Some school districts grappling with how to help students better manage stress are adding “calming rooms,” where children can stretch, do arts and crafts, listen to soothing music, and more.
The trend is a response to multiple studies showing an uptick in anxiety and depression among teens and young adults, apparently triggered by pandemic lockdowns, researchers have said.
But some parents and school officials worry that encouraging the use of calming rooms robs children of the opportunity to develop coping skills that will serve them well in adult life.
School officials in Alachua, Florida opened a calming room at Santa Fe High School on Nov. 1. Beanbag chairs invite students to lounge and try activities said to relieve stress, such as coloring or working with Rubik’s cubes and other puzzles….