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The Self-Care Toolkit

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Kevin Ugalde

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

The Self-Care Toolkit Lesson Plan

Students will learn practical self-care strategies to manage stress and promote emotional balance. They will identify their personal self-care needs and begin building a personalized self-care toolkit.

Developing self-care habits early helps students build resilience, manage stress effectively, and maintain emotional well-being throughout their lives, leading to better academic and personal outcomes.

Audience

K-12 Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive exercises, guided reflection, and toolkit creation.

Materials

Smartboard or Projector, Self-Care Strategies Slide Deck, My Self-Care Plan Worksheet, and Reflection Journal Entry

Prep

Review Materials

15 minutes

  • Review the Self-Care Strategies Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
    - Print copies of the My Self-Care Plan Worksheet for each student.
    - Prepare to project the Self-Care Strategies Slide Deck for the class.

Step 1

Introduction: What is Self-Care?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "What does 'self-care' mean to you?" Allow for a few student responses.
    - Use Self-Care Strategies Slide Deck (Slide 1-2) to define self-care and explain its importance for overall well-being. Emphasize that self-care looks different for everyone.

Step 2

Exploring Self-Care Strategies

15 minutes

  • Present various self-care strategies using the Self-Care Strategies Slide Deck (Slide 3-7). These might include physical activity, healthy eating, adequate sleep, mindfulness, creative expression, connecting with others, and setting boundaries.
    - For each strategy, briefly explain it and provide a quick example. Encourage students to share how they already incorporate any of these (or similar) strategies into their lives.

Step 3

Building My Self-Care Plan

15 minutes

  • Distribute the My Self-Care Plan Worksheet.
    - Guide students through the worksheet, prompting them to identify their current stress triggers and explore which self-care strategies resonate with them most. Encourage them to choose 2-3 realistic strategies they can commit to trying.
    - Circulate around the room to offer support and answer questions as students work on their plans.

Step 4

Share and Reflect

10 minutes

  • Invite students to share one self-care strategy from their My Self-Care Plan Worksheet that they are excited to try.
    - Conclude by distributing the Reflection Journal Entry and assigning it as homework or for independent reflection. Reiterate that self-care is an ongoing journey.
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Slide Deck

The Self-Care Toolkit

Daily Practices for Student Well-being

  • How do you take care of yourself?

Welcome students and introduce the topic of self-care. Ask them what comes to mind when they hear 'self-care.'

What Is Self-Care?

Self-care means taking actions to care for your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Why is it important?

  • Reduces stress
  • Improves mood
  • Boosts energy
  • Helps you focus and learn better

Define self-care in simple terms. Emphasize that it's not selfish, but necessary for health and happiness. Explain that it's about proactively taking steps to support your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Physical Self-Care

Taking care of your body so it can take care of you!

Examples:

  • Get enough sleep (8-10 hours!)
  • Eat healthy foods
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Get some exercise or move your body
  • Spend time outdoors

Introduce physical self-care. Provide examples and ask students if they do any of these things already. Encourage sharing.

Emotional Self-Care

Tuning into your feelings and finding healthy ways to express them.

Examples:

  • Talk about your feelings with someone you trust
  • Practice mindfulness or meditation
  • Write in a journal
  • Listen to calming music
  • Practice positive self-talk

Explain emotional self-care. Discuss how acknowledging feelings is a part of it. Ask for ideas of how they manage big feelings.

Social Self-Care

Connecting with others to feel supported and understood.

Examples:

  • Spend time with family and friends
  • Connect with positive people
  • Join a club or team
  • Help others

Discuss social self-care. Highlight the importance of connecting with others in healthy ways. Ask students about healthy ways they connect with friends or family.

Mental Self-Care

Keeping your mind healthy and engaged.

Examples:

  • Read a book for fun
  • Learn something new
  • Do a puzzle or brain game
  • Take a break from screens
  • Practice gratitude

Introduce mental/intellectual self-care. Emphasize giving the brain a break or engaging it in positive ways. Ask students what activities they do that make them feel mentally refreshed.

Your Self-Care Toolkit

There are many ways to practice self-care, and what works for one person might not work for another. It's about finding what makes you feel good and helps you manage stress.

Let's start building your own personalized toolkit!

Summarize the different types of self-care and transition to the activity of building their own toolkit. Remind them that it's personal and to find what works for them.

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Worksheet

My Self-Care Plan

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Part 1: What Stresses Me Out?

Think about things that make you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or down. List a few of them below.










Part 2: Exploring Self-Care Strategies

Look back at the self-care ideas we discussed (physical, emotional, social, mental). Which ones sound interesting or helpful to you? List at least 5 different strategies.
















Part 3: Building My Toolkit

From your list above, choose 2-3 realistic self-care strategies you want to try this week. For each, describe how and when you will practice it.

Strategy 1: _________________________________________________________________

  • How I will do it:


  • When I will do it:


Strategy 2: _________________________________________________________________

  • How I will do it:


  • When I will do it:


Strategy 3 (Optional): _________________________________________________________________

  • How I will do it:


  • When I will do it:


Part 4: My Self-Care Mantra

Complete the sentence below to create a positive statement about self-care for yourself.

I will practice self-care because it helps me feel...


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Journal

Self-Care Reflection Journal

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Part 1: My Self-Care Practice

Think about the self-care strategies you planned to try this week using your My Self-Care Plan Worksheet.

  1. Which self-care strategy did you try? Describe what you did.






  2. When and where did you practice this self-care strategy?






Part 2: How Did I Feel?

Now, reflect on your experience with practicing self-care.

  1. How did you feel before you practiced the self-care strategy?






  2. How did you feel during or immediately after you practiced the self-care strategy?






  3. Did this self-care strategy help you manage your stress or improve your mood? Explain why or why not.











Part 3: Looking Ahead

  1. Is this a self-care strategy you would like to continue using? Why or why not?











  2. What is one new self-care strategy you might want to explore in the future?






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Activity

Mindful Moment: Belly Breathing

This activity is a short, guided mindfulness exercise to help students calm their minds and bodies. It can be used as a warm-up, a transition, or whenever students need a moment to re-center.

Instructions for the Teacher:

  1. Set the Stage (1 minute): Ask students to find a comfortable seated position. Encourage them to place both feet flat on the floor if possible. You might invite them to gently close their eyes or soften their gaze downwards.

  2. Guided Breathing (2-3 minutes): Read the following script slowly and calmly:

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