Elsa-Support - Stress Bucket

Stress

This resource is about stress and coping strategies.

Some stress can be good because it can actually encourage and motivate you to work harder. When you get too much stress it can make you feel overwhelmed. Finding a balance is key to managing stress.

Stress bucket

The bucket is a metaphor for the body and the water is a metaphor for stress and coping strategies. This resource will lead the child through making a stress bucket and learning how to use it.

Levels of stress

Depending on the person, the level of water in the bucket may already be high due to past experiences. Stress entering the body isn’t necessarily filling up an empty bucket. It is adding to what is already there.

Every day stressors can soon overflow the bucket. There are always people and children who blow up over the slightest thing and this is probably because their stress is quite high all of the time.

Turning on the tap

Turning the tap on is a metaphor for letting out the stress and the best way to do this is through coping strategies. Coping strategies can be anything that the calms the person down from ‘calming breathing’ to ‘having a run’. It might also be things they enjoy doing, something that makes them feel happy. It can be individual to the person on what works for them. What relieves their stress?

Included in the pack
Stress scales. These could be used as bookmarks and taken away.
A4 poster that could be stuck to the wall as a reminder
24 additional supporting worksheets
An A4 bucket and pocket – pupils can put their stress INTO the bucket by using the pocket
Cloud and water for the craft
Different sizes of water droplets
Information sheets including examples of stressors, de-stressing ideas, physical body signs, and how it affects emotions and behaviour