The end of the year brings a mix of emotions for children — excitement, tiredness, reflection, and often anxiety. As routines shift and the new school year approaches, many children feel unsettled, even if they can’t quite explain why.
For teachers and parents, this in-between season is a powerful opportunity to help children feel grounded, supported, and ready for what comes next.
Why This Time of Year Feels Big for Children
Children thrive on predictability. When a familiar year ends and a new one is about to begin, their sense of safety can wobble. Even positive changes — new teachers, new classrooms, new expectations — can create worry beneath the surface.
You might notice:
Increased emotional sensitivity
Difficulty sleeping or focusing
More frequent reassurance-seeking
Sudden resistance to talking about school
These responses are normal. They’re signs that children are processing change.
How to Support Calm During the Transition
1. Keep Routines Gentle and Predictable
Even during holidays, maintaining small anchors — regular meal times, quiet moments, or daily check-ins — helps children feel safe. Calm routines send the message: things may change, but support stays the same.
2. Normalize Feelings Without Rushing Fixes
Let children know it’s okay to feel nervous or unsure about the new year. Simple language like,
“Lots of children feel this way before school starts,”
can reduce anxiety without needing to solve it immediately.
3. Use Visual Calm Strategies
Visual tools are especially helpful during transitions. Breathing prompts, emotion charts, or calm space visuals give children something steady to focus on when thoughts feel busy.
Visual supports work quietly in the background — guiding regulation without overwhelming conversation.
4. Create a Calm Space for Reflection
Whether at home or in the classroom, having a calm corner or quiet space allows children to pause, think, and regulate. At this time of year, calm spaces help children process endings while feeling prepared for beginnings.
This doesn’t need to be elaborate — a defined spot, calming visuals, and clear expectations are often enough.
5. Talk About the New Year in Small, Safe Steps
Rather than focusing on everything that will change, talk about one thing at a time. Short, reassuring conversations help children build confidence without feeling overloaded.
Ending One Year, Entering the Next
Transitions are emotional, but they are also moments of growth. When children are given calm, consistent tools, they learn that change doesn’t have to feel scary — it can be supported.
As the old year fades and the new school year approaches, the most powerful thing we can offer children is a sense of calm continuity:
steady routines, gentle understanding, and spaces where emotions are welcomed.
If calm strategies and visual supports help children in your care, you may also find comfort in using consistent tools that can move with them from one season to the next.
Wherever you are — classroom or home — this season is about preparation through calm, not pressure.