Tier 1 Sensory Interventions

10 Ways to Calm Down- Without Anyone Knowing

1. Dots on Hands- Apply gentle but firm pressure to the palm of one hand with the thumb of the other. Repeat 10 times on each side

2. Arm Squeezes- Starting at the shoulder, give yourself firm, but gentle, slow squeezes all the way down your arm. After you reach the hand, switch to the opposite arm and repeat. Make sure you are doing them slowly. Repeat cycle 1-5 times on both arms.

3. Arm Pretzels– Start with arms stretched out in front of your body, turn thumbs down, cross arms, interlock fingers, and curl arms up to make this “pretzel” shape. Hold this position while taking 5 deep breaths.

4. Chewing– Chewing on something can be very calming. Ask your teacher if you can chew gum. Or, use the top of a water bottle (preferably one that can shift up and down), or these pencil topper chewies.

5. Belly Breathing- Put both hands on your belly and feel it expand when you inhale and shrink when you exhale. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.

6. Fidget with something- Having an item to fidget with in your hands can help to calm your nerves. Pick “everyday” items that are easily accessible and discrete such as bracelets, pencil toppers, or pencils/pens for doodling. Remember, you must continue to pay attention while fidgeting!

7. Rub Ears- Gently massage both ear lobes to help decrease stress for 30-60 seconds.

8. Hand Presses- Firmly press hands together for 5 seconds and then relax. Repeat 3-5 times.

9. Take a Walk- Even within the confines of a classroom, you can still take a short walk to do things like sharpen a pencil, get a tissue from the tissue box, throw a scrap away in the trashcan, or walk to the teacher’s desk to ask a question. Even if you don’t really need to do any of these tasks, try them out because walking can help to decrease stress.

10. Drink Water- Drinking water helps to decrease stress. Many teachers permit water bottles in class, but if not, try asking. to go to the water fountain if you need to calm yourself down.