How can schools teach children stress management and wellness routines. This “flight card” is a great activity to share with your classroom! Line the chairs up in rows like a flight and have students take turns presenting wellness tips as safety advice before “taking off for the holidays”.

script

Supporting wellness, stress management and mental health over the holidays may start in the classroom, as awareness for maintaining routines for getting enough sleep, eating healthy, making time for self-care, mindfulness are all needed to maintain a sense of wellness and ultimately, the maintenance of mental health. This interactive video features a fun and stress-busting classroom activities for making a flight safety card before the holidays, as well as a downloadable templates to get started with this activity. Keep reading for teachers guides and tips that highlights aspects of social emotional learning embedded within this activity.

This activity works for elementary school grades but can be modified as needed for middle and high school students who can also enjoy the fun of acting out the activity with a bit of humor.

Elementary kids

Arrange chairs in columns, either two or four across (depending on the size of the class) leaving a narrow isle between the columns, just as seats are arranged on a flight. Have the kids take turns presenting the wellness tips. Have the students use the blank card printouts for their own wellness and safety tips.

Middle and high school

If this may be part of your health education curricula this activity may be adapted to include safety measures, that could incorporate information about sober driving, staying in groups if going out together, awareness of local resources against intimate partner violence. These health education tips need to be reviewed by school leadership and fit with your school curricular. In other words check with the health education curricula, state and district guidelines before including any lessons that reflectadolescents are vulnerability to alcohol-involved incidents such as car accidents, and interpersonal violence.

This “flight card” has several iterations. If you did’t find the link embedded in the video here are all the links, once again below.

Bumpy Flight! Fasten Your Seatbelts & Listen Up!

Smooth Flight Ahead! Wellness & Safety Checklist for the Holidays

Bumpy Flight? A fillable printout to teach wellness and help with ideas (K-5th grade)

Smooth Flight Ahead! A fillable printout to scaffold health and safety tips for middle and high school