Calm Down Cards
These calm down cards help children aged 3 to 12 name their feelings and choose simple ways to feel settled. The worksheets are free to download and print for use at home or in your own classroom.
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At a glance
- Ages: 3 to 12
- Skills: Feelings, breathing, self-regulation
- You need: Pencil, crayons or coloured pencils
- Time: 5 to 15 minutes
Calm choices for different ages
This set includes simple cards and worksheets that guide children through calm breathing, body awareness, quiet choices and naming feelings. Younger children can point to a feeling, copy a breathing pattern or colour a calm choice. Older children can write what happened, notice body signals and choose a strategy that may help. The pages use clear prompts, large spaces and familiar situations, so you can select a suitable activity for Nursery, LKG, UKG or primary school children. Use one page at a time rather than presenting the whole set at once.
Use the cards before or after big feelings
At home, keep a few completed cards in a small box or on the fridge. Practise one when your child is calm, such as smelling an imaginary flower and slowly blowing out a candle. In class, introduce a card during circle time, then place a small choice area where a child can sit quietly for a few minutes. After a disagreement, help your child choose a card and talk through it together. The aim is to practise a choice before it is needed, not to demand perfect calm straight away.
Help children use the cards well
Children may say they are fine when their body feels tense, rush through the breathing prompt or choose a strategy that does not help that day. Stay calm and describe what you notice without guessing the feeling: your hands are tight and your voice is loud. Offer two choices instead of giving a long speech. A calm down card is a support, not a punishment or a way to stop a child from speaking. Once your child feels settled, listen to what happened and discuss what might help next time.
Lumi's tips
- Make it easier by offering two cards and reading the words aloud while your child points, colours or copies the action.
- Make it harder by asking an older child to write when a strategy could help and how their body felt before and after using it.
- Keep it real by matching cards to everyday moments such as waiting, losing a game, hearing a loud sound or getting ready for school.
How to download and print
- Sign in or join free, it takes a few seconds.
- Choose a page and tap Download. Pick A4 or US Letter to match your paper.
- Open the PDF and print at "Actual size" (100%) so nothing is cut off.
- Your downloads stay in My Library, so you can print them again any time.
Questions parents ask
What are calm down cards?
Calm down cards are visual prompts that remind children of simple ways to pause, name a feeling and settle their body. They can show breathing, movement, quiet time or a choice of words.
How do I use calm down cards with a child?
Show your child a small choice of cards when they are calm and practise together. During a difficult moment, use a quiet voice and offer one or two familiar choices without forcing the child to talk immediately.
Are calm down cards suitable for toddlers?
Yes, younger children can use picture based prompts with an adult. Keep the activity brief and focus on copying one action, such as slow breathing, squeezing hands gently or finding a quiet place.
Can I use these worksheets in a classroom?
Yes. Use them during circle time, a feelings lesson or a short quiet break. Children can practise the prompts together, then keep selected cards in a class calm choice area.
How do I download and print these calm down cards?
Create a free EarlyActivity account, then download the PDF. Free accounts can download up to 20 printables a day. Print the file at home or school for your own use.
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