CHILDREN’S EMOTIONAL WELLNESS (CHEW) PROGRAM
CHEW for Classrooms
The Children’s Emotional Wellness (CHEW) Program is ELF’s foundational program, created to provide teachers with effective tools to foster emotional intelligence in children. CHEW was developed by a team of early childhood educators and mental health professionals and is aligned with the five core competencies of The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) which are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
CHEW is a five-day program consisting of daily 15 to 30 minute lessons led by the classroom teacher in a group setting. Each day focuses on an essential emotional wellness theme: Calming, Empowerment, Feelings, Kindness, and Happiness.
The program is centered around Piggie Bear, ELF’s beloved ambassador, who serves as an emotional bridge to make learning safe, relatable and fun. The lessons are developmentally appropriate, easy for teachers to implement, and designed to be revisited throughout the school year to reinforce learning and support lasting emotional growth.
Participating classrooms receive a CHEW Toolkit containing a Piggie Bear plush, Piggie Bear Power Cards, and The Power of Piggie Bear book. Teachers also receive a digital teacher guide with daily lesson outlines.
Through Piggie Bear’s educational tools, stories, exercises and songs, the CHEW program teaches children:
- How to identify and manage their emotions
- How to talk about their emotions
- How to shift their emotions and feel better
- How to resolve conflicts with peers
- Use of empowering words
- Practice kindness to oneself and others
CHEW equips educators, caregivers, and families with practical tools to build emotional literacy, resilience, and self-regulation skills. Our approach is unique in its focus on prevention, accessibility, and early whole-child support, helping create stronger foundations for lifelong mental health and learning success.
Since the launch of the CHEW program in 2023, there have been over 700 participating classrooms, reaching over 13,000 children
What Teachers are Saying
CHEW Program Information
Program Overview
CHEW’s week-long program involves engaging your students in a series of activities in a large group setting. These activities are carefully crafted to align with the core competencies of the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
Themed Focus
Each day of the program focuses on a different emotional characteristic, providing a comprehensive approach to emotional well-being. The daily themes include:
– Calming Day
– Empowerment Day
– Feelings Day
– Kindness Day
– Happiness Day
What's Included
The program provides a teacher’s guide with links to recordings, a Piggie Bear plush, The Power of Piggie Bear book, and Piggie Bear Power Cards. Children will also receive daily take home activities to do with their families.
Sign Your Classroom Up for ELF’s Children’s Emotional Wellness Program
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