Finding My Calm cards include 32 strategies to help you find your calm in your mind and your body,
when you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious or stressed. All of these strategies work best, when you include slow deep breathing in between each part of the activity.

Alphabet Observation

Find something you can see that starts with each letter of the alphabet.

Hold a Grounding Stone

Hold a stone or an object you find meaningful or calming, take some deep breaths and notice the calm positive thoughts in your mind and feelings in your body. Whenever you hold this object, think of that positive feeling and thoughts. 

Counting Colours

Count up to 10, out loud or in your head, saying a number and a different colour. For example: 1 Red, 2 Blue, 3 Orange….

Squeezies

Put your hands on your shoulders and gently squeeze down to your elbows and back up to your shoulders. You can also do this from your knees to your ankles. 

Butterfly Breathing

Cross your arms and put your hands on your chest like a butterfly. Take 1 deep breath in, hold, then breath out for 1, 2, 3.

Art

You might like to create a picture or use colours, marks or patterns. Creating a image of your emotions, struggles or strengths, can help get them out of your head, even when you can’t explain how you are feeling with words.

Dance

Put different types of music on so you can move your body in different ways. Try playing songs that are similar to how you feel but also that are very different to how you feel, as our emotions can shift and change when we move our bodies.

Wall push ups

Put your palms against a sturdy wall, shoulder height. Slowly lower yourself towards the wall by bending your elbows and keeping your knees and back straight. Take a deep slow breath in between each push up.

I spy colours

Choose different colours and find things you can see, that are those colours. 

Positive Self-talk

We often hear the negative things about ourselves louder than the positive things, so it is really important to remind ourselves, really loudly, how amazing we are! We can write our positive affirmations or just say them in our head. 

Talk to an adult

Having an adult that you trust, can help you work through your big emotions.
This can be someone from your family, from school or your community. 

Lay on the grass

See what is above you and feel what is beneath you. Allow your body to be supported by the earth. Engage all of your senses. What can you see, feel around you, hear, smell and feel inside your body.

Hug a Friend

This can be a human, animal or toy.

Finger Tapping

Hold out your fingers. Tap each of your fingertips to your thumb tip slowly. When you get to the end, take a breath, then go back the other way.

Wall sit

Sit with your back against the wall, low enough that your hips and knees are level. Slow your breathing and connect with how your body is feeling. It is a good way to get energy out when you don’t have a lot of space to move.

Imagine My calm Place

Think of a place where your mind feels content and your body feels calm. You can go to this place in your mind whenever you feel overwhelmed.

Cheek Brushing

Use your middle 3 fingertips to slowly brush your cheeks, starting at your  nose, moving towards your ears.

Journal

Expressing your thoughts and emotions by writing them down or drawing them, can slow things down and help you see them differently.

Go to my Safe Place

Read a Book

Tell Jokes

Star Jumps

Listen to Music

Connect with a Friend

Roll my shoulders

Drink Water

Stretch to the Sky

Find Shapes in the Clouds

Sing

Pat a Pet

Play Sport