Paper That Takes the Mad Away

Children crumple, squeeze and tear newspaper sheets to let out the energy of being mad, then throw it into the mad box and calm down with breathing. They work on noticing tension in the body and releasing it safely.

How to play

1. In a circle, the teacher makes a mad face and clenches fists: we talk about how being mad feels in the body (2 min).
2. Everyone takes a sheet and crumples it very hard while making a mad face: "Grrr!" (2 min).
3. Take another sheet and tear it into long strips, as hard as you like (3 min).
4. Stomp hard on the strips and gather them into a mad mountain (2 min).
5. Carry the mad pile to the big box and throw it in: "Bye-bye, mad!" (2 min).
6. Sit down, open your fists and take three slow breaths with open hands on your tummy (1 min).

Rules

• Give your mad feelings to the paper, not to friends.
• Tear your own paper, not someone else's.
• When the teacher opens their hands, we stop and breathe.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility or weak grip: use tissue paper or half sheets that tear more easily, and start the rip with scissors.
• Autism or noise sensitivity: offer ear defenders and the option to crumple very slowly; use a picture to warn there will be paper noise.
• Hearing impairment: use clear gestures for mad and calm, and show the stop signal with open hands.

Learning goals

• Recognize how being mad shows up in the body.
• Release tension safely using a material.
• Move from tension to calm through breathing.

Equipment for a class of 25

• newspaper sheets: 50
• large cardboard box: 1

Teacher tip

This works great after recess or a conflict. Don't push children to say what makes them mad; their bodies are already saying it. Save the paper in the box to make balls in another session.

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