Break Cards, Videos and Activities

screen free activitites.pdf

Activity Bag

Printable ideas for activities, a bag full of ideas! Pull a new one out whenever you're bored!

mask game.pdf

Mask Game

Build toleration for wearing face masks with this game.

pepper experiment.pdf

Pepper Experiment

Learn about Germs!

4.Take a Break Cards_Elementary_Middle School.pdf

Break Cards: activity ideas for children in elementary school.

FREE-Printable-At-Home-Brain-Breaks-and-Active-Calming.pdf
5.BreakCards_highschool_college.pdf

Break Cards: break ideas for older children: middle/high school.

IndoorOutdoorScavengerHunt.pdf

Indoor/Outdoor scavenger hunt.

FREEINeedABreakCards.pdf

Break Cards: visual supports to help children request a break appropriately.

INDOORscavenger.pdf

Indoor scavenger hunt.

Conversations poster.pdf

Meaningful Conversations: teach children how to gain access to and participate in conversations with peers-practice at home using these key phrases after discussing a topic, watching a video etc.

Interactive Videos/Music and Movement

Resource: Common Sense Education

Elementary

From our head down to our toes, and our feet up to our nose, the Digital Citizens inspire students to be safe, responsible, and respectful online.

Discussion Questions: Which character do you relate to most when you go online? Why is it important to be kind online? Why shouldn't you open a message from someone you don't know?


Through this fun song, students will start to think about how to find a happy balance between their online and offline activities!

Discussion Questions: What was your favorite part of the song? What was one thing you learned from the song? Why should you take a break from your device when a friend says "hi"?


Students explore the amazing possibilities that come with using technology and learn from the Digital Citizens, who take a pledge to travel safely on the internet.

Discussion Questions: What was one thing you learned from the Digital Citizens? Why is it a good idea to set a time limit when using technology? Why shouldn't you share your username or password with other people?


Students learn a simple routine for how to deal with being interrupted while using media.

Discussion Questions: Do you ever have a hard time pausing when you’re in the middle of watching a show or playing a game? If so, why do you think it’s hard to pause? Why do you think it's important to stop what you're doing and pause for people even if you don't want to?


Grades 3-5

Students learn about a framework -- the rings of responsibility -- to understand how to balance their responsibilities as digital citizens.

Discussion Questions: How could throwing a bottle out of your window be similar to something you do online? What are the Rings of Responsibility? Have you ever heard the term "digital citizen"? What comes to mind when you hear that term?


Through this video, students learn a framework for making informed media choices to help them find media balance in their lives.

Discussion Questions: According to the video, what is media balance? How are some media choices more or less healthy than others? What does media balance look like for you?


Students learn about what type of information is or isn't OK to share online.

Discussion Questions: What type of information about you is OK to share? What type of information isn't? Why shouldn’t you share private information?


Students learn what is -- and what isn't -- cyberbullying, and get some strategies they can use to respond to it.

Discussion Questions: What is cyberbullying? What are some things you can do if you see cyberbullying?


With this video, students learn how online news articles are structured. This is the first step in helping them get better at interpreting what they see online.

Discussion Questions: Why do you think it's important to know the different parts of an online news article and website? What are some things to look out for when reading a news article online? How do you think knowing more about the parts of an online news article can help you?


Tweens and Teens

Many middle schoolers are already posting and sharing information about themselves -- and others -- on social media. But in a world where oversharing might seem like the norm, it’s important for kids to think about their digital footprints. In this video, your students can hear what other teens have to say about sharing on social media, then think critically about the decisions they’re making any time they post something online.

Middle schoolers use technology for lots of things, from texting and online gaming, to streaming TV and movies, and posting on social media. It might seem like kids today are almost always connected to a device. But is our 24/7 digital world actually healthy for them? In this video, your students can hear what other teens have to say about how digital media has them feeling “hooked,” then think critically about their own digital media use.

Most middle schoolers aren't prepared for the risks associated with sexting and self-disclosure in relationships. As technology makes it easier than ever for kids to share photos digitally, the stakes have never been higher. In this video, your students can listen to other teens' honest -- and sometimes frank -- thoughts about their experiences with sexting, then consider how they might react in similar situations.

Many middle schoolers use social media to connect with friends, share pictures, and stay up to date. But, most aren't ready to handle the distractions that come with social media, or the pressures they feel to share constantly and always be connected. In this video, your students can hear what other teens have to say about these issues, and think critically about how social media affects their own relationships.

On social media it’s easy for kids to be misunderstood or say something they don’t mean. Other times, being behind a screen makes it easier for them to say mean or hurtful things they wouldn’t say in person. All of this can lead to some serious online drama. In this video, your students can hear teens give their honest thoughts and opinions on the topic, and think about ways to cope with digital drama in their lives, or maybe even avoid it altogether.

On the web, in video games, and on social media, middle schoolers can easily meet and chat with people from all over the world. This comes with many benefits, but also some risks. How well do kids actually know who they're talking to? In this video your students can hear what other teens have to say about meeting and talking to others online. Students can then think about the types of information they’re sharing about themselves, and consider strategies to keep their online friendships safe and positive.

Kawa Model (for all ages)

Resource: The OT Wordpress

The river of life is a way of stepping back from everyday life and looking at your current situation and where you want to be. It looks at how you want to live your life so that you feel better well-being.

Imagine that your life journey is a river. Upstream is the past and the lower stream is your future. A river is not empty, in the river there are:

Rocks: these are your current life difficulties, fears or concerns which block and slow down the water in your river of life.

The river walls and base is your environment. Our environment gives the river its shape. These can be things like; who you live with, the important people in your life, where you live and work, your family, healthcare professionals, schools, workplace and our culture. These all make a difference to our life.

The driftwood in the river are your values, personality and personal resources. Sometimes these can help you and sometimes they can hinder you. The driftwood can further block the water or bump the rocks away, enhancing the flow.

The spaces between represent your overall satisfaction with your life and the things that make you happy with your life: these are our occupations. The more spaces there are the more well-being you feel as your water can flow easier. These are opportunities to make your life better.

To increase your well-being you need to increase the ‘flow’ of your river. You can do this in the following ways:

Break the rocks: remove the obstacles or make them smaller.

Maximise the spaces: accentuate the positive, do more of the good things that you enjoy or the things that you feel help you.

Use the driftwood: use your personal qualities or things that you already have to improve your situation.

Widen the river bed walls: change or modify your environment. This could be where you live, work, the people that support you and where you go in your leisure time.

The therapist and client would draw the river together, see the above picture from Michael Iwama. During stressful times in my life, I have also drawn my own river which I have found helpful. You can draw past, present and future rivers. The river can be drawn at a later date so people can see how far they have come and you can see whether the treatment has been effective.

Choose Your Own Adventure!

PickYourOwnAdventure