Cup Filler SEL Starters | 22 Kindness, Community & Connection Bell Ringers

These 22 Cup Filler SEL starters make it simple to embed connection, empathy, and kindness into your classroom. Use them as bell ringers, morning meetings, tutor time activities, advisory discussions, or homeroom starters to help students recognise what fills their cups and how they can fill others’.

What does it mean to “fill your cup”?

Everyone has an invisible “cup” that represents their energy, emotions, and sense of wellbeing. When your cup is full, you feel calm, happy, and ready to take on the day. When it’s empty, you might feel tired, cranky, or disconnected. Intentionally spending time filling our cups, and each others, means that we can foster a stronger and more positive classroom community.

What’s included with these Cup Filler community building starters:

• 22 printable Cup Filling SEL slips (ready to print & use)
• Prompts designed for Grades 5–12 (engaging and age-appropriate)
• Activities that build kindness, connection, and community
• Easy to weave into class routines with zero prep
  
  

Why you'll love these Cup Filler Bell Ringers:

• Quick but powerful: 5 minutes or less
• Are completed totally independently at their desks
• Opens up authentic opportunities for skill building, discussions, and teachable moments that make SEL feel natural, not forced.
• Tween and teen-friendly prompts that are fresh, real, and engaging, no babyish ‘same same’ tasks.
• Zero prep: just print and go
• Flexible use: bell ringers, tutor time, homeroom, or exit tickets
• Behaviour bonus: starter activities build calm, consistent routines and reduces low-level disruptions
• Student buy-in: fresh, relatable prompts, not the same tired SEL questions

Why your students will love these Cup Filling activities:

• Prompts feel personal and fun, not repetitive
• Builds a sense of belonging and inclusion
• Encourages kindness and appreciation in everyday ways
• Quick and engaging

These Cup Filler SEL starters help students build empathy, strengthen classroom community, and create a culture where everyone feels valued.

Want 100+ daily SEL prompts?

Grab the full SEL Starters Bundle to get Growth Mindset, Gratitude, Emotional Literacy, Mindfulness, and Cup Fillers all together, over 100 quick, ready-to-use slips to make SEL simple and consistent all year long.

Looking for a year-long SEL routine instead of one-off starters?

Check out Strong Inside: A Full Year Daily SEL Journal for Middle & High School - 40 weeks of engaging, student-facing activities perfect for bell ringers, morning meetings, tutor time, or homeroom.