Wally Wombat Self-Regulation Unit for Years 1–3: Two Picture Books, Six Lesson Plans, Student Workbook and 22 Posters

This is a six-lesson wellbeing unit for Years 1–3 that teaches children to recognise worry in their body and practise strategies to calm down. It comes with the two Wally Wombat picture books, so there’s nothing else to buy. Everything is a digital PDF, ready to print or display on the board.

What you get:

• Wally Wombat: Anxiety Body Clues (eBook, 33 pages): a rhyming picture book about Wally Wombat noticing the signs of worry in his body, like a racing heart and butterflies in his tummy.
• Wally Wombat: Anxiety Strategies (eBook, 33 pages): a rhyming picture book where Wally learns nine ways to calm down.
• Teacher booklet: six lesson plans of about 30 minutes each. Every lesson has a learning intention, the picture book to read, discussion questions, a student activity and a wrap-up.
• Student workbook: one printable booklet per child, with an activity for each lesson.
• 22 posters for a calm down corner, showing 10 body clues and 9 calm down strategies.

What each lesson covers:

1. Everybody Worries: worry is a normal emotion, and everyone feels it differently.
2. Becoming a Body Detective: children find Wally’s body clues in the story, then mark where they feel worry in their own body.
3. My Worry Story: children think about a time they felt worried and the body clues they noticed.
4. Children learn and try Three, Three, Three; Cupcake Breathing; and Positive Self-Talk.
5. Children learn and try Growth Mindset, Muscle Relaxation and Calm Colouring.
6. Children learn and try Rainbow Grounding, Yoga and Five-Finger Breathing, then choose their favourite strategies for their own Calm Toolkit.

Who it’s for:

• Year 1–3 classroom teachers
• School counsellors and psychologists. The lessons work for small groups and one-on-one sessions too.

Aligned with the intent of the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education.

Written by sisters Sarah, a primary teacher and teacher librarian, and Emily, an allied health professional. Illustrated by Kadri Kuusler.