Self Calming Cards

Self Calming
Strategies
16 strategies on cards and posters to
encourage self calming skills
Love
Happiness
Peace
Your Therapy Source Inc

Your Therapy Source, Inc.
43 South Main Street
Schaghticoke, NY 12154
www.yourtherapysource.com
Copyright © 2010 by Your Therapy Source, Inc. All rights reserved.
Visit
www.YourTherapySource.com
for other school based therapy and special needs
resources.
Publisher’s Note: The publisher and author has made every attempt to make sure that the
information in this book is correct and up to date. All physical activities require approval
from a child’s pediatrician. The author or the publisher will not be liable for any impairment,
damage, accident or loss that may occur from any of the suggested activities in this book.
Terms of Use: The electronic books from Your Therapy Source Inc can only be purchased
from this site. They are copyrighted by Your Therapy Source Inc. This book can only be
used by the original purchaser. The files may not be reproduced or transferred to others
in print or electronically. All rights reserved.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Print the cards or posters from your computer printer.
2. If using the cards, cut them apart. Laminate for durability. Optional: Punch holes in
each card and place on a key ring.
3. Demonstrate the different strategies to the child. Have the child practice the ideas
with your help if needed.
4. Once the child has learned the strategies, suggest that when the child needs to calm
down refer to the cards or posters for ideas on how to do so.
DEEP BREATHING COUNT BACKWARDS
1. Put your hand on your stomach.

Take a deep breath in slowly through
your nose. Your stomach should
rise.
2. Let your breath out slowly 1. Count backwards from 10.

through your mouth. Your hand on
your stomach should move in as 2. Focus on each number as you
your stomach muscles tighten to count down to the number one taking
help you exhale. deep breaths.
3. Repeat several times. 3. Repeat if necessary.

MEDITATION LISTEN TO MUSIC
Love
Happiness
Peace
1. Go to a quiet area.
2. Get into a comfortable position.
3. Begin deep breathing and focus

your attention on an object, a person, 1. Go to a quiet area.
a calming word or calming place.
2. Listen to calming, soothing music.
4. If your mind wanders, refocus your
attention back to your calm state. 3. Relax your body and your
breathing.
www.YourTherapySource.com www.YourTherapySource.com
WRITE IN JOURNAL EXERCISE
2. Write in a journal how you feel

about the situation. 1. Participate in a physical activity
such as walking, jogging, hiking or
3. Write down your opinion on the bike riding.
situation.
Give Yourself a Hug Mini Massages
1. Wrap your arms around yourself.

Give yourself a firm, hard hug.
1. Give gentle but firm pressure to
2. Sitting on the floor, try wrapping your arms, shoulders, hands and/or
arms around legs, hugging knees to fingers.
chest giving a tight squeeze.
2. Shake your arms and legs a bit.
3. Wrap up in a blanket. www.YourTherapySource.com
Go Outdoors Laugh!
1. Spend some quiet time outdoors

enjoying nature. 1. Read a funny story.
2. You could take a walk in a park, lay 2. Look at the comics.
down on the grass, look at the clouds,
listen to the sounds of nature or 3. Listen or tell some jokes.
garden. www.YourTherapySource.com www.YourTherapySource.com
Slow Movements Heavy Work
1. Rock slowly in a rocking chair or 1. Participate in activities that require

on a rocking horse. you to push, pull or carry items.
2. Go swinging on a swing. 2. Try wall pushes or chair push ups.
Visual Imagery - Ocean Visual Imagery - Meadow
1. Go to a quiet area. Get into a comfortable

position. Relax your body.
position. Relax your body. 2. Imagine you are walking in a beautiful,
green, grassy meadow. The sun is shining
2. Imagine you are near the ocean. You up above and there is a warm breeze. You
look far out into the sea. The waves crash begin to walk along a path seeing rabbits
slowly and calmly, slowly and calmly. In and hopping and hearing birds signing. Your
out, in and out the water goes on the beach. body is relaxing. You feel completely at ease
You hear the rhythmic sounds of the water just walking in the meadow. You sit down in
coming in and out, over and over again. a large field of flowers. The breeze softly
Your body is relaxing as you look out at the blows around you. Looking at the white and
ocean. purple flowers your body relaxes further.
3. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to 3. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to
the calming ocean. the peaceful meadow.
Visual Imagery - Forest Visual Imagery -

Playground

1. Go to a quiet area. Get into a comfortable position. Relax your body.
2. Imagine you are at a playground. The sun
2. Imagine you are walking in a green, lush is shining and there is a cool breeze. Getting
forest. There are many tall trees around you. on a swing, you pump your legs as you begin
Walking slowly along a dirt path, feeling the to swing back and forth. You continue to
squishiness of the ground, you smell the glide back and forth on the swing. The swing
dampness in the trees and the forest floor. goes up and down, up and down. You feel
You hear woodland animals quietly scurrying the breeze blowing through your hair. Your
about. The sun peeks through some of the body is relaxing as you view the green trees,
trees. Continuing to walk, you come upon a grass, slides and jungle gym around you.
clearing. The view is wonderful. You can see Swinging up and down, up and down, back
green forest trees for miles. You sit down to and forth, back and forth... Relaxing your
admire the view. Your body is relaxing. body.
3. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to 4. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to
the forest. the playground. www.YourTherapySource.com
DEEP BREATHING
1. Put your hand on your stomach.

Take a deep breath in slowly through
your nose. Your stomach should rise.
2. Let your breath out slowly through

your mouth. Your hand on your
stomach should move in as your
stomach muscles tighten to help you
exhale.
3. Repeat several times.

COUNT BACKWARDS
1. Count backwards from 10.
2. Focus on each number as you

count down to the number one taking
deep breaths.
3. Repeat if necessary.
MEDITATION
Love
Happiness
Peace
2. Get into a comfortable position.
3. Begin deep breathing and focus

your attention on an object, a person,
a calming word or calming place.
4. If your mind wanders, refocus your

attention back to your calm state.
MUSIC
2. Listen to calming, soothing music.
3. Relax your body and your

breathing.
WRITE IN JOURNAL
2. Write in a journal how you feel

about the situation.
3. Write down your opinion on the

situation.
EXERCISE
1. Participate in a physical activity

such as walking, jogging, hiking or
bike riding.
Give Yourself a Hug
1. Wrap your arms around yourself.

Give yourself a firm, hard hug.
2. Sitting on the floor, try wrapping

arms around legs, hugging knees to
chest giving a tight squeeze.
3. Wrap up in a blanket.
Mini Massages
1. Give gentle but firm pressure to

your arms, shoulders, hands and/or
fingers.
2. Shake your arms and legs a bit.

Go Outdoors
1. Spend some quiet time outdoors

enjoying nature.
2. You could take a walk in a park, lay

down on the grass, look at the clouds,
listen to the sounds of nature or
garden.
Laugh!
1. Read a funny story.
2. Look at the comics.
3. Listen or tell some jokes.

Slow Movements
1. Rock slowly in a rocking chair or on

a rocking horse.
2. Go swinging on a swing.
Heavy Work
1. Participate in activities that require

you to push, pull or carry items.
2. Try wall pushes or chair push ups.
Visual Imagery -
Ocean

2. Imagine you are near the ocean. You look

far out into sea. The waves crash slowly and
calmly, slowly and calmly. In and out, in and
out the water goes on the beach. You hear
the rhythmic sounds of the water coming in
and out, over and over again.
Your body is relaxing as you look out at the
ocean.
3. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to the

calming ocean.
Visual Imagery -
Meadow

2. Imagine you are walking in a beautiful,

green, grassy meadow. The sun is shining up
above and there is a warm breeze. You begin
to walk along a path seeing rabbits hopping
and hearing birds signing. Your body is
relaxing. You feel completely at ease just
walking in the meadow. You sit down in a
large field of flowers. The breeze softly blows
around you. Looking at the white and purple
flowers your body relaxes further.

peaceful meadow.
Visual Imagery -
Forest

2. Imagine you are walking in a green, lush

forest. There are many tall trees around you.
Walking slowly along a dirt path, feeling the
squishiness of the ground, you smell the
dampness in the trees and the forest floor.
You hear woodland animals quietly scurrying
about. The sun peeks through some of the
trees. Continuing to walk, you come upon a
clearing. The view is wonderful. You can see
green forest trees for miles. You sit down to
admire the view. Your body is relaxing.

forest.
Visual Imagery -
Playground

2. Imagine you are at a playground. The sun

is shining and there is a cool breeze. Getting
on a swing, you pump your legs as you begin
to swing back and forth. You continue to glide
back and forth on the swing. The swing goes
up and down, up and down. You feel the
breeze blowing through your hair. Your body
is relaxing as you view the green trees, grass,
slides and jungle gym around you. Swinging
up and down, up and down, back and forth,
back and forth... Relaxing your body.

playground.
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Source Inc.
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Self Calming

Your Therapy Source Inc

Copyright © 2010 by Your Therapy Source, Inc. All rights reserved.

1. Print the cards or posters from your computer printer.

1. Put your hand on your stomach.

2. Let your breath out slowly 1. Count backwards from 10.

3. Repeat several times. 3. Repeat if necessary.

MEDITATION LISTEN TO MUSIC

2. Get into a comfortable position.

3. Begin deep breathing and focus

2. Write in a journal how you feel

Give Yourself a Hug Mini Massages

1. Wrap your arms around yourself.

1. Spend some quiet time outdoors

Slow Movements Heavy Work

1. Rock slowly in a rocking chair or 1. Participate in activities that require

2. Go swinging on a swing. 2. Try wall pushes or chair push ups.

1. Go to a quiet area. Get into a comfortable

Visual Imagery - Forest Visual Imagery -

1. Go to a quiet area. Get into a comfortable

1. Put your hand on your stomach.

2. Let your breath out slowly through

3. Repeat several times.

1. Count backwards from 10.

2. Focus on each number as you

2. Get into a comfortable position.

3. Begin deep breathing and focus

4. If your mind wanders, refocus your

2. Listen to calming, soothing music.

3. Relax your body and your

2. Write in a journal how you feel

3. Write down your opinion on the

1. Participate in a physical activity

1. Wrap your arms around yourself.

2. Sitting on the floor, try wrapping

1. Give gentle but firm pressure to

2. Shake your arms and legs a bit.

1. Spend some quiet time outdoors

2. You could take a walk in a park, lay

1. Read a funny story.

2. Look at the comics.

3. Listen or tell some jokes.

1. Rock slowly in a rocking chair or on

1. Participate in activities that require

2. Try wall pushes or chair push ups.

1. Go to a quiet area. Get into a comfortable

2. Imagine you are near the ocean. You look

3. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to the

1. Go to a quiet area. Get into a comfortable

2. Imagine you are walking in a beautiful,

3. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to the

1. Go to a quiet area. Get into a comfortable

2. Imagine you are walking in a green, lush

3. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to the

1. Go to a quiet area. Get into a comfortable

2. Imagine you are at a playground. The sun

4. If you lose focus, bring yourself back to the

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Visit our website for FREE hand-outs, articles, free

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