Calm Down Wheel: Spin a Way to Feel Better

Calm down wheel with 12 gentle ideas for big feelings, from slow breaths to a drink of water. Spin one when a child needs a moment, in class or at home.

Calm corners
Whole class
Home

On this wheel

Take 5 slow breaths
Count back from 20
Get a drink of water
Squeeze and relax your hands
Draw how you feel
Stretch up high
Name 5 things you can see
Hug a soft toy
Look out of a window
Talk to someone you trust
Walk slowly around the room
Hum a song you love

Why use a calm down wheel

Twelve calming ideas are on the wheel, all quiet and all possible in a classroom. When a child needs a moment, a spin gives them a choice to try without anyone having to tell them what to do.

Add a choice to the calm corner
A child can spin on a tablet in the calm corner and try what comes up.
Settle a class after recess
Spin one idea on the projector, and do it together before the next lesson.
Practice before it’s needed
Families can try the ideas on a good day, so they’re familiar on a hard one.

This wheel wears the Wheel-ementary theme: crayons on a chalkboard, push pins and a gold-star arrow. Your own copy keeps it, or pick another wheel theme.

How to use the calm down wheel

Click the wheel to spin it.
Wait for it to slow down and stop on a random entry. The winner pops up on screen.
Click “Hide & Respin” to take the winner out and spin again, so nothing is picked twice.
Click “Create your own calming idea picker” to save your own copy, change the entries, and share or embed it.

All 12 entries on the calm down wheel

Take 5 slow breaths
Count back from 20
Get a drink of water
Squeeze and relax your hands
Draw how you feel
Stretch up high
Name 5 things you can see
Hug a soft toy
Look out of a window
Talk to someone you trust
Walk slowly around the room
Hum a song you love

More Feelings Wheels

Feelings Wheel16 entries

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a replacement for support from an adult?

No. It gives a child ideas to try. A child who’s having a hard time should still talk to an adult they trust.

Is the wheel really random?

Yes. Every entry has a slice of the same size, and where the wheel stops is picked with your browser’s cryptographically secure random number generator (crypto.getRandomValues), so nobody can predict or rig the result.

Can I change the entries on this wheel?

Yes. Click “Create your own calming idea picker” to save your own copy. You can then add, remove or rename entries, change the theme and spin settings, and share or embed your wheel.