Staying Grounded

Helping
children and
teens ground
themselves in
the present,
when anxiety
seems to take
over.
THE PLAYFUL PSYCHOLOGIST
About This Workbook

This workbook has been designed to introduce children and teenagers to the
concept of grounding. It is suitable for children aged 10 and older.

It begins by explaining what it means to be grounded vs what it means to be

ungrounded, and then introduces 15 grounding exercises that they can try.
There are five exercises under three categories: physical grounding ideas,
mental grounding ideas, and soothing grounding ideas.

The workbook ends with a 'Grounding Toolkit' worksheet.

Building a grounding toolkit can be a useful resource when children/teenagers

are feeling ungrounded or anxious.

They can use the strategies in this workbook to create a toolkit that works for
them by choosing the strategies they found most effective. When they are
next feeling ungrounded, they can use this toolkit to bring themselves back
into the present moment.
What is 'Grounding?'
Grounding is a tool we use when we are having a bad day or feeling
anxious, worried, or stressed. When we are worried or stressed,
sometimes we can start to focus on the future too much and think about
all the things that are out of our control. Grounding can help us stay in the
present moment.

Grounding techniques are simple strategies that help us with our difficult
emotions. Although grounding doesn't 'fix' our problems, it can can help
us gain control over our emotions and stop us from spiralling out of
control. Grounding keeps us present, anchors us, and gives us a chance to
calm ourselves down. Once we are calm, we are able to problem solve
and figure out a solution to the tricky situation that caused those big
feelings in the first place.

Plus, grounding can be done anytime, anywhere, and no one has to know.

There are three types of grounding:

1. Physical: This is where we focus on our body and our senses.
2. Mental: This is where we focus on activating our mind and switching
off all the outside noise that may distract us from staying in the
present moment.
3. Soothing: This is where we focus on the words we use with ourselves
and using kind words with ourselves.

Some people prefer one type of grounding and others like a mix of them.
It is totally up to you and your personal preference. We will go through
lots of activities and strategies in this workbook, and you can choose the
ones that feel right for you.
What Happens When
We Aren't 'Grounded?'
When we are 'ungrounded' we can feel tired and overwhelmed.
We may have trouble sleeping and concentrating as well.
Physically, you may notice your heart beating really fast, your
hands shaking, and you may even feel sweaty. These are all
signs that we aren't grounded in the present moment.

Have you ever found yourself getting easily distracted? Maybe

your teacher has told you to concentrate? You may have the
same negative thoughts over and over again, or find it difficult to
complete a task that you know you can do? You may get easily
irritated by family or friends?

These are all signs of being ungrounded.

The good news is, there are so many grounding techniques that
you can do when you feel that way, and we are going to go
through a bunch of them in this workbook.

Learning how to use grounding doesn't happen over night, it

takes a lot of practice! It's important to practice as often as
possible... before you actually need it. Then, when you need to
use it, you will have it, know it, and use it well.
5 Physical
Grounding Ideas
Here are five physical
grounding strategies that
you can try.

Physical grounding
strategies are designed to
help us focus on our body
and our senses, to help
bring us back to the present
moment.
 CALM YOURSELF WITH A

5 FINGER BREATHING
BRAIN BREAK

Breathe in

Breathe out
Breathe out

in

Breathe
Breathe in

Breathe

n
out

the i

Brea
Brea

the out
Br
ea
th
eou
in

t
he
eat
Br

Start
here

Slowly trace the outside of the hand with the index finger, breathing in when you trace up a
finger and breathing out when you trace down.

You can also do this breathing exercise using your own hand.
 CALM YOURSELF WITH A

STAR BREATHING
BRAIN BREAK

Hold

Bre
e in

ath
ath

eo
Bre

out ut Breathe
Breathe Start
in
Hold

Hold
here

B
in

rea
he

the
at
e

o
Br

ut
out

Breath
Breathe

e in

Bre ut
ath e o
ei ath
ld
n Bre Ho
o ld
H

Trace your finger up one side of the star, while you take a deep breath in. Hold your breath
at the point and breathe out as you slide down the other side. Keep going until you've gone
around the whole star.
 CALM YOURSELF WITH

PMR
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a deep relaxation technique that can help us with
anxious feelings and ground us in the present moment. It is based on the practice of tensing
one muscle group at a time followed by a relaxation phase with release of the tension. Here
are some PMR techniques you can try to get your body back into a state of relaxation.

Hands & Arms. Pretend you are squeezing a whole

orange in your left hand. Squeeze it really hard hard.
Try to squeeze all the juice out. Feel how tight your
hands and arm get as you squeeze. Now drop the
orange and relax your hand. See how much better your
hand and arm feel when they are relaxed? Repeat with
other hand.

Arms and Shoulders. Pretend you are a furry, lazy cat.

You want to stretch. Stretch your arms out in front of
you. Raise them up high over your head. Way back. Feel
the pull in your shoulders. Stretch higher. Now just let
your arms drop back to your side. Repeat two more
times.

Legs and Feet. Now pretend that you are standing

barefoot in a big puddle of thick mud. If you can, take
your shoes off. Squish your toes down deep in to the
mud. Try to get your feet all the way down to the
bottom of the mud puddle. Push down hard, spread
your toes apart, and feel the mud squish up between
your toes. Now step out of the mud puddle and relax
your feet. Let your toes go loose and feel how nice that
is. Repeat two more times.
 LET'S TALK ABOUT

STRETCHING
Stretching is a great strategy to use to help with grounding. Stretching reduces our muscle
tension and has also been shown to increase serotonin levels. This is the hormone in our
body that helps us with our mood and helps us feel happy. By taking time to focus on our
body and breath, we are able to become more present and grounded. The best part is that
stretching can be done anywhere, at any time and with no equipment!

1. Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose, and

exhale through your mouth.
2. Place both feet flat on the floor. Wiggle your toes.
Curl and uncurl your toes several times. Spend a
moment noticing the feelings in your feet.
3. Stomp your feet on the ground a few times. Pay
attention to the feelings in your feet and legs as
you stamp your feet.
4. Clench your hands into fists as tightly as you can,
then release them. Repeat this 10 times.
5. Press your palms together. Press them harder and
hold this pose for 15 seconds. Pay attention to the
feeling of tension in your hands and arms.
6. Reach your hands over your head like you’re trying
to reach the sky. Stretch like this for 5 seconds.
Bring your arms down and let them relax at your
sides. Take a deep breath in when your hands are
above your head and let the breath out when you
bring your hands down.
7. Repeat step 6 five more times.
8. Finish by taking 5 more deep breaths and notice
the feeling of calm in your body.
 LET'S TRY A

BODY SCAN
A body scan is a mindfulness/grounding practice that involves scanning your body for stress,
tension, or anything out of the ordinary. It can help you feel more connected to your physical and
emotional self and can help keep you in the present moment. Tuning into how our body feels helps
us understand ourselves more and helps us identify where we may be feeling the stress in our body.

Relax your body, close your eyes if you please; allow your arms and hands to be at ease.

Sit up tall, and breathe in through your nose; just quietly watch where your mind goes.

Now I invite you to wiggle your toes, so slowly that nobody knows.

Next, go to your ankles and then to your knees; do your legs feel strong, like two trees?

Are they warm or cold, relaxed or tense; breathe in deeply, what do you sense?

Now let’s go to your thighs and each hip; can you look inward, for just a bit?

Do you feel warm or cold, relaxed or tense; breathe in deeply, what do you sense?

Breathe into your lower back and belly; do you feel your stomach move like jelly?

Do you feel warm or cold, relaxed or tense; breathe in deeply, what do you sense?

Try breathing into your upper back and chest; feel your lungs expanding, then coming to rest.

Do you feel warm or cold, relaxed or tense; breathe in deeply, what do you sense?

Now to your shoulders, arms, and each hand, notice your blood flowing like moving sand.

Do you feel warm or cold, relaxed or tense; breathe in deeply, what do you sense?

Let’s travel up to your neck and head; do you feel your jaw relax and spread?

Is your face warm or cold, relaxed or tense; breathe in deeply, what do you sense?

Take in one big breath, like a gentle breeze; let your body and mind feel more at ease.

When you are ready, open your eyes, and smile; Do you feel more focused—even just for a while?

What is it like to notice your body and how it feels? What did you notice while you were relaxing
your body?

**Script taken from: Copyright ©2019 Andrew Jordan Nance, Mindful Arts in the Classroom
(Parallax Press). https://ggie.berkeley.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2019/09/GGIE_Rhyming_Body_Scan_for_Young_Children.pdf
5 mental
Grounding Ideas
Here are five mental
grounding strategies that
you can try.mental
grounding strategies are
designed to help us focus
on activating our mind
and switching off all the
outside noise that may
distract us from staying in
the present moment.
 CALM YOURSELF WITH

5,4,3,2,1
Sometimes grounding is all about reminding ourselves to stay in the present moment. The
best way to do this can be tuning into our five senses: smell, taste, hearing, touch, and sight.
Using the 5-4-3-2-1 strategy, you can take in the details of your present environment using
each of your senses.

1. Use the fingers on your hand to keep track of where you

are up to. On the first finger, what are five things you
can see? Look for small details such as a pattern on the
wall, the colour of the leaves, or even the shapes on
your clothes.
2. On the second finger, what are 4 things you can feel?
Notice how your clothes feel on your body, the sun on
your skin, or the feeling of the chair you are sitting in.
Pick up an object and think about its weight or edges.
Are they smooth or rough?
3. On the third finger, what are 3 things you can hear? Pay
special attention to sounds you don't usually notice,
such as a ticking clock, distant traffic, birds, or trees
blowing in the wind.
4. On the fourth finger, what are 2 things you can smell?
Try to notice smells in the air around you, like an air
freshener or freshly mowed grass. You may also look
around for something that has a scent, such as a flower
or something cooking in the kitchen.
5. And finally on your fifth finger, what is 1 thing you can
taste? Can you taste something you ate recently? Do
you have a snack you can eat right now? Pop it in your
mouth and focus your attention closely on the flavours.
 LET'S PLAY THE

CATEGORY GAME
Choosing a category and trying to list as many things as you can to centre and ground
yourself in the present, is a great way to remain grounded. Plus, it can actually be pretty fun!

1. Choose a category. Your category could be

something like: animals, books, colours, countries,
fruits, sports teams, songs, TV shows, superheroes,
books, cars, famous singers...anything really!
2. See how many items in each category you can
name in two minutes.
3. You can repeat this as many times as you want with
a bunch of different categories.

List some of your other favourite categories here:

 LET'S IMAGINE

WAVES CRASHING
Have you ever been to the beach? Think about how the waves come and go, crashing onto
the sand before they head back out to start all over again. They follow a really rhythmic
pattern. They come and go and follow their own groove.

1. Imaging yourself walking along the beach. Feel the sand between your toes, the
warmth of the sun on your skin, feel the wind in your hair, listen to the waves
crashing on the shore.
2. Take a moment to focus on those sensations.
3. Close your eyes and imagine the ocean waves crashing against the beach. As you
take a breath in, the waves peak and crash against the sand/rocks.
4. As you take a breath out, the water goes back to begin the cycle again.
5. Repeat this for 10 slow breaths, imagining the waves coming and going as you take
your breaths.
 LET'S TRY

DRAWING IT
Mentally drawing something is a really simple way to help us remain grounded in the
present. You don't have to be an artist or even be super creative...you just have to picture
the item in your mind and be able to picture it clearly.

1. Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose, and

exhale through your mouth.
2. Think of an object in your mind. It can be
anything...a tree, a flower, your home. It could
even be a pet or something special from your
bedroom. Maybe it's your favourite car, favourite
theme park ride, or favourite place.
3. Now that you've chosen an item/object, notice
every detail. The shapes, the different lines,
curves or funny little details that make it unique.
4. 'Draw' it in your mind, or in the air with your finger.
Don't leave out any details...include as many as
you can and make it as detailed as possible, until
it looks like the real thing.
5. Finish off by taking another 5 long, deep breaths
through your nose, and exhale through your
mouth.
 CALM YOURSELF BY

COUNTING BACKWARDS
Counting can be a great way to occupy your mind when you are feeling overwhelmed and
stressed. But, for most people, counting may not be enough to challenge your mind properly.
This means that we aren't occupying our minds enough. Instead, try counting backwards.
You can count backwards by 1's, 2's, 3's, 5's, 7's., 10's....whatever feels like a bit of a
challenge to you!

1. Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose,

and exhale through your mouth.
2. Place both feet flat on the floor. Wiggle your
toes. Curl and uncurl your toes several times.
Spend a moment noticing the feelings in your
feet.
3. Choose a number you want to count backwards
from.
4. Start at 100 and slowly count backwards from
100
5. At each number, take a breath in and then a
breath out. For example 100 (breathe in), 95
(breathe out), 90 (breathe in), 85 (breathe out)
and so on.
6. Feel your breathe start to fall into a regular
pattern and your heart beat start to slow.
7. Finish by taking 5 more long, deep breaths
through your nose, and exhale through your
mouth.
5 soothing
Grounding Ideas
Here are five soothing
grounding strategies that
you can try.

soothing grounding
strategies are designed to
help us focus on the words
we use with ourselves and
using kind words with
ourselves.
 SPEAK KINDLY TO YOURSELF USING

'I AM' STATEMENTS

When we are stressed or worried, we often have negative thinking patterns. We may even
speak negatively to ourselves and use negative self talk such as 'I am not good enough' or
'no one even cares about me.' When negative self-talk takes over, it is really important to try
and shift the way we are thinking about a situation and how we are talking about ourselves.
Positive affirmations, or 'I AM' statements can help us change negative thinking habits. This
can then help us build a new path in our brains for positive thoughts.

1. Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose, and

exhale through your mouth.
2. You can do this activity on paper or in your mind.
Try and think of five positive ways to describe
yourself. It can be any aspect of yourself...a special
talent, something you have achieved...anything, If
you're struggling, you can think of how a friend or
family member would describe you. Some words
you might choose are funny, kind, brave, caring,
hardworking, fast....the list is endless!
3. If you are really struggling, have a look at the 'I AM'
cards on the next few pages and choose some that
you think would work for you.
4. If you want to come up with your own, there are
some blank cards you can fill out.
5. Now, repeat your affirmations to yourself three
times. Take a deep breath in between each one
and think of reasons that this affirmation is true
about YOU.
6. Whenever you feel like you might be using more
negative talk than positive talk, pull out your
affirmations and read them to yourself again to
remind you of all the amazing qualities you possess.
 I am I am
happy. strong.

I am I am
calm. amazing.
 I am I am
helpful. unique.

I am I am
creative, loved.
 I am I am
brave. honest.

I am I am
grateful. enough.
I am I am

I am I am
I am I am

I am I am
I am I am

I am I am
 FOCUS ON YOUR

FAVOURITE SMELL
We've spoken about focusing on your senses and how this can really help ground us in the
present moment. Sometimes, focusing on just one of our senses can be equally as helpful.
The use of smell is a really effective form of grounding because there is a really strong
connection between our sense of smell and a part of our brain called the amygdala. The
amygdala plays a big role in anxiety responses to stressful situations. So focusing on our
sense of smell in order to help us remain grounded, is really effective.

1. Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose,

and exhale through your mouth.
2. Think of a smell that you enjoy. For some
people it may be the smell of freshly cut
grass, the smell of cookies baking, the smell
of the ocean, a cup of tea they like, their
favourite soap, or perfume. It could be
anything!
3. Think about what it is about that smell that
you enjoy so much. What does it smell like? Is
it sweet? Does it smell like a fruit?
4. Now think about what memories come to
mind when you think of that smell?
5. Finish by taking 5 more deep breaths and
notice the feeling of calm in your body.
 LET'S TRY

JOURNALLING
Journaling is a great way to get our thoughts on paper and help de-clutter our mind. Using a
journal in this way can reduce the impact stress can have on our minds and bodies. This can
help us remain grounded when things seem tough. If this is an activity that you enjoy, ask
your parents to take you to choose a journal that you can use as your grounding journal. That
way you have a special place to write when you need it.

1. Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose, and

exhale through your mouth.
2. Grab your journal and find a comfortable, quiet place
to sit.
3. If there is something on your mind that you want to
write about, go for it! There are no rules.
4. If there is nothing specific you want to write about, but
you still feel like writing, try some of the following
prompts to get you started:

What makes me happy?

What am I worried about lately? What would happen if I
stopped worrying about it?
What is one thing I could check off my list this week
that would lift some weight off my shoulders?
What is something I have achieved recently?
What’s something new I learned about myself this year?
Describe my most ideal day - what am I doing, who am
I with, how do I feel?
If I couldn’t fail, what would I do?
Today, I am grateful for…
What am I most excited right now?
What is something I’d like to learn more about?
Who or what makes me feel inspired?
What do I love most about myself?
 CALM YOURSELF WITH A

BUTTERFLY HUG
The Butterfly Hug is a simple relaxation technique that can be used anywhere, at any time to
help you stay grounded. You might not know this, but the brain is divided into two
hemispheres, the left brain and right brain. The left brain controls emotions and creativity.
The right brain dominates areas of logic, patterns and control. The butterfly hug is a way to
join both hemispheres of the brain, because it crosses the mid line of the body. The mid line
is the centre line of the Central Nervous System. By crossing the mid line, we are helping
both sides of out brain communicate with each other.

There are a few ways you can start this exercise, so just pick whichever feels most
comfortable for you:

Bring your hands out in front of your chest and cross one hand over the other at the
wrist.
Cross and hook your thumbs over one another (so your hands look like a butterfly).
Gently rest your palms on your upper chest.
Cross your arms one over the other and place your palms on opposite upper arms
Place your palms down on the tops of your legs (so your right palm is on your left
leg and your left palm is on your right leg)/

1. Once you've found the right posture for you, begin to gently and slowly tap your
hands on your body.
2. Tap right, then left, and keep alternating. Do this slowly, and gently. You can close
your eyes, or find a space in front of you to rest your gaze.
3. Keep doing this as long as you need to. You can even add in an affirmation
sentence from the 'I AM' activity that you previously went through.
4. Stop and check your level of worry/stress. If your worry has not increased try a
couple more sets of 8.
5. Stop after each set to check your level of distress, continuing if you are starting to
feel less worried or more relaxed.
 REMEMBER YOUR

FAVOURITES
When we are overwhelmed and ungrounded, it can be hard to remember all the things we
have in our lives that we enjoy. One way to ground ourselves it to remind ourselves of all the
things we truly love or enjoy. There are a few ways to do this activity. Let's go through a few
of them now.

1. Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose, and

exhale through your mouth.
a. Choose a category. It can be your favourite TV
shows, movies, super heroes, colours, songs,
time of day, holiday destinations,
foods...whatever you want it to be. Close your
eyes and list them in your mind. Think about why
they are your favourites. Why do you enjoy
them? What is it about them that makes you
happy?
b. Picture people you care about and look at
photographs of them. If you don't have
photographs of them handy, picture them in
your mind. Think of one thing each person has
done that shows you they appreciate and/or
love you?
c. Remember the words to a song you love, a
quote you love, or poem that makes you feel
better. Say the words/lyrics to yourself in your
mind.
d. Think of things you are looking forward to in the
next week – perhaps time with a friend, going
to a movie, or going on a hike. Why are you
looking forward to them? Why does this activity
bring you joy?
grounding toolkit
Building a grounding toolkit
can be a useful resource when
you're feeling ungrounded or
anxious.

Use the strategies in this

workbook to create a toolkit
that works for you. When
you're next feeling
ungrounded, you can use this
toolkit to bring yourself back
into the present moment.
grounding TOOL KIT

Building a grounding toolkit can be a great resource when you're feeling ungrounded or dysregulated.
Creating a list of strategies can help you choose the right thing to try in the moment.

physical
Things that help me feel physically grounded are:

1.
2.
3.

mental
Things that help me when I need to be mentally grounded are:
1.
2.
3.

soothing
Three things that can help when I need to self-soothe are:
1.
2.
3.

PEOPLE I CAN TALK TO:

grounding TOOL KIT

other sensory items that may help

me stay grounded:

I can touch: I can smell: I can hear: I can see: I can taste:
(i.e., playdough) (i.e., perfume) (i.e., songs) (i.e., photos of (i.e., chewing gum)
family/pets)

what else makes me feel safe?

1.

2.

3.

KIND words I can say to myself...