Activities

Stress Balls

Why:

The stress ball prompts you to squeeze and release, which can leave you feeling less tense than you started.

Instructions:

- Roll out your play dough into a long, thin line. (I use one tub of dough per balloon)

- Stretch your balloon as wide as you can and stuff the play dough inside.

-Press the filled balloon to make it flat and get as much air out as possible. Tie it off with a knot.

-Add a face using your sharpie and you’re finished!

Note: I recommend doubling up and using two balloons, to make it more secure.

Calm Down Kit

Why:

The idea of a Calm Down Box is that when a child is feeling intense anger or frustration, they are encouraged to take some time and use the tools within the box to self-regulate and calm down effectively.

Instructions:

- Get a container or box and decorate it. Collect items that feel calming to you to put in the kit. Use this kit when you need help calming down.

Suggestions:

small container of bubbles

weighted stuffed animal

calm down jar

play-dough

stress ball

water bottle

slime or silly putty

fidgets

kaleidoscope

favorite book or a book about feelings

coloring book and crayons

mini Etch-a-Sketch

palm massage

pinwheel

Worry Stones

Why:

The stone symbolizes a reminder to breathe, a positive thought, or a favorite mantra such as, “I can get through this”. It can be kept in their pocket and used in difficult moments as a reminder that they are safe in control.

Instructions:

- Using “oven bake clay” choose up to three colors that make you feel calm or happy.

-Roll the colors into a ball and then gently push your thumb print into it.

-After it is baked for 30 mins at 250 degrees.

Calm Jar

Why:

It is incredibly soothing and relaxing to watch the water solution go up and down inside the bottle, and it tends to relax and calm them when they are feeling stressed.

Instructions:

-Pour some water in a small glass (or even better, plastic) jar about 1/4 full.

- add food coloring to the water and mix it up.

-Fill the rest of the jar with baby oil and tightly seal the jar.

Alternatively, you can use glitter in water instead of oil.

Create a Journal

Why:

Many kids have a hard time expressing themselves verbally or don’t trust enough to share their feelings. It’s important that they have a different outlet to expressing themselves.

Instructions:

-Decorate a journal that is personal to you using stickers, markers, or even magazine cut-outs of positive phrases.

-Use this journal to write or draw about your thoughts and feelings.

Slime

Supplies:

100 ml PVA white glue (children’s craft glue)

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

-gel food coloring

-1 tsp contact lens cleaning solution

-glitter (optional)

Instructions:

1. Squeeze the glue into a mixing bowl (look for a bottle in a 100 ml size if possible so you won’t have to measure it out). Add the bicarbonate of soda and mix well. 2. Add a drop or two of your chosen gel food coloring. Less coloring gives a pastel color; the more you add, the brighter the color. Mix until well incorporated. 3. Add the contact lens solution and mix. The slime will begin to form, going stringy before coming away clean from the bowl into a ball.4. Once it has formed, take it out and knead it with your hands. It will be sticky at first but after about 30 seconds you’ll have a smooth and pliable ball. Add glitter at this point, if desired, and work in with your hands. Store in a pot with a lid.

Worry Box

Why:

The box will be a spot to keep their worries when they don’t have the time to think about them.

This will give them a sense of control over their anxiety and can set aside a certain time of day to talk about their fears. When they no longer feel as though they need to address a certain worry that is in the box, the piece of paper can be ripped up and thrown in the garbage.

Instructions: This activity can be as simple or as elaborate as you would like.

-Decorate a box however you want--with modge podge, glitter, markers, stickers, etc.

-Write your worry on a piece of paper and place it in the box to be addressed at another time.