30 Calming Cards for Kids | Coping Skills, Grounding, Emotional Regulation Tool

Help kids build a toolbox of calming strategies they can actually use when emotions feel big.

This set includes 30 thick, durable calming cards for kids, with simple visual strategies for breathing, movement, grounding, relaxation, noticing, and connection. Each card pairs easy-to-follow instructions with expressive hand-painted style artwork designed to feel warm, approachable, and engaging without looking overly clinical.

These are physical cards, not a digital download.

Each card is approximately 5.4 x 3.1 inches and is made with a sturdy cardstock core, then double laminated for extra thickness, durability, and protection. The finished cards are waterproof, easy to wipe clean, and designed to hold up to repeated use in therapy rooms, classrooms, calm-down spaces, and at home.

The deck is organized into six color-coded strategy groups:

Breathe
Balloon Belly
Hot Cocoa Breath
Flower + Candle
Starfish Breathing
Box Breathing
Long Exhale

Move
Wall Push
Chair Push
Bear Hug
Animal Walk
Stomp + Slow
Stretch Tall

Ground
5-4-3-2-1
Feet on the Floor
Five Sounds
Find the Colors
Texture Detective
Sip + Notice

Relax
Squeeze + Release
Turtle Shoulders
Tight + Loose Body
Face Relax

Notice
Safe Place
Watch One Thing
Slow Drawing
Calm Memory

Connect
Ask for a Break
Ask for Help
Name the Feeling
Choose Your Calm

The cards include a variety of coping approaches so children can explore what works best for them rather than relying on one single type of calming technique.

Perfect for use by:
therapists, counselors, social workers, teachers, school counselors, occupational therapy settings, parents, homeschool families, SEL programs, calm-down corners, sensory spaces, and emotional-regulation activities.

Product details

30 physical cards
Approx. 5.4 x 3.1 inches each
Thick cardstock construction
Double laminated
Waterproof
Rounded corners
Color-coded strategy categories
Original illustrations
Easy-to-read child-friendly instructions

Because these are laminated on both sides, they are made for repeated handling and can be wiped clean when needed.

This resource is intended as an educational and supportive tool and is not a substitute for individualized medical, mental-health, or occupational-therapy care.