Hip, hip hooray it's testing day! Do your students ever get anxious before a big test? Are they dreading those looming test days? Turn your test days into the best days by helping your students manage their anxiety and fears over testing. Check out a few of my favorite stress reducing activities and ideas. They're easy to implement at any grade level and will have your students screaming hip, hip hooray it's finally testing day! Make sure to grab the FREE downloadable testing day tags here!
Photo Credit: simply sprout
One of my favorite ways to de-stress before a big test is to blow bubbles. This might seem so basic but it's an activity I swear by. All you need are some bubbles. Take your kids outside before testing day and tell them to think about the things they're worried about. Encourage them to picture these worries. As they bring the bubble wand up to their mouths encourage your students to take those worries and blow them all inside their bubble. As they watch their bubbles start to drift away have your students envision their worries and anxieties floating away with their bubble. I encourage my students to do this as many times as they need; being purposeful with their thoughts and intentional with their bubbles.
Another fun way to encourage and reinforce positivity before testing day is with some positivity posters. A few of my favorites are the Happy day cutouts. They are large and colorful and can easily be displayed around your classroom. Your students can look around and feel your positivity and encouragement as they tackle their test.
On testing day I love to leave a few surprises on my students' desks that they can use to help them relax and do their best on a test. Colorful Neon Smile Stress balls are my go-to stress relievers. These squishy balls greet my students at their desks with a smile on test day. They can hold them and use them as they count to 10. These Neon Smile Face Stress Balls are a perfect reminder to stay calm and try your best.
The last thing your students should worry about on testing day is a lack of school supplies. Take that stress away by making sure everyone has a pretty, new pencil. I love to add a custom tag onto the pencils before I hand them out. After all, a little note of kindness and encouragement goes a long way. Just download and print out the FREE tags. Cut on the black line and then add a hole punch on the top and bottom, slide a pencil through and you are all set. I add a couple of Pep-o-Mints to their desk to fire up their thinking and stimulate their brain.
After the test it's time to do a check-in with your students. How do they think they did? What are they feeling? This is where I love to encourage them to share their thoughts. I like using the neon worm balls to encourage my students to start talking. I keep these in a container on my desk and toss them out to my students after a test. When I toss one out I ask them things like, "What was your easiest question? What was your hardest question? How do you feel after the test? How did you feel before the test started?" This is a great way to check in on your students' emotions after testing and help them voice how they're feeling.
When testing time is all done it's time to take a break. Encourage a little downtime with your students be working on some free draw or art time. I love to pass out stacking rainbow pens for my students to color with. They're interactive and fun and the students enjoy changing out the colors. You can encourage them to be creative and color how they would like or you can provide them with printables to color. Oriental Trading has loads of coloring pages for free! A few of my favorites are the mandala coloring page and the floral coloring page.
My students' absolute favorite way to celebrate testing day is with some treats! Whether you have a popcorn party, you go all out with cupcakes or choose a simple snack, your students will love the sweet surprise. Add in a few fun Happy day paper plates, napkins and hang a few festive paper fans and you're all set for a fun little hip hip hooray it's testing day party for your favorite little VIP's! Try one or all of these fun ideas on your next testing day and see how your students start to look forward to the opportunity to show what they know and see how they grow!
