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Calm corner choices poster (free printable menu)

A menu of things a child can do to settle, each with one line on how, for the wall of a calm corner. Edit the choices to match the tools you really have there.

Printed on the sheet. Leave it empty to write by hand.
Choice | detail
Colour
Calm Corner Choices, page 1Calm Corner ChoicesChoose one. Come back when you feel ready.BreatheSmell the flower, blow out the candle, five timesSqueezePress your hands together or squeeze a soft toyCountCount slowly to ten, then ten more if you need toDrawScribble or draw how it feels on paperLookFind five things you can seeAskRaise a hand when you are ready to talk

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About this sheet

A calm corner works when children know what to do once they get there. This poster is a menu of six choices, each a single word with a short line telling a child how: breathe, squeeze, count, draw, look or ask. Because the list is a menu, a child picks what helps in that moment, which is a skill worth practicing. Change any choice to match what your corner holds, such as a soft toy, a basket of paper, or a card of pictures. Introduce each choice to the whole class once, on a calm day, so no one meets it for the first time while upset. Hang it at child eye level beside the corner.

Grades: Pre-K to 5. Best in: August, September.

How to use it

  1. Edit the six choices so they match the real tools and space in your calm corner.
  2. Print in color on card stock and hang it at a child's eye level beside the corner.
  3. Teach each choice to the class once on a calm day, and practice them together before they are needed.

Five ideas for class

  1. Model one choice each morning for a week, narrating what you do and how it feels, so children see the strategy in action.
  2. Add a picture or a small object beside each choice, like a feather for breathing, so non-readers can tell them apart.
  3. Ask children what else helps them settle and add their idea to the menu, which makes the corner feel like theirs.
  4. Invite children to choose and go to the corner themselves, and keep it a place to return from rather than a place to be sent.
  5. Send a copy home so families can use the same words, such as squeeze or count, for calming down at the kitchen table.

Related

Questions

Can I change the choices?

Yes, all six are editable. Swap in whatever your corner actually offers, and keep each description short enough that a child can follow it alone.

How many choices should it have?

Six fit the page well and are plenty for most classes. A shorter list is easier for the youngest children to remember and use on their own.

Is the corner a time-out?

No. It is a place a child chooses to settle and return from. Keep it welcoming, and never use it as a punishment or a place to send someone.

How do I save it as a PDF?

Choose Print, then pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints: the page around it is hidden. You can also save a sheet as a PNG image under the preview.

Can I print it in black and white?

Yes. Switch to Black and white beside the sheet: fills turn white and lines turn black, so it saves ink and photocopies cleanly.

Is what I type saved or sent anywhere?

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