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Coping with Changes: Social-Emotional Learning Through Play

Learn how to provide playful and engaging social emotional learning (SEL) support to children affected by COVID-19 disruption.

20,512 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    9 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
  • Digital upgrade

    Free
  • Accreditation

    AvailableMore info
The CPD Certification Service

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.

Discover mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and SEL strategies

COVID-19 means children around the world must adjust to school closure, social distancing, school reopening (but looking different), and the probability of more school closures in future.

These changes will impact children’s academic outcomes as well as challenge their mental health and socio-emotional wellbeing, which forms the basis of their ability to learn.

On this course, you’ll explore the practical and emotional challenges facing children and discover learning through play and stress management strategies that can help.

You’ll also consider the potential long term effects of crises on a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development.

Download video: standard or HD

What topics will you cover?

  • Foundations of Learning through Play  
  • Importance of MHPSS / SEL in Crisis 
  • Adult Wellbeing  
  • Age sensitive SEL knowledge and activities
  • Coping with Changes and Transitions 

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service
The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Apply social emotional learning through Play in practise
  • Identify how we learn through play
  • Demonstrate strategies to support a child’s learning through play in relation to social-emotional learning
  • Explain Mental Health Psychosocial Support and Social Emotional Learning
  • Demonstrate mitigation strategies
  • Identify the challenges children may face in transitions back and forth from remote learning/homes to in-person/schools during crisis
  • Develop routines to create a sense of normalcy through rapid transitions and changes
  • Apply strategies to collaborate with other adults to create consistency across a child’s social-ecological system
  • Explain why adult wellbeing is important for children
  • Demonstrate stress management strategies, including mindfulness, individual and social strategies
  • Explore the different phases of brain development and the potential effects of crisis on their social, emotional, and cognitive development
  • Apply psychosocial support for children in early childhood 
  • Design their own age-sensitive activities to support children in crisis

Who is the course for?

This course is primarily designed for primary caregivers and teachers of young people.

The course will also be of interest to culture and social workers, artists, and humanitarian workers.

Who will you learn with?

Programme Specialist at the LEGO Foundation

Facilitation Innovation Specialist at LegoFoundation

Who developed the course?

The LEGO Foundation

The LEGO Foundation aims to build a future in which learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. Read about our different programmes, projects we support, our research agenda and more in this section.

What's included?

The LEGO Foundation are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible
  • Learning on FutureLearn

    Your learning, your rules

    • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
    • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
    • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

    Join a global classroom

    • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
    • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
    • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

    Map your progress

    • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
    • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
    • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

    Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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