if we are speaking clearly?

Intermediate: As you speak how can put your points into a logical order so you can be easily understood?

Advanced: How can you use tone, expression and gesture to make your speaking engaging?

Mastery: How can you adapt the content of what you are saying, in response to listeners?

Speaking

Organise a game of 'What Am I' with your family. Each member of the family writes an agreed number of objects on small pieces of paper to put in a bowl. Take it in turns to pick an object, describe the object clearly without saying its name and see if your family can guess what it is. You could use a timer to see how many objects people can guess in one minute.

Extension - to make this harder you could also write down one word that you are not allowed to use when describing your object.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do we know if we are speaking clearly?

Intermediate: As you speak how can put your points into a logical order so you can be easily understood?

Advanced: How can you use tone, expression and gesture to make your speaking engaging?

Mastery: How can you adapt the content of what you are saying, in response to listeners?

Speaking

Prepare a short speech to present to your family.

Suggested topic: My favourite season / time of year.

In your speech explain why this season or time of year is your favourite. Ask your family to close their eyes as you describe a scene from your favourite season. Can your family picture what you are telling them?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do we know if we are speaking clearly?

Intermediate: As you speak how can put your points into a logical order so you can be easily understood?

Advanced: How can you use tone, expression and gesture to make your speaking engaging?

Mastery: How can you adapt the content of what you are saying, in response to listeners?

Speaking

Think of a story where something exciting happens. Think about how you speak when you are talking about something exciting.

What happens to your voice?

Do you use your hands?

Does anything happen to your face or expression?

Tell this story to your family, try to make sure you emphasise the exciting parts.

Ask your family to give you feedback on how you spoke about the exciting parts of the story. Tell the story again and try a different way of expressing the exciting parts.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do we know if we are speaking clearly?

Intermediate: As you speak how can put your points into a logical order so you can be easily understood?

Advanced: How can you use tone, expression and gesture to make your speaking engaging?

Mastery: How can you adapt the content of what you are saying, in response to listeners?

Speaking
More Problem Solving Skill Challenges

Consider the problem: a local charity wishes to organise an event in your local area which people of all ages can join in.  The event could be sporting, musical, a fête - whatever you think would attract the most people to it.

Consider:

  • Which activity would be best so that everyone could be involved?
  • Could you have a range of activities?
  • What other problems could arise?

Challenge: Bring this event to life!

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: What are the instructions?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of possible solutions?

Advanced: Why is it important to consider a range of solutions for problems?

Mastery: How might you choose between different solutions to a complex problem?

Problem Solving

Consider the problem: you are stranded on a desert island and need to find your way back home.

What would you do to try and get home? What items on an island could you use to help? What problems might you run into?

Come up with atvleast two different solutions as to how you would get home.

Extension: Pick which of your solutions is better and explain why.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: What are the instructions?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of possible solutions?

Advanced: Why is it important to consider a range of solutions for problems?

Mastery: How might you choose between different solutions to a complex problem?

Problem Solving

Imagine that you need to plan a fun activity for a group of people that you’ve never met before. It can be any type of activity, just something that you think everyone would enjoy!

What information could you use to help plan this activity? What questions could you ask to help you plan the activity?

Extension: Write down the pros and cons of the activity that you’ve planned.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: What are the instructions?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of possible solutions?

Advanced: Why is it important to consider a range of solutions for problems?

Mastery: How might you choose between different solutions to a complex problem?

Problem Solving

Imagine that you are going on a trip to a place that you have never visited.

What information do you need to know to successfully plan the trip and make it as fun as possible?

Make a list of the questions that you need to answer and where you might be able to find the information you need.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: Where are some of the different places you might find extra information?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of possible solutions?

Advanced: Why is it important to consider a range of solutions for problems?

Mastery: How might you choose between different solutions to a complex problem?

Problem Solving

Many people are concerned about the amount of plastic littering the streets, parks, rivers and beaches. Some common household items are now being made out of a different material. For example in the UK, drinks companies have to use paper straws instead of plastic.

Have a look around your home - which items are made of plastic? Can you come up with alternative materials these items could be made out of? What are the pros and cons of using an alternative material?

Share your ideas with another member of your household - can they think of others?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: What are the instructions?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of possible solutions?

Advanced: Why is it important to consider a range of solutions for problems?

Mastery: How might you choose between different solutions to a complex problem?

Problem Solving

A bridge is a great way to get from one place to another especially when there is something you can't walk on or across.

But do all bridges look the same? As you go to different places this week look out for any bridges you see.

In what ways are they the same? How are they different? Why do you think they are not all the same? Can you compare them? Do you have a favourite?

Extension: Can you draw the different bridges you have seen?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: What are the instructions?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of possible solutions?

Advanced: Why is it important to consider a range of solutions for problems?

Mastery: How might you choose between different solutions to a complex problem?

Problem Solving

Read a story or watch a film.

Pause when a character experiences a problem. Ask yourself, is this problem...

  • a simple problem? (it has one solution)
  • a complicated problem? (there are a few different solutions)
  • a complex problem? (there is no ‘correct solution’)

Write and/or draw how you would solve this problem, if you were the character.

Continuing reading or watching: how did the character solve the problem?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you best explain a problem you are having to someone else – what do they need to know?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of possible solutions?

Advanced: Why is it important to consider a range of solutions for problems?

Mastery: How might you choose between different solutions to a complex problem?

Problem Solving

Design a scavenger or treasure hunt for your family. To do this you need to hide treasure (for example a toy or prize) somewhere in your house or garden. You then need to write out and hide clues to help your family find the treasure.

Think about the places you want your family to visit as part of the treasure hunt. What question will you ask them in order to get them there?

Write your first clue out, then hide the next clue in the place that is the answer to the first. Do this four or five times so that the answer to the last clue is the place where the treasure is hidden.

Consider the different ways you can write your clues. How can you make them harder or easier?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: What are the instructions?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of possible solutions?

Advanced: Why is it important to consider a range of solutions for problems?

Mastery: How might you choose between different solutions to a complex problem?

Problem Solving
More Creativity Skill Challenges

Create a 'thank you' card for someone who has done something kind or helpful for you recently. This could be a friend, family member or even a teacher.

Develop ideas about what this card could include by considering what you know about this person.

Challenge: Consider how you might change the card if you were giving it to someone else.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you share what you imagine?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of different ideas?

Advanced: How can you combine different ideas to create new ones?

Mastery: How can you help someone else to be creative?

Creativity

Winter is the coldest time of the year. Design a new coat/jacket that could keep anyone warm no matter how cold it gets.

What will the coat look like? What specifically will keep people warm? Could it use technology in some way? How will it be different to a regular winter coat?

Extension: Think about who would most benefit from your newly designed coat.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you share what you imagine?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of different ideas?

Advanced: How can you combine different ideas to create new ones?

Mastery: How can you help someone else to be creative?

Creativity

Make a protective holder for an egg that would stop the egg from cracking if it was dropped from 2 metres high. Your aim is to generate an idea that fits this brief: do not break the egg!

Think about what materials you could use, think about if the materials are strong enough to hold the egg, think about how you could stop the egg from falling out of the holder.

Extension: Once you have tested the egg holder, write down how how you would improve it for next time.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you share what you imagine?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of different ideas?

Advanced: How can you combine different ideas to create new ones?

Mastery: How can you help someone else to be creative?

Creativity

Think of your favourite meals and foods. Create a cookbook to show others how they can make these meals.

How could you explain the recipes to others? Could you use words, pictures or videos?

Extension: imagine a brand new meal that you would like to eat and add the recipe to your cookbook.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you share what you imagine?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of different ideas?

Advanced: How can you combine different ideas to create new ones?

Mastery: How can you help someone else to be creative?

Creativity

With a family member or friend, listen to your favourite piece of music. Now each of you create a piece of artwork to describe how the piece of music made you feel?

Show your artwork to each other. Are they similar? Did the piece of music make you both feel the same way? Could you combine them to make one piece of artwork?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you share what you imagine?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of different ideas?

Advanced: How can you combine different ideas to create new ones?

Mastery: How can you help someone else to be creative?

Creativity

Think about your favourite food or ingredient. Now think about a member of your family or a friend's favourite food. Can you imagine a meal or dish that could include both these foods or ingredients?  What other ingredients would you need to use?

What would you call this dish? What would it look like? Can you draw it? How do you think it would taste? Can you describe this dish to your family member or friend, would they eat it?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you share what you imagine?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of different ideas?

Advanced: How can you combine different ideas to create new ones?

Mastery: How can you help someone else to be creative?

Creativity

Create your own animal by merging two animals together: e.g. Head of a Zebra, body of a Bear.

Can you draw it? What will you call your new animal? Where will it live? What is it like?

Extension - now create a new animal by merging three or four different animals.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you share what you imagine?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of different ideas?

Advanced: How can you combine different ideas to create new ones?

Mastery: How can you help someone else to be creative?

Creativity

Think of a game you like playing, it can be any type of game for example a board game, a card or a game that uses your imagination.

How can you make this game better? What could you change to make it more exciting or more interesting or so that more people can play?

Share your ideas with a friend or member of your family. What do they think? Do they have any suggestions?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you share what you imagine?

Intermediate: How can you come up with lots of different ideas?

Advanced: How can you combine different ideas to create new ones?

Mastery: How can you help someone else to be creative?

Creativity
More Staying Positive Skill Challenges

Get a piece of paper and write down everything that you have done to make yourself feel proud this week.

Think about if you faced any challenges. Think about every time you kept trying. Think about every time you encouraged someone else to keep trying too.

Extension: Do the same activity but for a family member or a friend, show them why they should feel positive and proud as well.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Staying Positive

Think about the last few weeks. Write down something that has happened that didn’t go to plan or even went wrong.

Below it, write down how you responded and how you kept trying to overcome the issue.

Extension: Do this multiple times to begin a journal/diary about how you stay positive.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How does this activity make you feel?

Intermediate: How could you use this activity to feel more positive when something goes wrong?

Advanced: How could this help you to look on the bright side of something?

Mastery: How can you manage your emotional response to best support others?

Staying Positive

Choose a character from a book you have read or a film you have watched. Did the character feel positive or negative? How did you know? Think about what they may have said or done to show you how they were feeling.

Think about how their mood may have changed throughout the book or film. Did they continue to feel positive or negative? If their mood changed, why did it change?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How does this activity make you feel?

Intermediate: How could you use this activity to feel more positive when something goes wrong?

Advanced: How could this help you to look on the bright side of something?

Mastery: How can you manage your emotional response to best support others?

Staying Positive

Think about 3 things you are grateful for today, that brighten your day and make you feel happy. They can be small things or big things.

Extension: Discuss your choices with members of your household and talk about other things that have brightened their day today too.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How does this activity make you feel?

Intermediate: How could you use this activity to feel more positive when something goes wrong?

Advanced: How could this help you to look on the bright side of something?

Mastery: How can you manage your emotional response to best support others?

Staying Positive

Every cloud has a silver lining’ or ‘look on the bright side’ are phrases you may have heard your teachers, family members or friends say when something has gone wrong. What do you think these phrases mean?

Talk to a family member or friend about them.

Share your feelings about a time when something positive has come from a mistake or from something going wrong.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How does this activity make you feel?

Intermediate: How could you use this activity to feel more positive when something goes wrong?

Advanced: How could this help you to look on the bright side of something?

Mastery: How can you manage your emotional response to best support others?

Staying Positive

Create a Positivity Poster to display at home.

  1. Write words and phrases to help people stay positive.
  2. Draw pictures to illustrate each phrase.
Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How does this activity make you feel?

Intermediate: How could you use this activity to feel more positive when something goes wrong?

Advanced: How could this help you to look on the bright side of something?

Mastery: How can you manage your emotional response to best support others?

Staying Positive

Think of your favourite place. How does this place make you feel?

Can you describe your favourite place? Think about what makes it special for you.

What is in your favourite place? Are there any people or animals in your favourite place? What can you smell or hear?  

What do you think would happen if you thought about your favourite place when you were feeling angry or sad? Is this something you could try?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How does this activity make you feel?

Intermediate: How could you use this activity to feel more positive when something goes wrong?

Advanced: How could this help you to look on the bright side of something?

Mastery: How can you manage your emotional response to best support others?

Staying Positive

Think of an activity, task or situation that you find challenging.

What would success look like for you in this situation?

Draw how your success would look (or write it down).

What steps could you take to make this success real?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How does this activity make you feel?

Intermediate: How could you use this activity to feel more positive when something goes wrong?

Advanced: How could this help you to look on the bright side of something?

Mastery: How can you manage your emotional response to best support others?

Staying Positive
More Aiming High Skill Challenges

Think about a hobby you practise regularly, like reading or playing a particular game.

Set yourself a new challenge to help you improve at the hobby. This could be learning new words from a book or learning a new skill in a game. Give yourself a deadline to achieve this.

Think about what you might need to do to achieve this goal and then give it a go.

Extension: think about why having goals is important.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Aiming High

Think about everything that you have accomplished at home and at school this year. Then think about what else you want to achieve next year.

Write down 3-5 goals that you want to achieve next year.

Extension: Put these goals in order of importance, start with the least important and end with the most important.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Aiming High

Think of a task that you do on a regular basis. For example, brushing your teeth or reading a book. What do you need to do this task really well? For example, to concentrate on reading, you might need to remove distractions or find a quiet place in the house.

Once you have completed this task, how do you know that you have completed it well? How does it feel when you have done something well?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Aiming High

Pick something that you have completed or been successful at recently. It could be something you did at school or in a club, or something from home like cleaning your room or finishing a book. It can be a big success or something small that you are proud of.

Make an award or certificate for yourself to celebrate your success. Share your success with a family member or friend.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Aiming High

Think about a journey that you make quite regularly, for example the walk or ride to school or home or to a club you go to. How much attention do you pay to the details of the journey? Try to draw or write down every step of the journey.

Next time you do this journey, check what you have remembered. How much attention did you pay to the smaller details, did you remember colours or writings on signs?

Next time you are carrying out a task, stop and think about any details you may need to pay attention to. What difference will taking the time to do this have on how you complete your task?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Aiming High

This week, set yourself a new challenge. It might be to:

  • learn the rules of a new game
  • learn how to play a new piece of music
  • try a new sport or exercise
  • get up (or go to bed) earlier
  • cook something new
  • start a new book by an author you've never read before
  • reduce your screen time

or something else totally different and new!

How does it feel to be out of your comfort zone? Will you keep up this new activity?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Aiming High

Think of two or three tasks you have completed successfully in the last few weeks.  

How did you know you were successful?

What did it feel like when you succeeded? Did you take time to recognise and celebrate your success?

How does it feel now when you are thinking about it?

Over the next week try and take the time to recognise your successes (no matter how small they may seem). You might try just stopping for a moment and feeling proud of what you have achieved.

Extension:
Do you ever celebrate other people's successes? Take a moment this week to celebrate somebody else's success. It might be as simple as telling someone 'well done' or 'great job'. How did this make you feel?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Aiming High

Think about three things you have achieved this year.

What did you do to make sure you were successful? Is there anything you could have done differently?

Can you build on these successes in 2023? How will you do this?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How do you know if something is too difficult for you?

Intermediate: Why is it important to be willing to take on new challenges?

Advanced: What resources might you need to achieve your goals?

Mastery: What steps do you need to put in place to make your goals happen?

Aiming High
More Leadership Skill Challenges

Hold a discussion with your family members or a group of friends to decide on an indoor activity that you are going to do together.

Think about how you will include everyone. Think about how you are going to manage a group discussion and come to a shared decision.

Extension: With your family members or a group of friends, give the activity a go.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?

Intermediate: How can you find out more about strengths and weaknesses in others?

Advanced: How might you be able to motivate others to improve their weaknesses?

Mastery: What kind of leader would you like to be?

Leadership

How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?Draw a picture of yourself in the middle of the page, around the picture write down all of your strengths. For example, ‘I listen to others without interrupting’.

After you have written your strengths, in a different colour write down anything you could improve on. For example, ‘I listen to others and record important information as I do'.

Extension: Circle or underline the thing you most want to improve on.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you feel different emotions?

Intermediate: What could you do if things don’t go to plan?

Advanced: What are good leaders able to do?

Mastery: What kind of leader would you like to be?

Leadership

Draw a picture or cut out pictures of three people. Imagine they are all on the way to play a sport. Draw a thought bubble to show how each person feels. Make each person have a different emotion. How might they show that emotion? How might the other people react?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?

Intermediate: How can you find out more about strengths and weaknesses in others?

Advanced: How might you be able to motivate others to improve their weaknesses?

Mastery: What kind of leader would you like to be?

Leadership

Create a feelings chart to describe how you are feeling each day this week. You can pick the theme of the chart - for example, you could make a feelings weather chart which describes how you feel by linking it to different types of weather (sunny = happy; cloudy = ... ) Pick a theme that makes sense to you.

Try to complete the chart every morning and evening this week. At the end of the week, take a look back and see if there are any patterns to how you have felt this week. Did you always feel the same way every morning? Did this feeling stay with you until the evening or did it change? You could ask a member of your household to do this with you.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?

Intermediate: How can you find out more about strengths and weaknesses in others?

Advanced: What are good leaders able to do?

Mastery: How do different Leadership styles affect other people?

Leadership

Draw a picture of yourself as a leader. Around your drawing write down your leadership strengths (the things that make you a good leader). Now ask a family member or friend to do the same thing. Compare your drawings. Did you both identify the same strengths?

Work together to identify 3 more strengths to add to your own list. Over the next week, complete 3 tasks at home to apply your strengths.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?

Intermediate: How can you find out more about strengths and weaknesses in others?

Advanced: How might you be able to motivate others to improve their weaknesses?

Mastery: What kind of leader would you like to be?

Leadership

Each evening for the next week, consider how you have felt throughout the day.

How can you express this to someone in your household? You could write it down or draw how you feel. Or would it be easier to talk about it?

Throughout the week try a few different ways of expressing how you have felt that day. Which way was the easiest method for you to explain your feelings? How did the other person react?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?

Intermediate: How can you find out more about strengths and weaknesses in others?

Advanced: How might you be able to motivate others to improve their weaknesses?

Mastery: What kind of leader would you like to be?

Leadership

What do you think makes a good leader? Draw this person. Can you tell they are good leader from your drawing?

Now think of a person you know, or have seen on the TV or a book, who is a good leader. Draw them. Do they look like your first drawing? What is it that makes this person a good leader? What qualities do they have?

Extension:
Ask a friend or family member to think of someone they think is a good leader and to draw them.What qualities do they think a good leader has? Now think about whether you have any of the same qualities? What could you do to develop these qualities further?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?

Intermediate: How can you find out more about strengths and weaknesses in others?

Advanced: How might you be able to motivate others to improve their weaknesses?

Mastery: What kind of leader would you like to be?

Leadership

Invite everyone in your household to make a suggestion for a meal to cook one evening this week.

Can you manage the discussion so that everyone gets a chance to share their ideas and opinions in a fair way and come up with a way of making a group decision together?

Extension: Can you organise who will do what task to make the meal a success?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: How can you find out about how others are feeling about something?

Intermediate: How can you find out more about strengths and weaknesses in others?

Advanced: How might you be able to motivate others to improve their weaknesses?

Mastery: What kind of leader would you like to be?

Leadership
More Teamwork Skill Challenges

Work with members of your family or your friends to create the tallest free-standing tower. This means it can't lean on anything.

You can use anything in your house to create it. You could use cushions, cereal boxes, Lego, cardboard boxes. You could even challenge yourself and others by trying to use unexpected items.

Extension: If and when it falls over, try to make it even taller.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you find it easier (or more difficult) to work with others in a positive way?

Intermediate: Have you helped make decisions with others?

Advanced: How can you encourage others to help out too?

Mastery: What is an 'unhelpful conflict'? How can you avoid this when working with others?

Teamwork

Work with members of your family to cook or bake something. Share your ideas and come to a group decision on what you will make and how you will make it.

Make sure everyone involved has a task that they are responsible for.

Extension: Once you have finished cooking/baking, discuss with your family why it was useful to work in a team.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you find it easier (or more difficult) to work with others in a positive way?

Intermediate: Have you helped make decisions with others?

Advanced: How can you encourage others to help out too?

Mastery: What is an 'unhelpful conflict'? How can you avoid this when working with others?

Teamwork

Think of a job you might like to do in the future. Do you have to work as part of a team in this job?

Write a list or create a poster of how you might be expected to behave and communicate in this job. You might like to think about the dress code, what time you would arrive to work, what language you might use when speaking with your teammates.

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you find it easier (or more difficult) to work with others in a positive way?

Intermediate: Have you helped make decisions with others?

Advanced: How can you encourage others to help out too?

Mastery: What is an 'unhelpful conflict'? How can you avoid this when working with others?

Teamwork

Think of a time when someone has helped you complete a task.

Write a 'thank you' card to express your appreciation.

You could include:

  • what they helped you with
  • why it was useful
  • how it made completing the task easier or more fun.

Extension: could you suggest a new project to work on together in the future?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you find it easier (or more difficult) to work with others in a positive way?

Intermediate: Have you helped make decisions with others?

Advanced: How can you encourage others to help out too?

Mastery: What is an 'unhelpful conflict'? How can you avoid this when working with others?

Teamwork

Work with members of your family to design and build a den. Share your ideas and come to a group decision on how you will make it. The den could be built outside with natural materials or indoors with furniture and blankets. Take a picture of the finished den from inside looking out and outside looking in!

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you find it easier (or more difficult) to work with others in a positive way?

Intermediate: Have you helped make decisions with others?

Advanced: How can you encourage others to help out too?

Mastery: What is an 'unhelpful conflict'? How can you avoid this when working with others?

Teamwork

When you are outside with your family, work together to create a piece of natural art. You could be in the garden, at the park, the woods or even the seaside.

Encourage everyone to join in and decide together where to make the art, what to use and what it will look like. Work as a team to gather natural resources such as sticks, leaves, stones or shells to create your art. Can you share ideas and come to an agreement about the design? Can you help each other while creating it?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you find it easier (or more difficult) to work with others in a positive way?

Intermediate: Have you helped make decisions with others?

Advanced: How can you encourage others to help out too?

Mastery: What is an 'unhelpful conflict'? How can you avoid this when working with others?

Teamwork

Research a culture that is different from your own.

Create a poster celebrating what you have learnt.
Your research could cover:

  • people and events throughout history
  • food, art and popular culture

Extension: explore diversity in your own networks. Do you connect with people whose experiences might be different from your own?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you find it easier (or more difficult) to work with others in a positive way?

Intermediate: Have you helped make decisions with others?

Advanced: How can you encourage others to help out too?

Mastery: What is an 'unhelpful conflict'? How can you avoid this when working with others?

Teamwork

Think about a time you when have seen someone struggle with a task or activity they were doing.

If this situation happens again, is there anything you can do to support that person?

Now think of a time when you were struggling to complete a task or activity, what could someone have done to support you?

How would this support make you feel?

Reflection Questions

Getting Started: When do you find it easier (or more difficult) to work with others in a positive way?

Intermediate: Have you helped make decisions with others?

Advanced: How can you encourage others to help out too?

Mastery: What is an 'unhelpful conflict'? How can you avoid this when working with others?

Teamwork

Start building another skill

ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork

Start building another skill

ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork

Start building another skill

ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork

Start building another skill

ListeningSpeakingProblem SolvingCreativityStaying PositiveAiming HighLeadershipTeamwork