Gentle Hands Lesson GuideGentle Hands Tier 3 Intervention Guide 20 Minutes WHY IT MATTERS Reinforcing gentle touch skills reduces aggressive behaviors, promotes social safety, and supports emotional regulation in Pre-K learners. PREP WORK ○ Review Touch vs. Grab Visuals ○ Gather 2-3 stuffed animals ○ Print Role-Play Prompts ○ Print Gentle Hands Pledge OBJECTIVE Teach the student to replace hitting or grabbing with gentle touches through modeling and guided practice. LESSON FLOW 1 Introduction (2 min) Welcome the student: "Today we're learning how to use gentle hands!" Show visuals and ask: "What do you notice about these pictures?" 2 Model Gentle vs. Grab (5 min) Demonstrate a gentle touch vs. a grab on a stuffed animal. Label each action clearly: "This is gentle. This is grabbing." 3 Practice (7 min) Student practices gentle touches on toys. Use specific praise: "Great gentle touch!" Correct grabs immediately with a model. 4 Role-Play (4 min) Act out sharing or asking for help. Encourage gentle taps and kind words. Ask: "How did that feel for you?" 5 Pledge & Cool-Down (2 min) Read the Gentle Hands Pledge. Invite the student to sign it. Remind them to use gentle hands all day long. Social-Emotional Learning • Level 3 Intervention © Educational Resources 2026
Gentle Hands SlidesGentle Touch Soft, gentle touches show kindness and care. Teacher Note: Explain that gentle touches are soft, safe, and friendly. Demonstrate by softly patting a stuffed animal. Grab Hard grabs can hurt and make friends feel sad. Teacher Note: Explain that grabbing is a hard hold that can hurt. Demonstrate by squeezing the stuffed animal too tightly. Which is Gentle? A soft pat on the back Pulling a toy away hard Teacher Note: Ask the student to point to the picture that shows a gentle touch. Praise them when they choose correctly.
Soft Touches ActivitySoft Touches Practice Hands-On Activity Guide Objective Give the student hands-on practice replacing grabs with gentle touches using a favorite stuffed animal. 1 Invite & Set Up (1 min) "Let's pick a friend to practice gentle hands!" Have the student choose a stuffed animal. 2 Model Gentle Touch (2 min) Demonstrate a soft hug or gentle pat. Say: "Gentle hands feel nice and make our friends happy." 3 Guided Practice (3 min) Prompt: "Now you try! Show me how you give a gentle hug." Correct squeezed-too-hard touches by guiding their hand softly. 4 Turn-Taking Practice (3 min) Practice "gentle high-fives" with the animal. Let the student be the animal too! 5 Reflection (1 min) Ask: "Which touch felt best? Why do we use gentle hands?" Reinforce the idea of kindness. Teacher Notes Space
Gentle Role Play ScriptGentle Role Play Script Practice scenarios for kind interactions Scenario 1: Sharing a Toy Social Skills Teacher Script: "Let’s pretend I’m your friend and I want to play with your toy. When I reach to grab it, show me how you can use gentle hands instead of grabbing back." Follow-up Question: "Great gentle touch! How did my hand feel when you used gentle hands?" Scenario 2: Asking for Help Communication Teacher Script: "Now imagine your blocks fell on the floor and you need my help. Instead of grabbing my arm hard, show me how you can gently tap my arm to get my attention." Follow-up Question: "Awesome gentle tap! How do you think I felt when you tapped gently?" Scenario 3: Greeting a Friend Manners Teacher Script: "Let’s practice saying hello. Your friend walks in—give me a gentle high-five to say ‘hi.’" Follow-up Question: "Nice gentle high-five! How do you think that made your friend feel?"
Gentle Hands PledgeGentle Hands Pledge I am kind, I am safe! I promise to use gentle hands with my friends and my toys. I will touch softly, tap gently, and give kind hugs. Together, we keep everyone safe and happy! Repeat after me: "I use gentle hands!" Sign your name to show you'll remember: Sign Here
