Kids Pain Education
A kids guide for new and stubborn aches and pains
A pain detective adventure · ages 8–12
Kids Pain
Education
Get curious about pain. Explore a new injury, pain that sticks around, and ways to keep doing the things you enjoy.
Explore on your own or with a grown-up. About 20–25 minutes. You can watch, answer or pass.
Meet your body alarm
Pain helps us notice when our body needs attention.
Nerves carry information about your body. Your spinal cord and brain help make sense of it. Think of pain as a protective alarm.
Hurt doesn’t always mean harm.
A louder alarm does not tell us exactly how much damage there is.
Solve the toast mystery
Burnt toast can set off a loud smoke alarm without a big fire. Pain’s loudness also doesn’t measure damage like a ruler. It’s one clue to consider.
Part one · a new injury
PEACE first. LOVE next.
New injury or unfamiliar pain? Pause and tell an adult. For sprains and strains, these words help us remember recovery steps.
Start with PEACE
Tap a letter to find its clue.
Protect
Give the injured area a short break from what aggravates it.
Our kids’ version adapts A to “Ask about medicines.” Medicine choices and suitable wraps are a grown-up’s job.
Then build back with LOVE
Load
Build activity back in small steps, following your recovery plan.
Part two · persistent pain
When pain sticks around
Pain that lasts or returns for more than three months is called persistent pain.
The alarm system can stay extra sensitive, even after an injury has healed. A sensitive alarm can learn and change.
Persistent doesn’t mean permanent.
Lots of things can influence pain. Tap a clue to explore.
Your move. Your choice.
With familiar pain, you don’t always need zero pain before you move. Use your own movement plan and try an amount that works for you.
Try a tiny movement
A gentle sway? Small hand movements? Watching is a choice too. Try a little, then choose: same, smaller or a break.
What helped?
What could you try next time?
Reflection inspired by Melanie Noel’s pain-memory research: Pavlova et al. (2022).
Tap your movement stoplight
A guide for familiar pain, not first aid for a new injury. Numbers are clues, not a test you have to pass.
Little discomfort?
Keep moving with an amount that feels manageable.
The tomorrow check
Notice how you feel later today and about 24 hours later. Has extra soreness settled back to your usual level?
Your everyday detective tools
Small steps count. Try something that fits your day.
Little bits of play
Choose something you enjoy. Start manageable and build up.
Wind down
A regular bedtime and a calm wind-down can help.
Stay connected
Time with friends and family belongs in your toolkit.
Remember what helped
What did you manage? What helped you do it?
The imaginary soup breath
Imagine a bowl of soup. Breathe in gently, then blow softly to cool it. Keep your own comfortable pace, or just watch.
No deep breaths or breath holds needed.
If pain keeps getting in the way of sleep, school or play, talk with an adult about a plan that fits you.
The alarm detective challenge
True, myth or not sure? Try before exploring, then again afterwards. Changing your mind is learning.
Clue 1 of 5
A louder pain alarm always means more damage.
Original teaching questions inspired by Louw and colleagues’ school pain education research. No grades or comparisons.
Questions & discoveries
Your next small step
What is one thing you learned? What would you like to ask? Share a clue with someone at home.
Your answers stay on this page until you leave. “Save my clues” downloads a PDF to your device. No name needed.
Put your clues into action
Choose your own adventure
Pick a playground story and decide what happens next.
Kids Pain Education · The game
Pain Detective:
Playground Quest
Your choices. Different stories. Explore the playground, help friends find a way forward, and collect clues for your own adventures.
Four adventures · About 2–3 minutes each · Pick any order. No timer or lost lives.
Your mission
Find out what hurt and harm mean. Care for a new injury. Solve the stoplight, check tomorrow, and remember what helped.
These are made-up stories. Use the clues from the lessons, and follow your own plan for your body.