• Coloring pages/crayons

• Mini-games

• Decks of cards (Uno, playing cards)

• Sensory items

Goal: By focusing on sensory input, students feel more connected to their surroundings, which reduces panic and anxiety.

• How to Do It: Ask students to identify:

  • 5 things they can see

  • 4 things they can feel

  • 3 things they can hear

  • 2 things they can smell

  • 1 thing they can taste

Goal: Deep breathing can slow the heart rate and make students feel more centered and calm.

• How to Do It:

  • Belly Breathing: Have students put their hands on their belly, inhale deeply for a count of 4, hold for 4, and exhale for a count of 6.

  • Pretend to Blow Bubbles: Ask students to take a deep breath and then slowly "blow out the bubbles," creating a steady, gentle exhale.Goal: Deep breathing can slow the heart rate and make students feel more centered and calm.

Goal: This helps them release physical tension that can come with stress, helping them feel more in control.

How to Do It:

• Guide students to tense each part of their body (fists, shoulders, face) for 3 seconds, then release. Do this sequentially, starting from the head down to the toes.

• Examples:

  • "Stand Like a Tree": Encourage students to stand with their feet rooted to the ground, imagining they are a strong tree. This helps them feel grounded and steady.

  • Butterfly Hug: Cross arms over the chest and gently tap each shoulder alternately. This provides a sense of comfort and can help reduce anxiety.

Goal: Visualizing a safe place gives children an immediate mental escape and provides feelings of comfort and stability.

How to Do It: Invite students to close their eyes and imagine a place that feels safe, like their room or a beach, and describe it in detail. Ask them to think about the colors, sounds, and how it feels to be there.

Variation: Rainbow Walk: Look around and name items in different colors. Start with red, then orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. This helps them connect with their surroundings.

Goal: Reinforces feelings of safety and bravery, allowing students to shift their mindset toward calmness.

• How to Do It: Together, come up with a short mantra, like “I am safe, I am loved, I am brave,” and repeat it several times.

• You can repeat it as a group to build a sense of unity.

  
  

Goal: This small, concrete focus can help redirect their attention and reduce anxiety.

• How to Do It: Give each student a small object to hold, encouraging them to focus on its texture, weight, and temperature.

  
  

Goal: Helps create a feeling of personal safety and provides calming breathing in a visual way.

• How to Do It: Have each student imagine a “safe bubble” around them, telling them that the bubble is filled with calm air they can breathe in and out. Inhale slowly, and exhale to "fill the bubble" with calmness.

• Begin by setting clear expectations for kindness and respect.

• Remind students that this is a safe place where they can share feelings without fear of judgment.

2. Establish Purpose

• Explain to the class why you’re having this meeting: to check in on everyone, talk about feelings, and support each other.

• Use age-appropriate language to acknowledge the crisis without going into overwhelming detail.

3. Opening the Floor for Sharing

• Start with a calming activity, like deep breathing or a short mindfulness exercise, to help students focus and feel grounded.

• Use a structured sharing process (e.g., talking stick or turn-taking) to ensure everyone has a chance to speak if they want.

• Encourage students to share their thoughts or feelings about what’s happening, but remind them that it’s okay to listen quietly if they’re not ready to talk.

4. Validating Emotions

• As students share, validate their feelings by acknowledging their experiences: “It’s okay to feel scared/sad/confused. A lot of people are feeling that way right now.”

• Reassure them that their feelings are normal and that it’s good to express them.

5. Encourage Positive Coping Strategies

• Gently guide students toward coping strategies like talking to friends, journaling, drawing, or practicing breathing techniques.

• Emphasize the importance of reaching out to trusted adults if they need help.

6. Focus on Togetherness and Support

• Highlight the importance of supporting each other, especially during tough times.

• Discuss practical ways they can help one another, like offering a kind word, playing together, or just being a good listener.

7. Closure with Positivity

• End with a simple activity that fosters unity, like a group affirmation or a positive message from each student.

• Reassure them they are not alone and that you are there for them.

8. Follow-Up Check-Ins

• Plan to have additional check-ins over the coming days to continue supporting the students and to reinforce that they can come to you anytime.