Trip to Hawaii
Put a poster of Hawaii and a beach towel in a quiet corner of the room. When the children need to calm down invite them to take a trip to Hawaii so they can rest and relax.
*You can also add a bean bag chair, headset, etc. and call it the "just chillin'" center.
Calming Bottles
Make these bottles for children to play with in the "just chillin" center. They will give them something to hold in their hands and help them relax.
Directions: Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of clear corn syrup in the bottle. Add a few drops of food coloring and a teaspoon of glitter. Glue on the lid. Hold the bottle and slowly move it around to coat the inside.
*Add crayon shavings to a bottle of water to help children relax and focus.Through partner activities children can develop social skills, cooperation, problem solving, independence, oral language, and creativity. Peer teaching is also a powerful teaching strategy. To avoid common behavior problems that can occur when children pick their own partner, try these buddy sticks.
Stress Button
Glue the hook side of Velcro to a poker chip to make a “stress button.”
Magical Breathing
*Here's a great way to help children relax and "center" themselves from my friend Barbara Gruener:
There’s nothing easier in the practice of mindfulness than turning something automatic, like breathing, into something that you do with intention. Try variations of the deep breath, like box breathing. Popular with military personnel, this deep-breathing technique asks you to breathe in for four counts, pause and hold it for four counts, exhale for four counts, and pause again for four counts. Use your pointer finger to draw a square to make it more tangible. Or, for fun, try backward breathing. Exhale first, then inhale.
