Emotional intelligence activity
Look for the Helpers
When something scary or sad happens (a person hurt, a fire, a storm), look for the helpers — the people trying to fix it. They make scary things less scary. You can be a helper too — by being kind.
Materials and setup
- paper
- pencil
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
When something scary or sad happens (a person hurt, a fire, a storm), look for the helpers — the people trying to fix it. They make scary things less scary. You can be a helper too — by being kind.
Steps
- Draw a picture of a helper who keeps you safe (a firefighter, doctor, paramedic, parent, neighbor, or teacher).
- Talk about scary or sad things that sometimes happen: someone gets hurt, there's a fire, there's a big storm.
- Name the helpers in your picture: they run TOWARD the problem to fix it.
- Practice saying out loud: 'When I see something scary, I look for the helpers.'
- Talk about how YOU can be a helper too — by being kind, by helping a friend, by sharing.
Learning objectives
- Identify trusted helpers in scary situations
- Use the 'look for the helpers' tool to feel less scared
- See themselves as a potential helper through kindness
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Think of a sad or scary thing in the news or in your school. Who are the helpers in that story? Name them.
Steps
- With a parent, pick one sad or scary story you've heard about (in the news, at school, in your neighborhood). Keep it age-appropriate.
- Together, list all the helpers in the story: who is trying to fix it or comfort the people affected?
- Draw a picture of one helper doing their job.
- Talk about: how does it feel to focus on the helpers instead of the bad thing?
- Name 3 helpers in your own life who keep you safe.
- Send (or plan to send) a thank-you drawing to one of them.
Learning objectives
- Apply 'look for the helpers' to a real story
- Identify helpers in personal life
- Practice gratitude through a thank-you action
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Mr. Rogers said: 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' This is a real coping tool. Write down 3 helpers in your community. For ONE of them, plan how you could thank them this week.
Steps
- Read or hear the Mr. Rogers quote: when scary things happen in the news, his mother told him to look for the helpers — you'll always find people who are helping.
- Talk about why this works: focusing on the helpers reminds us most people are good, and that bad things get fixed by people who care.
- Write down 3 helpers in your community. Be specific: a firefighter at the local station, the librarian at your library, the worker at the food bank, your school nurse, your trash collector.
- Pick ONE of them. Plan how you could thank them this week: a handwritten note, a drawing, baked cookies, a visit with your parent.
- Carry out the plan. Notice how it feels.
- Reflect in 3 sentences: who did you thank, what did you do, how did it make you (and them) feel?
Learning objectives
- Apply the 'look for the helpers' framework as a coping tool
- Identify specific helpers in your local community
- Plan and execute a real thank-you action
- Reflect on the emotional impact of gratitude in action
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Explore the 'helpers' framework as a resilience tool: when you face something hard, identifying the helpers makes you feel less alone. List a tough situation, list 5 people or groups already helping, list what YOU could do as a helper. Real activists do this — it turns helplessness into action.
Steps
- Pick one tough situation you or someone you know is facing. It can be local (a friend going through a hard time, a community problem) or bigger (a news story affecting people).
- Write the situation at the top of a page in 1-2 sentences.
- List at least 5 people or organizations already helping. Be specific (Red Cross volunteers, the school counselor, a specific charity, a particular neighbor, a teacher).
- Now list what YOU could do as a helper. Even small things count: write a letter, donate a few dollars from your own savings, share information with friends, volunteer time, make something useful.
- Pick one realistic action you'll take this week. Schedule it.
- Do it. Then write a short reflection: how did it feel to move from helpless to helpful?
- Discuss with a parent: real activists, citizens, and leaders use this exact framework. It turns helplessness into action.
Learning objectives
- Use the 'helpers' framework as a structured resilience tool
- Identify multiple existing helpers in any tough situation
- Plan and take a real action as a helper
- Connect personal action to broader civic engagement
- Convert helplessness into agency
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
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