Choosing How to Manage Everyday Stress

Everyday stress: it’s something that we accept (and anticipate!) as adults. For kids, however, this unpleasant and unsettling emotion can come as a surprise in their otherwise regular day. 

Teaching elementary students about stress management is essential for their overall well-being and development. Learning effective stress management techniques can not only make them feel more emotionally secure but can also improve their attention spans and academic performance. 

To play this interactive game, students will practice identifying which stress management coping strategies to use in some very ‘everyday’ scenarios children their age may experience. 

Through this activity, students will show their ability to apply strategies to manage emotions and analyze how emotional responses influence interactions with others.

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding 

A team of dedicated, experienced educators created this resource and understand that each student is on their own social and emotional learning journey. 

To assist students who are struggling with identifying which are helpful strategies, work in a small group and demonstrate through nonverbal communication or through acting how each response might look in real life. 

Easily Prepare This Interactive Activity 

Use the Download button to save your editable copy of this Google Slides resource. 

Assign this interactive activity in Google Classroom. Please be sure to open in Presentation mode, as this will enable students working independently to continue through the slides with feedback on their answers. Students click to submit their answer. 

Alternatively, use this activity as a whole-group learning activity and ask students to help the kids in the stories to solve their stress management problems using effective strategies!

This Health resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and Teach Starter Collaborator. 

For more curriculum-aligned resources for your Health lessons, take a look at these:

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Managing Stress Social Stories Interactive Activity

Share this relaxing and calming interactive activity with your students to help them to differentiate between helpful and unhelpful strategies for coping with stress.

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Managing Stress Game Show Interactive

Set up a gameshow in your classroom to reinforce your students’ ability to recognize and cope effectively with stress!