Calming Strategies for Kids

As teachers, we are no strangers to the emotional meltdowns of our students! It’s a fact of life that the little humans in our care are going to have their fair share of challenges during their time in our class, so it’s important to be equipped with the right tools to help them along the way!

As educators, we are responsible for helping our students to not only understand their emotions, but also to manage them in a socially acceptable manner. This process does not come naturally to any of us… explicit support is needed!

Manage ‘Big’ Emotions with a Fortune Teller

You might find yourself asking, ‘How can a fortune teller help my students manage big emotions?’ The answer is that a normal fortune teller probably can’t… but this fortune teller is a little different. It is a calming strategies fortune teller!

This hands-on social-emotional learning resource has been created to support your students in understanding what they can do when they experience a “big” emotion such as anger, anxiety or fear. The fortune teller contains eight different strategies that students can use whenever they feel the need to calm down. And the best thing is, it is small enough to fit into a pocket, meaning it can be accessible to your students at any time or in any place!

We’ve created two different versions of this calming strategies fortune teller template to ensure that the strategies suggested are age-appropriate for all students. One is more suited to younger students (6-9-year-olds), while the other is more suitable for older students (10-12-year-olds). 

The strategies featured on the younger students’ version are as follows:

• Asking an adult for help
• Counting slowly to ten
• Doing some exercise
• Finding a quiet place to sit
• Touching or hugging a soft object
• Thinking about a special place
• Drawing a picture or coloring
• Doing deep, mindful breaths

The strategies featured on the older students’ version are as follows:

• Talking to a trusted friend or adult
• Spending some time in nature
• Using positive self-talk
• Reading a book
• Doing some yoga
• Listening to music
• Finding an appropriate place to yell out loud
• Writing thoughts in a journal

These strategies can be used by students to help self-regulate their emotional state. The strategies appeal to a range of senses and incorporate mindfulness activities such as mindful breathing, positive self-talk and visualization techniques.

How to Create a Calming Strategies Fortune Teller

Follow these simple instructions to create a calming strategies fortune teller.

1. Cut out the template square.
2. Fold the square in half, both vertically and horizontally, then unfold.
3. Fold each corner in to meet in the center.
4. Flip over and repeat the corner-folding process.
5. Fold the square in half, both vertically and horizontally, then unfold.
6. You can now put your thumb and index finger inside the square pockets to make the fortune teller move.

Choose Your File From the Dropdown Menu

There are four files available for download. These are:

• Younger students’ fortune teller in full color
• Younger students’ fortune teller in black and white
• Older students’ fortune teller in full color
• Older students’ fortune teller in black and white

Use the dropdown menu next to the Download button to choose your preferred version.

Looking for more resources to help your students manage big emotions? We have more fabulous options for you!

teaching resource

Calm-Down Strategy Cards

Help your students choose and apply strategies when they need to calm down with this comprehensive set of calm-down strategy cards.

teaching resource

Things I Can and Cannot Control – Sorting Activity

Help students identify things in life they can and cannot control with this sorting activity.

teaching resource

Mindful Breathing Exercises – Task Cards

Use these mindfulness breathing exercises to help students calm themselves down when they are feeling upset or anxious.