Breakthrough Moment: Using Animation to Explain Social Emotional Learning to the World
When Committee for Children - a global nonprofit dedicated to helping children build essential human skills - approached Watts Media, they needed a film that could explain Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in a way that resonated across cultures, ages, and backgrounds. SEL has only grown more vital in today’s world, where skills like resilience, empathy, and emotional regulation are recognized as foundational to a child’s long‑term success. Committee for Children’s programs now reach over 26.9 million children worldwide each year, underscoring the scale and importance of this work.
More than a decade after its release, this film remains one of the most requested pieces Watts has ever produced — a timeless, globally relevant introduction to SEL.
The Challenge
Explaining SEL in a Way Everyone Can Understand
Committee for Children needed a video that could communicate the importance of SEL — the process through which children learn to manage emotions, build relationships, make responsible decisions, and develop lifelong human skills .
The challenge was twofold:
Make SEL universally relatable across cultures, races, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Avoid academic jargon while still honoring the depth and research behind SEL, which is grounded in decades of evidence‑based practice and supported by leading organizations like CASEL and Committee for Children
This video needed to speak to everyone - educators, parents, policymakers, and students - without losing clarity or emotional impact.
Our Solution
A Universal Visual Language
Watts created a distinctive animation style built around simple, expressive characters and everyday scenarios that anyone could identify with. The goal was to show that SEL is not abstract theory — it’s a set of human skills that shape how we grow, connect, and succeed in life .
Storytelling That Transcends Borders
Through animation, we illustrated how SEL skills learned in childhood — empathy, self‑awareness, problem‑solving, emotional regulation — continue to benefit us throughout our lives, no matter where we live or what circumstances we face.
The film avoided technical definitions and instead focused on the human experience of SEL:
navigating conflict
understanding emotions
building healthy relationships
making thoughtful decisions
This approach made the message accessible to global audiences while staying true to the research‑based foundation of SEL.
The Outcome
A Timeless, Globally Used SEL Explainer
The final video became one of Committee for Children’s most widely used communication tools. It has been shared with teachers, parents, and students around the world, helping introduce the value of SEL in classrooms, training sessions, conferences, and community programs.
More than 12 years later, Watts still receives calls and emails from educators and organizations asking to use the film in presentations - a testament to its clarity, emotional resonance, and enduring relevance.
As SEL continues to gain national and global attention — with major education organizations and policymakers emphasizing its role in student well‑being and academic success — this film remains a powerful, evergreen resource.
