Lesson Plan
Sensory Break Blueprint
Introduce students to simple sensory break strategies and enable them to self-assess energy levels, participate in quick reset activities, and reflect on their calming techniques.
Regular sensory breaks help students self-regulate emotions and attention, leading to improved focus, reduced disruptions, and a more inclusive classroom environment. Teaching these skills early empowers students to advocate for their own needs.
Audience
2nd Grade Students
Time
20 minutes
Approach
Hands-on stations, games, and reflection foster active learning.
Prep
Review & Setup
10 minutes
- Preview all digital materials: When & Why to Pause Slide Deck, Feelings Check-in Warm-up, Brain Break Stations Activity, Calm-Down Bingo Game, Mood Meter Journal Cool-down
- Print or project visuals for each activity station
- Arrange classroom into designated areas for Brain Break Stations and Bingo
- Prepare journal pages or binders for the Mood Meter entries
Step 1
Feelings Check-in Warm-up
3 minutes
- Gather students in a circle and distribute or display the Feelings Check-in Warm-up.
- Invite each student to share one word that describes how they feel and place a marker or pointer on the feeling chart.
- Emphasize noticing physical signs of feelings (e.g., racing heart, fidgety hands).
Step 2
When & Why to Pause Slide Deck
5 minutes
- Project the When & Why to Pause Slide Deck and introduce the concept of sensory breaks.
- Discuss why our brains and bodies need moments to reset (e.g., feeling overwhelmed, tired, or distracted).
- Highlight two real-life scenarios when taking a quick pause helps focus better.
- Ask volunteers to identify signals their body gives when they need a break.
Step 3
Brain Break Stations Activity
4 minutes
- Explain three 1-minute stations: Movement (jumping jacks), Tactile (stress ball squeeze), Breathing (deep belly breaths).
- Divide class into small groups and rotate through each station using the Brain Break Stations Activity.
- Prompt students to notice which station feels most calming and why.
Step 4
Calm-Down Bingo Game
4 minutes
- Hand out or display the Calm-Down Bingo Game cards.
- Call out different calming strategies (e.g., stretching arms, humming softly, counting breaths).
- Students mark strategies on their bingo cards and shout “Bingo!” when they complete a row.
- Briefly discuss favorite strategies as a class.
Step 5
Mood Meter Journal Cool-down
4 minutes
- Provide each student with the Mood Meter Journal Cool-down.
- Ask students to draw or write:
- The strategy they found most helpful
- How their energy or mood feels now
- Invite volunteers to share their reflections if time allows.
- Collect journals to review progress over time.
Slide Deck
When & Why to Pause
Class-wide toolkit for quick, on-the-spot sensory resets.
Welcome everyone! Today we’re going to learn about sensory breaks—what they are and why they help us stay calm and focused. Let’s start by looking at our title.
What is a Sensory Break?
• A short, planned pause to reset your body and mind
• Can include movement, breathing, or quiet time
• Helps you feel ready to learn and pay attention
Explain this definition in your own words and give an example: “I took three deep breaths when I felt my heart racing.” Invite one student to share an example.
Why We Need Breaks
• Boosts focus and attention
• Manages big feelings and stress
• Gives our brains time to rest and reset
Read each reason slowly and ask students to nod if they agree or raise a hand if they’ve ever felt that way. Emphasize that breaks help all of us—from kids to adults.
Signals Your Body Sends
• Racing heart or fast breathing
• Fidgety or restless hands
• Feeling tired or zoned out
• Getting frustrated or upset quickly
Go through each signal, acting it out if possible (e.g., pretend to fidget, yawn). Then ask students to copy one signal physically.
Examples of When to Pause
• After solving a tricky math problem
• When you feel frustrated or upset
• Before a big quiz or test
• When your body feels tired or wiggly
Walk through each scenario and invite students to suggest the best break for that moment (movement, breathing, or quiet).
Let’s Practice Noticing!
Close your eyes and scan your body:
• What do you feel?
• Do you notice any of our signals?
• If you do, that’s your cue: time to pause!
Lead a quick check-in: “Close your eyes for a moment. Notice one signal your body is sending you now.” Give students 10 seconds, then invite a few volunteers to share.
Activity
Brain Break Stations (Activity)
Overview:
- Students rotate through three 1-minute sensory reset stations in small groups.
- Each station targets a different sense: movement, touch, and breathing.
- Goal: Help students notice which strategies feel most calming and boost self-regulation skills.
Materials:
- Movement Station: open floor space, visual cue cards showing jumping jacks or star jumps
- Tactile Station: stress balls or sensory bags, textured strips or materials (e.g., fabric, sandpaper)
- Breathing Station: "breathing buddies" (small stuffed toy to place on belly), breathing diagram poster
- Timer or chime to signal rotations
Instructions:
- Divide the class into 3 small groups (3–4 students each).
- Explain that each station lasts 1 minute. At the sound of the chime or timer, groups rotate clockwise.
- Remind students to notice how their body and mind feel during each exercise.
Stations:
1. Movement Station
- Materials: visual cue cards, open floor space
- Activity: Students follow the card to do jumping jacks or star jumps at a comfortable pace.
- Prompt: "How does your heart feel? Does moving your body help you feel more awake or calm?"
2. Tactile Station
- Materials: stress balls or sensory bags, textured strips
- Activity: Students squeeze the stress ball or run fingers over textures for deep touch input.
- Prompt: "Notice how your hands feel. Does this pressure make you feel calmer or more settled?"
3. Breathing Station
- Materials: breathing buddies (small stuffed toy), breathing diagram poster
- Activity: Students lie on the floor or sit quietly, placing the buddy on their belly. Inhale slowly to make the buddy rise, then exhale to make it fall.
- Prompt: "Focus on your belly moving up and down. Do you notice your mind slowing down?"
Reflection:
- After completing all rotations, reconvene as a class.
- Ask each group to share: “Which station felt most calming for you and why?”
Game
Calm-Down Bingo (Game)
Overview:
Calm-Down Bingo is a fun, interactive way for students to practice and reinforce different calming strategies. As strategies are called out, students mark them on their bingo cards. When a student completes a row, column, or diagonal, they shout “Bingo!” and share which strategies helped them the most.
Materials:
- Printed or projected Bingo cards (5×5 grid) with calming strategies in each square
- Markers, chips, or crayons for covering squares
- A list of call-out prompts (one for each strategy)
Sample Bingo Card Layout:
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Belly Breaths | Stretch Arms | Free Space | Squeeze Stress Ball | Humming Softly |
| Count to Five | Wiggle Fingers | Visualize Calm | Listen to a Bell | Gentle Shoulder Rub |
| Rock in Chair | Thumb Circles | FREE SPACE | Positive Self-Talk | Press Palms Together |
| Sit Quietly | Roll Shoulders | Yoga Pose | Scent Strip Sniff | Draw a Smile |
| Reach for the Sky | Foot Massage | Close Eyes | Tap Table Rhythms | Whisper a Joke |
Instructions:
- Distribute or display bingo cards and give each student markers.
- Explain that you will call out one calming strategy at a time.
- When students hear a strategy that’s on their card, they cover that square.
- The first student to complete a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line stands, shouts “Bingo!”, and pauses to share:
- Which strategy on their winning line was most helpful and why.
- Continue playing additional rounds as time allows. Each round, encourage students to try marking strategies they haven’t used before.
Follow-Up Discussion:
- Ask: “Which calming strategy surprised you the most?”
- Ask: “What new strategy will you try next time you need to pause?”
Note: Save students’ completed cards to revisit progress and preferences over time.
Warm Up
Feelings Check-In Warm-Up
Materials:
- A large feelings chart with emotion words and corresponding faces (happy, sad, excited, frustrated, calm, etc.)
- A pointer, marker, or sticky notes for each student
Instructions:
- Gather the class in a circle and display the feelings chart where everyone can see it.
- Invite each student, one at a time, to share a single word that describes how they feel right now.
- After saying their word, the student places their marker on the matching emotion on the chart.
- Ask the class: “What physical signs (body signals) help you know you feel that way?”
- Prompt: “Do you notice your heart beating fast? Are your hands fidgeting? Do you feel tired or energetic?”
- Reinforce that noticing these signals helps us choose which sensory break to use.
Reflection Prompt for Students:
Take a moment to think about one body signal you noticed and share it with a partner.
Cool Down
Mood Meter Journal (Cool-Down)
Materials:
- Printed or projected Mood Meter Journal page for each student
Instructions:
- Mark Your Mood
Look at the mood meter grid below. Use an X to show how you felt before the sensory breaks and an O to show how you feel now.
| Low Energy | High Energy | |
|---|---|---|
| Unpleasant | ||
| Pleasant |
- Reflect and Write
- The strategy I found most helpful was:
- How my energy/mood feels now compared to before:
- One thing I will try next time I need a pause:
- Share (Optional):
Invite a partner to read one of your reflections and discuss how it might help both of you stay focused and calm next time.