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Grab & Go Tools: Simple Learning Activities

Grab & Go Tools - see full description below image

Try these simple learning activities as part of your everyday mental health practices at school, or at home.  At school, it is important when talking about emotions with students, that individual, family and community cultural contexts be considered. For these learning activities to be impactful, supportive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive, it is important to also consider the lived realities, racial and other disparities and educator biases that can impact students’ experiences in Ontario schools.

Feelings Flashcards

These flashcards can be used in a variety of ways and are suitable for all grades. They are helpful for supporting the identification of, and conversations about feelings. You can also find this tool embedded as part of a Kindergarten, Primary and Junior lesson about stress management and coping strategies.   
*This activity includes a downloadable slide deck.*

Mood Check-Ins  

These tools are a great starting point for students, educators and caregivers. Elementary students are encouraged to choose from the tools below and find the one that they like best.   
These tools are also embedded as part of lesson plans about stress management and coping strategies - Kindergarten,Primary, and Junior.  

Practicing Gratitude

This tool is designed to help students build the skill of practising and expressing gratitude for the people, places or things that they appreciate. Gratitude is a way of thinking, one that you can practice, develop and cultivate. Gratitude can also help manage stress and can bring more positivity and joy into our lives. This activity outlines four steps to support students with practising gratitude and was part of the lesson plan for the Secondary Virtual Field Trip about Gratitude. 

See and Say How You Feel

This is a simple tool to support students in expressing feelings and reflecting on situations or experiences that can impact their feelings. This activity is also embedded as part of a Kindergarten and a Primary lesson in our Virtual Field Trips on stress management and coping strategies. *This activity includes a downloadable slide deck.*  

Would You Rather?

This game is designed to get students thinking about their preferences.  Knowing the activities that we enjoy is helpful when choosing distraction as a strategy to help us refocus our mind and feel better prepared to cope with big feelings.  This tool was part of a Kindergarten, and a Primary lesson plan in our Virtual Field Trips on stress management and coping strategies. *This activity includes a downloadable slide deck.*  

I in image

The I in Image activity provides students an opportunity to choose an image that they connect with and then share why they chose it. This activity will shine a light on the strengths and interests of students. It also allows for students to hear and learn about the views of their peers. You can customize this activity for the age and interests of your students through the images you select to use.  
  
These links provide instructions for doing this activity in person:  

This activity can be adapted for virtual learning by using the slide deck format included.   

This tool was part of a Junior,Intermediate, and Secondary lesson plan in our Virtual Field Trips on stress management and coping strategies.