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My Holiday Toolkit: Staying Balanced During Breaks

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Lesson Plan

My Holiday Toolkit: Staying Balanced During Breaks

Students will learn to identify potential stressors during school breaks and develop a personal "Holiday Toolkit" of self-care and coping strategies to maintain their well-being.

School breaks can be exciting, but they can also bring changes in routine that might make kids feel a little off. This lesson helps students prepare for these changes by giving them tools to stay happy and balanced, ensuring they enjoy their time off while taking care of themselves.

Audience

Grades 2-5

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, practical planning, and creative activity.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, My Holiday Toolkit Slide Deck, Holiday Stressors Worksheet, My Holiday Toolkit Activity Guide, Construction paper, Crayons, colored pencils, or markers, Scissors, and Glue or tape

Prep

Preparation Steps

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Hook: What's a Toolkit?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "Who can tell me what a toolkit is for?" Allow a few responses.
    - Explain that just like a builder has tools for building, we can have a 'toolkit' for taking care of ourselves, especially during breaks when things might change.
    - Introduce the My Holiday Toolkit Slide Deck and show the first slide.

Step 2

Understanding Holiday Stressors

10 minutes

  • Use slides 2-4 of the My Holiday Toolkit Slide Deck to discuss common changes and feelings during school breaks.
    - Distribute the Holiday Stressors Worksheet.
    - Guide students through the worksheet, encouraging them to identify potential stressors and feelings they might experience.
    - Facilitate a brief class discussion about some common themes they noticed on their worksheets.

Step 3

Building Our Holiday Toolkit

15 minutes

  • Transition to slides 5-7 of the My Holiday Toolkit Slide Deck to introduce different coping strategies and self-care ideas (e.g., reading, playing outside, talking to family, drawing, listening to music).
    - Explain that these are our 'tools' for our holiday toolkit.
    - Introduce the My Holiday Toolkit Activity Guide and explain the craft project: creating a physical toolkit to hold their ideas.
    - Provide students with construction paper, drawing materials, scissors, and glue/tape. Guide them to create a small
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Slide Deck

My Holiday Toolkit

Staying Balanced During Breaks

Welcome students and introduce the idea of a "holiday toolkit" for feeling good during breaks. Ask: "Who can tell me what a toolkit is for?" Allow a few responses. Explain that just like a builder has tools for building, we can have a 'toolkit' for taking care of ourselves, especially during breaks when things might change.

What Are Breaks Like?

School Breaks are Fun!

But sometimes things change:

  • Different wake-up times
  • New daily schedules
  • More or less time with friends
  • Special family events

Ask students to think about school breaks. What usually changes? Prompt them with questions like: "Do you wake up at the same time? Do you have the same schedule?" Explain that changes can sometimes make us feel different.

How Do Changes Make Us Feel?

It's okay to feel different things!

  • Excited!
  • Happy!
  • Bored
  • A little worried
  • Grumpy
  • Missing friends
  • Tired

Discuss how these changes can make us feel. Emphasize that all feelings are okay. Ask: "What are some feelings you've had during a long break?"

Identifying Our Holiday Stressors

What makes us feel stressed or worried during breaks?

  • Too much screen time?
  • Not enough to do?
  • Family visiting?
  • Lots of running around?
  • Feeling bored or lonely?

Introduce the idea of 'stressors' in a kid-friendly way. Explain these are things that might make us feel stressed or worried. We'll work on identifying them.

Your Holiday Toolkit

What can we do to feel good?

Just like a builder has tools, we can have tools to help us feel balanced and happy!

Introduce the concept of a 'toolkit' for our feelings. These are things we can do to feel better. Ask students for ideas before showing examples.

Tools for Your Toolkit!

Ideas to help you stay balanced:

  • Read a book
  • Play outside
  • Talk to a grown-up
  • Draw or create art
  • Listen to music
  • Help with a chore
  • Go for a walk
  • Play a game

Share some examples of healthy coping strategies. Ask students to share their own ideas. Encourage a variety of responses.

Build Your Own Toolkit!

Let's create our personal Holiday Toolkits!

  • What tools will you put in yours?
  • What makes you feel happy and calm?

Explain that each student will create their own personal toolkit. Explain the My Holiday Toolkit Activity Guide.

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Worksheet

Holiday Stressors Worksheet

Think about school breaks. What things might make you feel worried, bored, or a little grumpy? Write or draw your ideas in the boxes below.

What might change in my routine?







How might I feel when things change?







What are some things during a break that might make me feel worried or stressed?







What do I usually do when I feel worried or grumpy?







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Activity

Build Your Own Holiday Toolkit!

Now it's time to create your very own Holiday Toolkit! This toolkit will hold all the special ways you can stay happy and balanced during school breaks.

Instructions:

  1. Design Your Toolkit: Take a piece of construction paper. Fold it or cut it to look like a small toolbox, a pouch, or a special container. Decorate it! Give it a cool name, like "My Happy Break Box" or "[Your Name]
    Tamer of Grumpy Days."

  2. Brainstorm Your Tools: Think about all the things that make you feel good, calm, or happy. Look at the ideas we talked about. What are your favorite ways to relax, have fun, or solve a problem?

    • Examples: reading, playing outside, drawing, talking to a grown-up, listening to music, helping with chores, taking a walk, playing a game, building with blocks, telling a joke.

  3. Create Your Tool Cards: On small pieces of paper (or directly inside your toolkit if it's like a booklet), draw or write each of your "tools." For example, you might draw a book for "reading" or a stick figure playing outside for "play time."

  4. Fill Your Toolkit: Place all your tool cards inside your decorated toolkit. Now you have a physical reminder of all the ways you can take care of yourself during breaks!

  5. Share (Optional): If you feel comfortable, share one or two of your favorite toolkit tools with a partner or the class! Explain why that particular tool helps you.

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My Holiday Toolkit: Staying Balanced During Breaks • Lenny Learning