Coping Skills Teaching Resources
Help your students build coping skills and strategies this school year with printables, activities and more teaching resources created by teachers for teachers like you!
This social emotional learning resource collection is packed with teacher-created worksheets and other helpful tools designed to help kids learn what coping skills are and how to use them to manage their emotions.
Looking for some tips on teaching kids to how to cope with challenges? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including examples of skills to share with your students, plus a kid-friendly way to explain the meaning of these skills.
What Are Coping Skills? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Do you need a kid-friendly definition to help explain what these skills are to your students? Try this one from our teacher team:
Coping skills are the special tools we use to help us deal with tough situations and big feelings or help us manage our emotions when things don't go as planned.
Our coping skills help us feel better and stronger, and they can make us feel more in control of our emotions and feelings.
Teaching kids to face their worries and concerns head-on is part of developing good coping skills.
Examples of Coping Skills for Kids to Share in the Classroom
This collection is packed with examples of coping skills built from the study of stress and how individuals adapt to challenging circumstances, but our teacher team didn't stop there.
We have put together a handy list of skills to focus on in the classroom to provide your students with a full toolkit of strategies they can use when they're feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious.
The coping skills that work best for each student are just as personal as the students themselves, and their ability to make use of each skill successfully can likewise be individual. One student may find that taking deep breaths is a great way to calm down when they're feeling overwhelmed, for example, while another student may fare better talking about their problems with a trusted adult.
This is why we suggest teaching your primary school students various coping skills and strategies so kids can pick and choose the ones that work best for them.
Here are some examples of coping skills for kids that we suggest sharing with your class!
- Deep Breathing — Learning to take deep breaths when you're feeling emotional is simple, but these exercises have plenty of research behind them that speaks to their efficacy in helping kids calm down and manage stress.
- Positive Self-Talk — Teach your students some positive affirmations they can use to reframe negative thoughts and develop a more optimistic outlook.
- Problem-Solving — Work on breaking down problems into smaller parts and brainstorming possible solutions helps them feel more in control and empowered.
- Asking for Help — Let your students know that asking for help from trusted adults, such as teachers or parents, when facing difficulties or feeling overwhelmed isn't just OK. It's a great coping mechanism to use!
- Mindfulness — Meditation, body scans and other mindfulness activities can help your students develop awareness of their thoughts, emotions and sensations so they can cope better when they're stressed.
- Exercise — Kids and adults can both release pent-up energy and reduce stress with something as simple as getting active, whether it's going for a run, taking a walk or practising yoga.
- Art — Teaching your students to explore their emotions through art, such as drawing or journaling, allows them to process and communicate their feelings. Simple doodling, for example, is a perfect outlet for many students that doesn't require much more than a pencil and a piece of paper!
- Plus Plan
Resilience Word Search
Use this resilience word search to immerse your students in the key vocabulary related to this important social-emotional skill.
- Free Plan
Mindful Breathing Templates
Help your students to calm themselves down when they are feeling upset or anxious with these 8 mindful breathing templates.
- Plus Plan
Calm Down Corner Classroom Decor Pack
Create a classroom calming corner with a printable Calm Corner Decor Pack.
- Plus Plan
Anti-Bullying Colouring Sheets
Discourage bullying and promote kindness in the classroom with a set of printable Anti-Bullying Colouring Sheets.
- Plus Plan
Oral Language Activities
Share these oral language activities with your students to help them practise listening to others, expressing opinions, receiving instructions, and more!
- Plus Plan
Managing Big Emotions – Interactive Activity
Teach students how to manage emotions using healthy coping skills with this interactive scenario game for the early years classroom.
- Plus Plan
Coping Skills Wheel – Poster
Help your students learn and apply emotional self-regulation skills with this coping skills wheel of choices poster.
- Plus Plan
My Calm-Down Toolkit
Help your students calm down when they experience a big emotion with this printable coping skills toolbox template.
- Plus Plan
Dealing with Bullying Teaching Slides
Teach your students about bullying and how to deal with it with this comprehensive teaching presentation.
- Free Plan
My Body Warning Signs - Worksheet
Help students identify the body signs that indicate they are feeling unsafe with this cut and paste worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Emotional Self-Regulation Poster
Promote emotional awareness and self-regulation in your classroom with this classroom poster.
- Plus Plan
I Need a Break! Card Templates
Help your students regulate their emotions by presenting them with an ‘I Need a Break!’ Card for a few minutes of downtime.
- Plus Plan
Managing Big Emotions – Cut and Paste Worksheets
Empower students to identify and manage big emotions with this set of cut-and-paste worksheets for early years students.
- Plus Plan
Coping Strategies for Managing Stress Teaching Slides
Use this informative set of 21 teaching slides to introduce or revisit coping strategies for students to manage stress.
- Plus Plan
Emotion Strategies Wheel
Help your students self-regulate when they experience 'big' emotions with this hands-on emotions wheel with accompanying calming strategies.
- Plus Plan
I Need a Break - Choice Boards
Help upset students regulate their emotions in the classroom with our printable ‘I Need a Break!’ choice boards.
- Plus Plan
Calming Down Mini-Book
Help your students to keep calm when they are experiencing heightened emotions with this social story mini-book.
- Plus Plan
Introduction to Emotions Teaching Slides
Teach your students to understand and manage their emotions with this comprehensive teaching presentation for your social-emotional learning lessons.
- Free Plan
My Feelings Volcano Worksheet
Prevent students from being overcome by strong emotions with this volcano-themed coping skills worksheet.
- Plus Plan
What Is Resilience? Teaching Slides
Teach your students the meaning of resilience with this age-appropriate slide deck perfect for your social-emotional learning lessons.
- Plus Plan
Stress Management Techniques for Kids Teaching Slides
An editable PowerPoint presentation to use when teaching your students about stress management.
- Plus Plan
Managing Emotions Mini-Book
Help your early years students explore and manage their emotional responses with this printable mini-book.
- Plus Plan
Calming Down Strategies Classroom Poster
Make calming down strategies easily accessible for your students with this classroom display poster.
- Plus Plan
Name Five Things - Calming Strategy Task Cards
Use the ‘Name 5 Things’ Calming Strategy in your classroom to help students regain self-control with printable calming activity task cards.
- Plus Plan
Responding to Stress: Small Group Skit Project
This small-group project lets students apply what they've learned about combatting stress by demonstrating practical coping skills.
- Plus Plan
Chill Out – Classroom Break Passes
Give your students a work break to stop behavior problems before they start with our printable Chill Out Passes.
- Free Plan
What Is Anxiety? Poster
Teach your students to understand and manage anxious feelings with this informative classroom display poster.
- Free Plan
The Worry Waterfall – Anxiety Management Poster
Teach your students how to deal effectively with worrying thoughts with this classroom poster.
- Plus Plan
Resilience or Not? Interactive Sorting Activity
Explore examples of resilience by playing this interactive sorting game perfect for your social-emotional learning lessons.
- Plus Plan
Exploring Resilience Worksheets
Explore what resilience looks like and sounds like with your students with this set of three worksheets perfect for your social-emotional learning lessons.
- Plus Plan
Just Be - Positive Character Traits Classroom Display
Set an optimistic tone and promote positivity with a Character Education One-Word Back to School board.
- Plus Plan
Mindful Breathing Exercises Posters
Teach students mindful breathing exercises to use when they are emotionally overwhelmed with this set of 7 classroom posters.