The 54321 grounding technique is a tool children can use when feeling anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed. This technique can help to prevent multiple anxious thoughts from piling up by focusing on your surroundings in the present moment. It calls for you to tap into a heightened awareness of your environment, fully taking in your five senses and grounding your thoughts to the present moment. The 54321 grounding technique can be used to regulate emotions and calm down. It is a great strategy to teach when helping kids self-regulate.