Skills Building: Find Your Calm (PK-2)

Written by Gabi Garcia and illustrated by Marta Pineda

Pre- Reading Questions

We have all felt anxious or stressed at one point or another. How does your body feel when you feel anxious?
What can you do to calm your body down when you feel anxious, stressed, or upset?
Who can help you when you feel anxious?
What are some things that could make someone feel anxious?

Post- Reading Questions

Did you learn anything new from the book? What did you learn?
Let’s do our own “scan for safety.” Take a minute to look around the room silently. Now share with the group what you noticed that felt safe to you.
Take two mindful breaths together as a group and say together, “There is no rush, there is no danger.”
The girl in the book shared some things that make her feel anxious, like speaking in front of the class, getting a shot at the doctor, or riding the school bus. Have any of these things made you feel anxious? Pick one activity from the back of the book to do together.

Creative Enrichment Activity: Calming Chalk Creations (PK-2)

Overview

In the book Find Your Calm, the main character feels overwhelmed with different things that are causing anxiety. When the anxiety feels too big, she is able to use different strategies to calm her body and mind. In this activity, students will work together to create calming chalk creations that promote mindfulness and grounding for all the kids to enjoy.

Materials

Blue Painter’s Tape
Sidewalk Chalk
Concrete Area

Duration: 40 minutes

5 minutes: Explain Activity and Pass Out Supplies
10 minutes: Taping Design
15 minutes: Create Calming Chalk Creation
5 minutes: Clean Up
5 minutes: Reflect

Instructions

Before the activity, gather needed supplies.
Gather students together outdoors in a concrete area and discuss different ways that we can calm ourselves when we are feeling anxiety. Explain the activity.
Using the blue painter’s tape, create a large square on the concrete.
Allow the students to work together to create lines and patterns with the blue painter’s tape within the large square.
Once finished taping, allow students to work together to color in the various shapes using sidewalk chalk.
Once all shapes are filled, pull up the blue painter’s tape to reveal the calming chalk creation for all to enjoy!
Clean up supplies and gather around the creation to reflect.

Reflection Questions

How did you feel when you were creating the chalk creation?
Why is it important to work with others?
How did you feel when the tape was taken up and you saw the final product?
How did it feel collaborating with others?
When might you use this to calm down in real life?

Skills Building: Find Your Calm (PK-2)

Pre- Reading Questions

Post- Reading Questions

Creative Enrichment Activity: Calming Chalk Creations (PK-2)

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