Calm Cards Match Game Slice-and-Dice
Calm Cards Match
Coping Skills Game
Name: ____________________ Date: ________
Instructions: Cut cards along dashed lines. Mix and lay face down. Match pairs and practice the skill! All cards in both decks are sized identically for mixing.
Box Breath
Stress Reduction
Inhale 4s, Hold 4s, Exhale 4s, Hold 4s. Repeat to calm down.
Box Breath
Stress Reduction
Inhale 4s, Hold 4s, Exhale 4s, Hold 4s. Repeat to calm down.
5-4-3-2-1
Grounding
Notice 5 see, 4 feel, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 taste to focus.
5-4-3-2-1
Grounding
Notice 5 see, 4 feel, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 taste to focus.
Name It
Identification
Label your emotion. "I feel frustrated right now."
Name It
Identification
Label your emotion. "I feel frustrated right now."
Find Spark
Triggers
Identify what made you upset (person, place, thing).
Find Spark
Triggers
Identify what made you upset (person, place, thing).
Be Present
Mindfulness
Focus entirely on one thing you can see or do right now.
Be Present
Mindfulness
Focus entirely on one thing you can see or do right now.
Write It
Journaling
Put your thoughts on paper to clear them from your mind.
Write It
Journaling
Put your thoughts on paper to clear them from your mind.
Help
Support
Reach out to a trusted adult and share how you feel.
Help
Support
Reach out to a trusted adult and share how you feel.
Kindness
Self-Talk
Say something kind to yourself like, "I am doing my best."
Kindness
Self-Talk
Say something kind to yourself like, "I am doing my best."
Steps
Solving
Break a big problem into 3 small steps you can do today.
Steps
Solving
Break a big problem into 3 small steps you can do today.
No
Boundaries
It's okay to say "I'm not ready for that" or "I need space."
No
Boundaries
It's okay to say "I'm not ready for that" or "I need space."
Flip It
Reframing
Turn "I can't do this" into "I can't do this *yet*."
Flip It
Reframing
Turn "I can't do this" into "I can't do this *yet*."
Break
Distraction
Step away and do something different for 5 minutes.
Break
Distraction
Step away and do something different for 5 minutes.
Calm Cards Middle School Deck
Calm Cards Pro
Middle School Regulation Deck
User: ____________________ Date: ________
Tactical Guide: Cut cards along dashed lines. Mix and match pairs. All cards sized identically to the Standard Deck. MS marker in corner for sorting.
MS
Cognitive Reframe
Mindset Shift
Replace "I'm failing" with "I'm still learning the best way to tackle this."
MS
Cognitive Reframe
Mindset Shift
Replace "I'm failing" with "I'm still learning the best way to tackle this."
MS
Assertive "I"
Communication
Say: "I feel frustrated when my time is ignored because I worked hard on this."
MS
Assertive "I"
Communication
Say: "I feel frustrated when my time is ignored because I worked hard on this."
MS
Digital Detox
Boundaries
Put your phone in another room for 60 mins to reset your attention span.
MS
Digital Detox
Boundaries
Put your phone in another room for 60 mins to reset your attention span.
MS
3-3-3 Rule
Grounding
Name 3 things you see, 3 sounds you hear, and move 3 body parts.
MS
3-3-3 Rule
Grounding
Name 3 things you see, 3 sounds you hear, and move 3 body parts.
MS
20-Min Cool
Conflict
Wait 20 minutes before responding to a text that upset you.
MS
20-Min Cool
Conflict
Wait 20 minutes before responding to a text that upset you.
MS
Get Specific
Identity
Look beyond "mad." Are you feeling misunderstood or powerless?
MS
Get Specific
Identity
Look beyond "mad." Are you feeling misunderstood or powerless?
MS
Stress Map
Biofeedback
Scan your body. Unclench your jaw and drop your shoulders.
MS
Stress Map
Biofeedback
Scan your body. Unclench your jaw and drop your shoulders.
MS
Reality Test
Cognitive
Ask: "Is there proof that this thought is true or just my anxiety?"
