Quick Tip: Try Some R&R
A quick tip to help kids reset & relax, practicing their self-management skills
Just like us, kids experience a full range of emotions - and they’re not always positive. To help kids control their reactions and feelings in the face of challenges and surprises, we developed a quick tip to stay calm and keep control.
Try some R&R:
We use R&R to teach that life is full of surprises and different feelings. This tip is rooted in self-management - one of the core competencies of social emotional learning (SEL).
R&R Techniques
To help kids practice R&R, here are a few techniques we utilize:
3-2-1 Method | Forward Fold | Hug | Blow |
| Allows you to calm down while relieving shoulder/neck tension, calming your mind, and nervous systems | Hug yourself or someone you’re comfortable with for 20 seconds | Hold out your hands and blow into your palms. This helps you slow down, release anger, and focus |
Weave R&R Into a Group Game
Social emotional learning can be woven into any activity - reading, homework, sports, and games. Use one of our games - Pick Up Sticks - to put R&R into action.
When students begin to get frustrated, have the group stop and try some R&R!
Pick Up Sticks
Supplies: 13 pieces of spaghetti per group
- Each group will be given 13 pieces of spaghetti.
- When instructed by the leader, a student or staff will pour the ‘sticks’ into a pile in the middle of the group.
- Each kid will take turns picking up one of the ‘sticks’ without moving another one of the sticks.
- If another ‘stick’ is moved while a child is trying to pick up a ‘stick’ the group must stand up together and do 3 jumping jacks.
- The first group to pick up all of the sticks will be the winners!