Help me give my students tools to build empathy, manage big emotions, and feel safe by creating a calming corner filled with kindness, calm, and compassion.
$531 goal
This project expired on November 14, 2025.
Every donation to this project is matched 2X!
2X
Donations
doubled!
This project expired on November 14, 2025.
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Project
My kindergarten students are full of energy, curiosity, and big feelings. As they begin their school journey, they’re learning not just letters and numbers but how to be kind, understand others, and show compassion.
To support this, I’m creating a calming corner: a dedicated space where students can regulate their emotions, reflect on their actions, and learn to recognize how others may be feeling.
Through read-alouds, sensory tools, and visual supports, students will learn to see the world through another person’s eyes, helping them develop empathy and emotional understanding.
We’ll also use kindness activities, like writing “you matter” notes and buddy check-ins, to help students take action when they see a friend feeling upset or overwhelmed. These small acts of compassion build habits that ripple throughout our classroom community.
To measure growth, we’ll track student reflection using daily mood check-ins and SEL conversations during our morning meetings. Over time, I’ll observe how often students choose to use the space and how their language around feelings and helping others develops.
With your support, this space will become more than a corner; it will be a safe, supportive hub where compassion is practiced every day.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
20 students impacted
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Solobo Toys: EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE - 2025 Plush TOY OF THE YEAR WINNER (social emotional learning awareness, squeeze stress, calming corner focus tools)
• DonorsChoose Featured Favorites
$52.00
1
$52.00
3 Book Set: BEING BRAVE Bundle: I Am Enough, Jabari Jumps, Stacey's Extraordinary Words (hardcover picture books, social emotional learning)
• DonorsChoose Featured Favorites
$48.00
1
$48.00
hand2mind Sensory Fidget Tubes, Calming Toys for Kids, Occupational Therapy Toys, Play Therapy, Stress Relief Toy, Comfort Items for Anxiety, Calm Down Corner Supplies (Set of 4)
• Amazon Business
$26.99
1
$26.99
Celestial Buddies: Little EARTH Buddy 9" Plush Space Fidget Toy (social emotional learning support)
• DonorsChoose Featured Favorites
$25.00
1
$25.00
The Invisible String - social emotional learning picture book (paperback, ages 4-8; calming corner resources)
• DonorsChoose Featured Favorites
$12.00
2
$24.00
Big - Caldecott Medal Winner & Coretta Scott King Honor Title (hardcover picture book, social emotional learning)
• DonorsChoose Featured Favorites
$20.00
1
$20.00
Sensory Playtivity Squishy Sensory Discs, Set of 3
• School Specialty
$18.37
1
$18.37
My Body Sends a Signal: Helping Kids Recognize Emotions & Express Feelings - Resilient Kids (social emotional learning paperback; calming corner)
• DonorsChoose Featured Favorites
$16.00
1
$16.00
Hand2mind My Feelings Rainbow Fidget Tube, Mindfulness for Kids, Stress Toys, Sensory Play Therapy, Calm Down Classroom, Calming Corner Items, Social Emotional Learning Activities
• Amazon Business
$14.71
1
$14.71
It's Okay To Not Be Okay: A Rhyming Read Aloud Story for Children About Feelings of Sadness and Loneliness (Social Emotional Learning Toolbox - Therapists, Educators, and Parents)
• Amazon Business
$12.91
1
$12.91
My Respectful Robot: A Children's Social Emotional Learning Book About Manners and Respect (Thoughtful Bots)
• Amazon Business
$11.99
1
$11.99
Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids (Bucketfilling Books)
• Amazon Business
$7.81
1
$7.81
Materials cost
$406.78
Vendor shipping charges
$8.29
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$6.10
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$451.17
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$79.62
Total project goal
$530.79
Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Tomika Garza and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
