Welcome to Wander
Want to unwind your mind? Wander takes you through different subworlds where you can play games to calm you down, spark your creativity, and help you feel good about yourself. Take a dip in the Sea of Serenity to wash away stress. Wander over to Inspiration Island for activities like “Personal Paradise” and “Mood Ring” to let your creativity take over. Find good vibes in the Bright Meadow, or tune into your senses in the Zen Woods.
A note for adults
Wander is designed to teach youth mindfulness and other skills to regulate their emotions, reduce stress, and cope with challenges. The activities in Wander help kids develop foundational tools to improve their mental health and support healthy decision-making. It was developed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Bureau of Substance Addiction Services with input from Massachusetts youth and educators.
Help us make improvements: share your feedback on the Wander website.
How to use this resource
The Wander game is designed for kids to use independently. It’s free to use and provides fun and relaxing activities that give youth tools to reduce stress and process their feelings. Wander activities are designed for kids in late elementary and middle school, but youth of all ages can benefit from the activities.
Subworld 1: Sea of Serenity – Relaxation and Breathing
Provides “in-the-moment” tools and activities to help calm the nervous system and reduce stress. These include guided breathing techniques and simple meditation practices.
Subworld 2: Bright Meadow – Positive Self-Worth and Gratitude
Helps youth identify their values, which can create a feeling of authenticity and self-awareness. It can also help them identify traits they would like to develop. These activities center on reframing exercises and affirmations.
Subworld 3: Inspiration Island – Creative Output
Encourages self-expression through creativity. Its activities guide youth in creating art and using visualization techniques.
Subworld 4: Zen Woods – Meditation
Teaches youth to heighten their awareness by focusing on their senses. Activities such as nature walks and body scans help youth notice where stress shows up in the body and connect to their physical feelings in the moment.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact us at wandersupport@thinkargus.com.
The Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS), part of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, oversees and maintains the statewide system of prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support services for the Commonwealth.
The BSAS Prevention Unit works to empower communities using a public health approach to promote and support healthy decisions around substance use among youth. To do this, we provide funding and programming support to municipalities and community organizations across the Commonwealth. We view substance use prevention like a house that our entire community is working to construct, building a strong and lasting foundation of lifelong health and well-being. To fortify this foundation, we use the tools and practices of prevention science, anticipating and counteracting potential risks and building as well as reinforcing effective protections.
