Helping Kids Manage Stress in Healthy Ways

School can be full of joy, growth, and discovery—but it can also bring stress. Tests, social pressures, transitions, and even loud or overstimulating environments can all overwhelm a child’s emotional system.

The good news? Stress management is a teachable skill. And when kids learn healthy ways to manage stress early, they build habits that support emotional well-being for life.

Let’s explore stress management activities for students that are simple, age-appropriate, and rooted in everyday classroom routines. These strategies not only help children feel more balanced but also improve focus, classroom engagement, and overall learning outcomes.

Why Stress Management Matters in Elementary School

Stress doesn’t only show up as tears or tantrums. It can look like:

• Withdrawing from peers
• Acting out or disrupting class
• Zoning out or appearing disengaged
• Complaining of headaches or stomachaches

Without support, chronic stress can impact a child’s ability to learn, concentrate, and build relationships. That’s why it’s essential to give kids tools they can use—not just when things boil over, but before stress takes hold.

That’s where Social Emotional Learning comes in. By weaving SEL into the school day, educators help students build awareness, practice emotional regulation, and make choices that align with well-being.

Explore our full Elementary SEL Curriculum and Social Emotional Learning resources for deeper integration of wellness strategies.

Stress Management Activities for Students (Grades K–6)

Here are low-prep tools you can use right away to help students calm their bodies, focus their minds, and process emotions in developmentally appropriate ways.

1. Movement Breaks

Short bursts of movement help release pent-up energy and regulate the nervous system. Try:

• Stretching arms to the ceiling and wiggling fingers
• Cross-body taps or “brain buttons”
• Simple yoga poses like “tree” or “child’s pose”
• Silent disco (dancing in place with invisible music)

Why it works: Movement resets the body’s stress response and helps bring students back to center.

2. The “Stress Thermometer” Check-In

Create a visual chart with levels of stress from 1 (calm) to 5 (overwhelmed). Invite students to identify where they are and pick a calming activity accordingly. This builds self-awareness and encourages autonomy.

Pair it with our Tools of the Heart program for even more emotional regulation strategies.

3. Journaling & Drawing Emotions

Offer short journaling time or reflection sheets with prompts like:

• “Something that helped me today was…”
• “Right now, I feel ______ because ______.”
• “One thing I can do when I feel stressed is…”

For younger students, use an “emotion wheel” or feelings chart and let them draw their mood.

Tip: Link to our Feelings Poster to support emotional vocabulary.

4. Visualization and Breathing

Teach students to imagine a calm place (like a beach or peaceful forest) while taking deep breaths. Try “box breathing” (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4) or simple “smell the flower, blow out the candle” breathing.

This helps students develop calming techniques in the classroom they can return to when emotions feel big.

5. Coping Cards

Have students create small “coping cards” with reminders of things that help them feel calm (hugging a stuffed animal, taking deep breaths, counting to 10, etc.). Keep these in a “Calm Down Corner” or desk pouch for quick access.

These make abstract coping skills for kids more concrete and personal.

Building a Wellness Routine Into the School Day

Stress management becomes second nature when it’s woven into daily rhythms. Here’s how you can build a culture of calm without adding more to your plate:

• Morning Meetings: Start the day with a short SEL check-in or calming ritual.
• Quiet Time After Lunch: Offer 5 minutes for silent drawing, reading, or breath work.
• Closure Activities: End each day with a gratitude circle or mindfulness minute.

Consistency builds emotional safety. Over time, these micro-moments add up to real behavioral shifts.

Family Partnership: Extending Wellness Home

Stress doesn’t stop at the school gate. Empower families to reinforce strategies at home:

• Send home wellness tips or breathing exercises
• Offer a simple stress journal page for weekend reflection
• Share the Tools of the Heart link with caregivers

When kids see stress managed consistently at school and at home, they begin to trust that they are capable of handling hard things.

Stress Is a Signal—Not a Failure

We don’t need to eliminate stress. What we can do is help children recognize it early, respond to it kindly, and return to calm with confidence.

By teaching students how to identify stress and respond with tools—not shame or silence—we prepare them not just for school, but for life.

With programs like Elementary SEL Curriculum and daily practices grounded in empathy and emotional awareness, we can make stress just another part of growing up—not something that holds kids back.