On-the-Go Regulation Strategy Cardseight printable calm down cards for the car, the shops and the waiting room
Eight free printable cards, each with one calming strategy, why it helps, and exactly what to say and do.
They are made for the moments you cannot leave: the back seat, the queue, the café, the ten minutes before the appointment. Print, laminate, clip them to a keyring, and they are in your bag before you need them.
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The eight strategies
Every card tells you why, not just what
This is the part I did not want to leave out.
Each card has a WHY IT HELPS line before the steps. Butterfly tapping says that rhythmic, alternating taps give the brain calming bilateral input that can steady the nervous system and support emotional settling. Count the squeezes says it provides calming deep pressure input and connection through touch. Hand press says it gives deep pressure input that may be calming or grounding. The I spy card says it anchors attention to the present moment, giving the brain a simple, structured search task.
You are more likely to use a strategy you understand, and much more likely to pick the right one for the moment your child is actually in.
Three of them work without letting go of the pram
Count the squeezes, I spy colour search and shoulder shrugs need no equipment, no table, and no free hands beyond one. You can do all three while walking.
That mattered to me when I was choosing what went in. Plenty of regulation resources assume a quiet room and a cushion. The moments when a child most needs one of these are rarely in a quiet room.
How to use them
Straight from the front of the pack, and it is the bit I would underline:
Use them with your child, model the steps, and keep your voice slow and steady. Small moments of connection make a big difference.
FROM THE GUIDE
Model it rather than instruct it. A child who is already overwhelmed does not have much capacity to follow a four-step direction, but they can copy you tapping your own chest.
Practise them when everyone is calm. A strategy your child already knows is one you can reach for later. A strategy introduced for the first time mid-meltdown is a new demand, which is the opposite of what you want.
And if one does not land, try a different card rather than the same one louder. What settles one child winds up another.
Where to keep them
Print, laminate if you can, hole-punch the corner and put them on a keyring or a carabiner. Clip that to the nappy bag or the pram. They also work stuck up at home in a calm corner or a regulation space, so the strategies are visible rather than something your child has to remember.
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Frequently asked questions
What age are the regulation cards for?+
Roughly 3 to 8 years. Younger children join in by copying you; older children can pick their own card.
How many strategies are included?+
Eight, each on its own card, with a why it helps and a step-by-step how to.
Do I need to print them?+
They work best printed and clipped to a bag so they are there when you need them. You can also keep the PDF on your phone.
When should I introduce them?+
When your child is calm. Practising a strategy in an easy moment is what makes it available in a hard one.
Will these stop my child having meltdowns?+
No, and nothing will. Big feelings are a normal part of childhood. These are simple, evidence-informed ideas that may help a child settle, used alongside your presence rather than instead of it. If you are worried about your child's distress or how often it happens, that is worth raising with your GP or a paediatric therapist.
Keep going
Paediatric OT with 9 years of experience working with children and families. Kidera exists to make OT-informed tools accessible to every parent, not just those in clinic.
These are general, evidence-informed resources. They are not a diagnosis and not a substitute for assessment by a registered health practitioner. If you have concerns about your child's development, speak with your GP, child health nurse, or a paediatric therapist.