Stress is not just an adult problem. Elementary students feel it before tests, during friendship problems, when routines change, when something is hard at home, or when they simply have too much going on. Some stress is normal and even helpful. Too much, for too long, makes it harder for children to learn, focus, and get along with others.
The good news is that children can learn practical ways to calm their bodies and minds, and teachers can build those strategies into the school day. This guide covers how stress shows up in young children, what the research says, 40 stress relief activities organized by type, strategies for test stress specifically, and how to make stress management a habit rather than a one-time fix.
Note: This guide is general information for educators. Students showing signs of persistent anxiety, distress, or other mental health concerns should be referred to your school’s mental health staff.
How Stress Shows Up in Elementary Students
Young children often cannot say “I’m stressed.” Instead, stress may look like:
Physical complaints: Stomachaches, headaches, feeling tired
Behavior changes: Irritability, outbursts, crying, clinginess
Avoidance: Not wanting to start work, asking to go to the nurse, school refusal
Trouble focusing: Daydreaming, restlessness, forgetting directions
Negative self-talk: “I can’t do it,” “I’m going to fail,” “I’m bad at this”
Sleep or appetite changes: That families may notice
Common sources of stress for elementary students include tests and schoolwork, friendship problems, transitions and changes in routine, family changes, and feeling rushed or overscheduled.
What the Research Says
SEL reduces emotional distress
A meta-analysis of 213 school-based SEL programs found that participating students showed reduced emotional distress, along with better social-emotional skills, behavior, and academic achievement.[1]
Mindfulness shows promise, with caveats
A meta-analysis of school-based mindfulness programs found improvements in areas including cognitive performance and resilience to stress. However, a large UK trial found universal mindfulness training was no more effective than usual school provision for mental health outcomes. Mindfulness practices can be a helpful tool, but results vary.[3]
Movement helps attention and behavior
A meta-analysis of classroom-based physical activity found benefits for students’ physical activity levels and classroom behavior.[6]
Writing about worries may help older students
Briefly writing about test worries before an exam improved performance for high school and college students prone to test anxiety. It has not been tested the same way with young children, so adapt it with care.[7]
Breathing Activities
Breathing is one of the fastest ways to calm the body, and it can be done anywhere.
Smell the Flower, Blow the Candle. Breathe in slowly through the nose, out slowly through the mouth.
Balloon Belly Breathing. Hands on belly, breathe in to fill the “balloon,” breathe out to let it go.
Five-Finger Breathing. Trace up each finger while breathing in, down while breathing out.
Square Breathing. Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4, while tracing a square in the air.
Bubble Breaths. Pretend to blow a giant bubble slowly so it doesn’t pop.
Count the Breath. Count five slow breaths together as a class.
Body and Movement Activities
Physical activity helps release tension and reset the nervous system.
Stretch Break. Reach to the sky, bend side to side, and roll shoulders.
Shake It Out. Shake each arm and leg for a countdown from 10.
Squeeze and Release. Squeeze fists, shoulders, and toes tight for five seconds, then relax.
Wall Push. Push against a wall as hard as you can for 10 seconds, then relax.
Walk and Talk. A short walk with a trusted adult or buddy.
Yoga Poses. Simple poses like tree, mountain, or child’s pose.
Dance Break. One song, then a slow breath to finish.
See brain break activities for more.
Mind and Mindfulness Activities
Grounding exercises that bring attention back to the present moment.
5-4-3-2-1 Senses. Name 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you can touch, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
Listening Minute. Sit quietly for one minute and notice every sound.
Body Scan. Notice how each part of your body feels, from toes to head.
Calm Place Visualization. Imagine a calm, safe place and describe it in your mind.
Glitter Jar. Shake a glitter jar and watch it settle as you breathe.
Mindful Eating. Eat one raisin or cracker very slowly, noticing taste and texture.
Thinking Strategies
These help students change how they think about a stressful situation.
Name It to Tame It. Say the feeling out loud: “I feel nervous.”
Rate the Problem. Is this a small, medium, or big problem? What size reaction fits?
Change the Words. Turn “I can’t do this” into “I can’t do this yet.”
What’s in My Control?. Sort worries into “things I can control” and “things I can’t.”
Worry Box. Write or draw a worry, put it in the box, and come back to it later with an adult if needed.
Best Friend Talk. “What would you tell a friend who felt this way?”
Creative and Expressive Activities
Creative outlets help students process and express what they are feeling.
Feelings Drawing. Draw what a feeling looks like, then draw what calm looks like.
Journaling. Write about what is on your mind. For older students, a short daily reflection.
Coloring. Simple coloring pages as a calm-down activity.
Music. Listen to calm music or sing a calming song.
Clay or Play Dough. Squeezing and shaping can help release tension.
Connection Activities
Social connection is one of the strongest buffers against stress.
Talk to a Trusted Adult. Teach students who they can go to and what to say: “Can I talk to you about something?”
Buddy Check-In. Partners ask each other, “How are you really feeling?”
Gratitude Share. Name one thing you are thankful for.
Compliment Circle. Hearing kind words from classmates can lift mood.
Pet or Comfort Object. A classroom stuffed animal to hold during hard moments.
See gratitude activities.
Strategies for Test Stress
Testing season is one of the most predictable sources of stress in elementary school.
Practice the format. Familiarity reduces worry. Short, low-stakes practice with the same format helps.
Pre-test calm routine. Three slow breaths and a stretch before every test.
Positive self-talk cards. “I can do hard things.” “I’ll do my best.” “I can skip it and come back.”
Worry writing (older students). A brief “write down your worries” moment before a test, adapted from research with older students.
Keep it in perspective. Remind students that one test does not define them, and celebrate effort, not just scores.
Activities by Type
Building Stress Relief Into the School Day
The most effective approach is not a single activity but regular practice, so students can use these tools when they need them.
Teach strategies when students are calm. A breathing strategy practiced daily is more likely to be used during a stressful moment.
Start the day with connection.
Use brain breaks. Short breaks every 20 to 30 minutes help prevent stress from building.
Create a calm space. A calming corner gives students a place to reset.
Keep routines predictable. Predictability lowers stress, especially for anxious students.
Teach feeling words. Students who can name feelings are better able to manage them.
Differentiating by Grade Band
• Simple, concrete strategies: belly breathing, squeezing, glitter jars
• Songs and stories to teach calming
• Lots of adult co-regulation
• Picture cards showing calming choices
• A small menu of strategies students choose from
• Introduce “small, medium, or big problem”
• Short journaling or drawing about feelings
• Begin test-preparation routines
• More independent use of strategies
• Thinking strategies like “what’s in my control?”
• Journaling and reflection
• Test stress strategies before state testing
• Respect privacy: older students may prefer discreet strategies they can use at their desks
What to Avoid
Telling students to “just calm down”
Students need specific strategies, not instructions.
Introducing strategies only during a meltdown
A student in the middle of a big feeling cannot learn a new skill.
Making stress relief a reward
If calming activities are only available after good behavior, students who need them most may miss out.
Overpromising
Breathing and mindfulness help many students, but they are not a cure for anxiety or other mental health conditions.
Missing warning signs
Persistent stress, school avoidance, or statements about hopelessness should be shared with your school’s mental health staff.
Adding pressure around tests
Repeatedly emphasizing high stakes can increase anxiety for students already prone to worry.
Measuring Whether It’s Helping
Student self-ratings: A simple 1 to 5 stress or calm rating before and after a strategy
Strategy use: Are students choosing strategies on their own?
Recovery time: Are students calming down more quickly after upsetting moments?
Classroom climate: Are mornings, transitions, and test days calmer?
Nurse visits and absences: Watch for changes in stress-related complaints
Final Thoughts
Elementary students experience real stress, and they can learn real tools to manage it. The research suggests that teaching social-emotional skills reduces emotional distress, and that practices like breathing, movement, and mindfulness can help, though no single activity works for every child.[1][3]
Teach a few strategies, practice them every day, and help students learn which ones work best for them.
References
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x
Cipriano, C., Strambler, M. J., Naples, L. H., et al. (2023). The state of evidence for social and emotional learning: A contemporary meta-analysis of universal school-based SEL interventions. Child Development, 94(5), 1181-1204. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13968
Zenner, C., Herrnleben-Kurz, S., & Walach, H. (2014). Mindfulness-based interventions in schools: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 603. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00603
Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Oberle, E., Lawlor, M. S., Abbott, D., Thomson, K., Oberlander, T. F., & Diamond, A. (2015). Enhancing cognitive and social-emotional development through a simple-to-administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: A randomized controlled trial. Developmental Psychology, 51(1), 52-66. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038454
Kuyken, W., Ball, S., Crane, C., et al. (2022). Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of universal school-based mindfulness training compared with normal school provision in reducing risk of mental health problems and promoting well-being in adolescence: The MYRIAD cluster randomised controlled trial. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 25(3), 99-109. https://doi.org/10.1136/ebmental-2021-300396
Watson, A., Timperio, A., Brown, H., Best, K., & Hesketh, K. D. (2017). Effect of classroom-based physical activity interventions on academic and physical activity outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14, 114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0569-9
Ramirez, G., & Beilock, S. L. (2011). Writing about testing worries boosts exam performance in the classroom. Science, 331(6014), 211-213. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1199427
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