Calm Down Strategies for Kids: When Things Don't Go Our Way
This session teaches calm down strategies for kids, helping students stay calm when things do not go the way they hoped. Through a short video, a discussion, and a quick game where they take turns naming ideas for handling disappointment, students explore coping strategies they can use in the moment. The takeaway is a set of practical tools for feeling ready to keep going with the group.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Self-Regulation
- Goal
- Managing Stress
- Grade level
- Elementary School
Get everything you need to teach the skill
These materials are part of a no-prep session designed by our clinical team, with all the structure, scaffolding, and support you need to teach included.
Engaging materials
Video modeling lessonStaying Calm When Things Don’t Go Our Way
When things don’t go the way we want, we keep calm. We use our strategies and follow the rest of the group.
- Extension activity
Interactive Worksheet: Taking a Break to Calm Down
This worksheet provides practice sorting feelings that are examples of either a calm or not calm state. Students will learn that they can take a break when they are experiencing upset feelings.
Plus everything you need to teach them
Warm-up
- Video: Hot Cocoa Breathing2:05
- Video: Daily Intention2:59
- Video: Body Squeeze2:12
Session Opener
Guiding Question: How does staying calm help a person?
Practice
- Discussion Question
- Role-Play Activity
- Mini Game
How to use it with your students
- 1Watch Play the video modeling lesson so students see the skill in action.
- 2Practice Try the skill together with a discussion prompt, role-play, or mini game.
- 3Extend Use the extension activity to help students carry the skill further.
What's Covered
In this lesson, students learned what they can do when things don't go the way they hoped, like not winning something they wanted. They practiced noticing that feeling and using a strategy to feel ready to keep going with the rest of the group.
Key Terms
- Staying Calm
- Pressing pause on big angry feelings before you act, so you can take your time. Staying calm helps you make a good decision instead of saying or doing something hurtful.
- Coping Strategies
- Calm-down actions you can use when a big feeling shows up, like naming the feeling, taking a comforting break, or talking to someone you trust. They help you feel a little better while the feeling passes.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
-
Managing Stress
Learner will recognize signs of stress in their own body or thinking (e.g., tight chest, racing thoughts, feeling overwhelmed) and apply a self-selected strategy (e.g., deep breathing, positive self-talk, taking a break) to manage the feeling in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
At home or in the classroom, when something doesn't go a student's way, try offering a strategy in the moment, like "Want to take a few deep breaths with me?" Naming the feeling first can help them feel understood.
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More Self-Regulation Activities
Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on When Things Don't Go Our Way is free. You can access this intervention free for 14 days through the Everyday Speech Session Library. Every user gets three free sessions, but you can get more or extend your access by sharing the Session Library with friends and colleagues.
What ages is this for?
These materials are designed for elementary school students.
What's included?
You'll get access to your choice of warm-up videos, a session opener, a core material on Staying Calm When Things Don’t Go Our Way, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Interactive Worksheet: Taking a Break to Calm Down.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on self-regulation - more specifically, managing stress.
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