Grades K–3
Animal Breathing Cards
Four calming breaths to try: lion breath, bee breath, elephant breath and teddy bear belly breathing.
SEL worksheet · Mindfulness and calming
Make a Calm-Down Jar
Number the six steps for making a glitter calm-down jar, then think about how your busy thoughts settle like the glitter.
- Grade level
- Grades 1–4
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Calming strategies, Breathing, Noticing and focus, Self-regulation
What kids do
Printed on the sheet:
- Grown-ups help with this one. A calm-down jar is a jar of water and glitter. When you shake it, the glitter swirls like busy thoughts. Watch it settle while you breathe.
- Number the steps from 1 to 6.
- Put the lid on tight. A grown-up can glue it shut.
- Fill a plastic jar most of the way with warm water.
- Watch the glitter slowly settle as you breathe.
- Add a big squeeze of clear glue.
- Add a spoonful of glitter and stir.
- How is your mind like the jar?
Teacher tip
Make the jars as a class. Shake one and watch the glitter settle as you breathe.
How to use it
- Teach the strategy when kids are calm, so it is ready for big moments.
- Use it after recess or before a test to settle the room.
- Let kids choose to share or keep their answers private. Both are fine.
Watch for
Some kids don’t like closing their eyes. Let them look at the floor instead.
Talk about it
- Which calming idea worked best for you?
- How might someone else see it differently?
Take it further
Start each afternoon with one minute of mindful breathing.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More mindfulness and calming worksheets
Grades 1–5
5-4-3-2-1 Calm Down
Notice 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you can touch, 2 you smell and 1 you taste to feel calm and present.
Grades K–5
Mindful Coloring Pattern
Color a round pattern slowly, one ring at a time, and notice your breathing as you go.
Grades K–3
Calming Choices
Color the twelve choices that help your body calm down and cross out the ones that do not.
Free for teachers
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