Coping Skills to Help Kids This Summer

Summer break is great for relaxing and taking care of ourselves but we can also start to feel a mix of different emotions. Being away from school, our teachers, and friends for so long may cause us to feel sad, lonely or anxious.

Tips to Help Heightened Anxiety

Using our five senses we can calm down and ease ourselves:

Look around you. Find Five things you can see. Find Four things you can touch. Find Three things you can hear. Find Two things you can smell or taste. Find One thing you love about yourself.

This exercise is called grounding. It can help when you feel like you have lost all control of your surroundings; remember to take slow, deep breaths.

Coping skills are the things that we use help us relax, slow down, and find joy

Playing sports, going for walks, drawing, reading a book, talking to a friend or loved one, listening to or playing music, singing, dancing, writing, playing games, watching TV, and stretching are all coping skills.

What things bring you joy?