Free Body Awareness & Regulation Resources
for Children, Families & Schools

Supporting Our Community Through Difficult Times

In light of the recent tragedy and heartbreaking loss of life here in Bend, Oregon, I want to do what I can to support our community as we navigate the grief, fear, uncertainty, and many other experiences that may arise in the days and weeks ahead.

As a trauma therapist, I know that difficult experiences don't always show up in ways we can easily recognize or put into words. This is especially true for children. Sometimes what we're carrying shows up in our bodies before we can understand or explain what we're feeling.

I wanted to create something that parents, caregivers, and children could access right away—simple, approachable tools to help children better understand and care for themselves during difficult times.

My hope is to continue developing additional resources for parents, caregivers, and adults in our community. For now, my priority is making these child- and teen-focused resources freely available as soon as possible.

What Are These Resources?

The purposes of these resources are two-fold:

1. Provide parents, guardians, families, schools, providers and anyone who is in a supportive role to children, to feel more equipped and empowered to help children process experiences their bodies are holding.

2. To help children and teens to develop skills and tools for life, by gaining awareness of their internal experiences, learning how to regulate their bodies and nervous systems, and develop greater resilience in tending to, holding, and working through difficult emotions and experiences.

I've created three versions of a Body Awareness & Regulation Packet, each adapted for a different developmental stage. All three follow the same general process:

1. Notice body cues. Begin recognizing what's happening inside the body—like a fast heartbeat, tense muscles, a fluttery stomach, restlessness, or heaviness—without needing to name or explain an emotion.

2. Explore what the body might need. Get curious about whether the body wants to move, slow down, feel stronger, rest, connect with someone, or try something different. It's okay not to know.

3. Experiment with ways to respond. Explore different movements, sensory and proprioceptive experiences, breathing exercises, creative activities, and opportunities for connection that may help the body work through or make room for what it's experiencing.

4. Notice what happens next. Pay attention to what changes, what feels helpful, what doesn't, and what the body might need next. Over time, children can begin building their own collection of strategies that feel supportive to them.

You can download the packets here, or scroll further for additional information about how to use these resources, and the differences between each developmental age packet content.

[Download the Ages 3–7 Packet]
[Download the Ages 7–12 Packet]
[Download the Ages 12+ Packet]

The Goal Isn't Always to Feel Better

Some experiences are simply hard. Some losses cannot be made better by an exercise, a breathing technique, or a comforting activity.

The purpose of these resources isn't to make difficult feelings go away or to teach children that they should always be calm or happy. Instead, the hope is to help children build a greater sense of awareness, choice, and confidence in how they respond to their bodies, even if that means learning to hold the hard things in a healthier way instead of trying to make the hard things disappear.

We want children to discover that they can notice uncomfortable sensations without necessarily being overwhelmed by them, and develop understanding of how to respond to those sensations. We want kids to find ways to make room for hard experiences, seek support when they need it, and gently shift the way their body feels, if that feels helpful.

Sometimes that means moving, playing, or creating. Sometimes it means slowing down, resting, crying, or being close to someone they trust. Sometimes it means allowing a difficult feeling to be there without needing to change it, and learning to acknowledge it as a human and appropriate response to something painful.

The goal is not always to change how we feel, but to help us feel more supported and capable of being with whatever we're experiencing.

My hope is that these activities offer children, and those close to them, practical ways to build that capacity together.

Choose & Download Your Activity Packet

Each version covers similar concepts, with differences in language, activities, visual design, and the level of independence expected.

Ages 3–7 | Body Awareness & Regulation Packet

Best for younger children, early-readers, or children with developmental needs for more simplicity.
This version is designed to be completed with a parent, caregiver, or trusted adult. It also provides opportunities for connection and co-regulation along the way.

This playful, simplified version helps younger children become “detectives” of their own bodies by noticing basic sensations and body clues. Next, they become “scientists”, trying different activities to discover what their bodies enjoy or need. Finally, they become body “experts”, learning to recognize what feels helpful to them.

The packet includes Body Discovery Cards where children can draw pictures of their body sensations and the activities they find helpful, while a grown-up can help put their discoveries into words.

[Download the Ages 3–7 Packet]

Ages 7–12 | Body Awareness & Regulation Packet

For growing independence, with caregiver support as helpful.

This version builds on the same body “detective, scientist, and body expert” framework, with more detailed body-awareness prompts, and a wider variety of regulation activities. Children practice identifying body sensations, exploring what their bodies might need, experimenting with different strategies, and noticing how they respond.

It also includes Body Discovery Cards to help children create their own personalized collection of strategies they can return to in the future.

Confident readers or older children may be able to use this packet independently, while younger children may benefit from guidance as they become familiar with the process. Parents and caregivers are also encouraged to participate when helpful, particularly when a child needs connection, comfort, or support.

[Download the Ages 7–12 Packet]

Ages 12+ | Body Awareness & Regulation Packet

For tweens and teens (and perhaps even adults) who prefer a more mature approach.

This version explores the same foundational concepts using more age-appropriate language and a less child-focused design. It guides individuals through recognizing body cues, exploring regulation exercises, and observing body responses to better understand what supports them.

The exercises have been adapted for older children and teens, including additional opportunities for reflection, journaling, movement, sensory exploration, and independently choosing strategies.

The packet also includes Knowing My Needs cards, allowing individuals to create a personal reference for activities they have discovered are helpful for particular needs.

[Download the Ages 12+ Packet]

A Note About Indicated Ages

The suggested age ranges are simply guidelines, not strict developmental boundaries.

You know your child best. Feel free to choose whichever version seems most accessible, engaging, and supportive for their needs. For older children and teens, you might even offer two versions and let them decide which feels like the best fit. There is no right or wrong place to begin.

A Note on Body Safety and Barriers to Body Awareness

If you find that your child is struggling to complete the first portion of their packet (Body Detective, or Body Cues), due to sensations of distress causing them to want to escape their body self-protectively, or due to feeling nothing or numb, or due to feeling sucked into or overwhelmed or body sensations, please try:

• Stopping. Don’t force it.

• Pausing, and trying again another time.

• Noticing ONE body sensation, instead of many.

• Noticing the body for just 2-3 second, then bring attention to something in the room around them.

• Skip the Body Detective or Body Cues section (first page in each packet)
  

If you find that your child struggles to connect to their body without feeling distress, scared of their sensation, or quickly feeling detached or seeming distracted, I highly recommend connecting with a therapist / mental health professional who can help them develop a greater sense of safety in their body, and potentially help them process any stress or trauma that is contributing to the overwhelm or self-protective detaching.

These resources are intended as supportive educational tools, not a replacement for individualized mental health care. Participation should always be voluntary, and children can skip any activity that feels uncomfortable or unhelpful. If your child is struggling significantly following recent events, or otherwise, consider reaching out to a qualified mental health professional for additional support.

With care for our community, and for all the children, families, schools and community members navigating this difficult time.

-Karissa