One way to provide this opportunity is by playing educational videos in the classroom. Videos can be a great way to introduce new concepts, review material, or simply provide a break from more active activities.

Best of all, when carefully selected, they can be both educational and entertaining. There are a variety of ways to incorporate videos into the classroom.

For example, they can be used as part of a morning routine or during transition times. They can also be played during centers or as part of a whole-class lesson.

One of the most helpful calming activities for kids is coloring. Coloring requires concentration and focus, which can help kids settle down and get ready to learn. And because it's a quiet activity, it can also help kids wind down after a noisy lunch period. Through it, children can express their creativity.

This can be a fun break from traditional schoolwork, and it can also help prepare kids for upcoming tests or projects. There are plenty of coloring books available that feature favorite characters from movies, TV shows, and books.

Or, you can print out coloring pages from the internet. Whatever you choose, be sure to have plenty of crayons or markers on hand.

And don't forget to set a timer so that kids don't spend too long on their project. One of the best ways to get kids calm and focused after lunch or recess is to have them read independently.

This can be done with a book, ebook, or even an online article. Just a few minutes of reading can help kids transition from being hyper and outdoors to being calm and indoors. When kids are able to choose their own reading material, they are more likely to be engaged and interested in what they are reading.

This makes it more likely that they will stick with it for the recommended amount of time. In addition, reading is a great way to improve vocabulary, learn new information, and build critical thinking skills.

So not only will this activity help to calm kids down, but it will also help them learn and grow. After lunch or recess, kids can often be antsy and full of energy. To help them settle down, try teaching them some calming breathing exercises.

Start by having them take a few deep breaths in and out. Then, have them close their eyes and focus on their breath. Have them count to four as they breathe in, and then count to four as they breathe out. Once they get the hang of it, have them increase the count to eight.

Breathing deeply and slowly like this will help to calm their body and mind. If they start to feel fidgety, have them focus on their breath and count again. With a little practice, your students will be able to use these breathing exercises to calm themselves down whenever they need to.

One of the most effective calming activities for kids to settle down and refocus their energy is to engage them in a read-aloud. You start to see the signs and dread the oncoming hurricane of raw emotion.

You might remind yourself that tantrums are a totally normal part of development, that the child is just beginning to learn how to handle all of the complicated feelings that come along with being a person in the world.

Tantrums will happen, but there are ways to help a child work through their feelings in a healthy way — both for the child and you. Whitney Casares, board-certified pediatrician and CEO and founder of Modern Mommy Doc, says the best way to prevent tantrums is to set expectations for kids.

Different calming techniques will work better for different children, so here are 50 different calm-down strategies for kids gathered from experts, science-backed studies and my own experience babysitting, nannying and working in the preschool classroom.

Bring the tips of all five fingers together facing up to make what sort of looks like a flower. In fact, a study from the Stanford Graduate School of Education found that introducing children to deep breathing techniques can help children calm down in stressful situations.

You can use this in conjunction with smelling the flower. After breathing in, hold up one finger and tell the child to blow out the birthday candle. Most kids love birthday candles, so this is a fun way to encourage a child to take a long exhale. Repeat as many times as you need to.

Pro tip: the number of fingers they hold up can match their age, so three candles if they are 3, etc. Another way to encourage deep breathing in a creative way is to roar like a dragon. This might be especially useful if the child is feeling angry or frustrated about something, as it will give them a chance to express those feelings in a healthy way.

Breathe in to prepare for a big, loud ROAR! You can set up two footprints with construction paper to use whenever needed, so the child can place their feet on the footprints and just stomp out all of their anger. Similar to stomping it out, Kagawa-Constantini also encourages her students to try pushing out their anger by placing both hands on a wall and pushing as hard as they can.

Getting some exercise might help alleviate emotional difficulties, according to this study published in School Mental Health, a multidisciplinary research journal. Going on a walk will not only give you both some fresh air, but there are so many things to see and think about on a walk, especially for a young child.

If you think getting outside will help, but the child has a lot of frustrated energy, see if they want to run around the block with you. You can make it a race or just do it side-by-side. This could mean laying on the couch and listening to a story or sitting and watching their favorite show.

Stretching is a great way to reconnect with your body and ground yourself. Shaking your feelings out is a great alternative to stretching for a kid with a little more energy to release.

Kagawa-Constantini uses this in her classroom to redirect restless energy before a focused activity. My mom taught me this trick for helping wake up in the morning, and I still use it all the time.

I used to nanny a kindergartner who got very angry when he had to do homework, and it was a constant struggle to get him to sit down and start working on it. After trying to reframe homework time in a positive light, I realized the best thing for this child was to validate his feelings and let him scream his frustrations out before starting.

Similar to screaming, throwing a ball really hard can help with getting some anger out of your system. Go outside if you can, or use a soft-type ball and clear a zone inside the house where nothing will break. I used this strategy with the same kindergartner sometimes as well, using his backyard trampoline as a safe place to throw a ball really hard.

This might sound weird, but parents and experts say that the combination of cold and hot can help reset your mood. One of the most powerful babysitting tools is a bottle of bubbles. Bubbles are magical and endlessly interesting to most young kids, meaning they work well as a distraction. I used to do this all the time with my younger cousin when she would wake up grumpy from naps.

Try sitting on the front porch for extra stimulation. Stress balls can be very effective for kids and adults. Keep one handy to offer to a child who is feeling stressed out or overwhelmed.

When I was a camp counselor, we kept a few stress balls around and kids would often go and grab them when they were needed to cool down.

It could have the same effects as a stress ball, and the child will be able to see something familiar and warm. Kids with pets ones that are OK with physical contact can try cuddling with or petting a furry friend as a way of calming down.

In fact, a study of schoolchildren and pets , published in the Journal of the International Society for Anthrozoology, found that children with positive pet relationships have greater social-emotional skills. TikTok creator and mom Steffie Laa shows a calm-down trick that works well for her toddler.

When your child is active they not only burn off excess energy but the boost of endorphins can calm anxiety or anger. Physical activities can be great for both younger kids and teens. Try easy yoga poses or basic stretches like touching toes or reaching for the sky.

This can help them release energy in a fun and positive way. Teach your child to take deep, slow breaths. This can help them calm down, especially when feeling stressed or anxious.

Here are 10 deep breathing exercises to try. Walking or hiking, especially in nature, can be very calming. Try to do this as a family and enjoy the time together. If your child enjoys biking, this can be a great way to help them relax. Make sure they wear a helmet! Swimming can be a great calming activity if you have access to a pool.

These activities combine movement and breathing, helping your child focus and relax. You can find many free online classes suitable for kids and teens. This activity can be really fun for kids and teens. It helps playfully release energy and tension. Plus, it can improve balance and coordination!

Rock climbing can be a great physical activity for older kids and teens. It helps them focus, build strength, and the accomplishment of reaching the top can be a great confidence booster. No need to live near mountains to make this happen.

You can usually find a rock wall in local gyms or community centers. Swinging on a swing or a hammock can be very soothing.

The repetitive motion can be calming. This seems too simple, but it can be a fun and physical way for your child to calm down. This can be a silly and active way for your child to relax.

They can hop like a kangaroo, walk like a penguin, or slither like a snake! These activities allow your child to use their imagination and express themselves, which can be very calming.

Both kids and teens can enjoy these activities. Give your child some art supplies and let their creativity shine.

They can draw or paint whatever they want. This can help them express their feelings in a fun and relaxing way. This is the art of paper folding. Your child can follow simple online tutorials to make beautiful creations.

If your child plays an instrument, they can spend some time practicing. If not, they might enjoy playing around with a simple instrument like a drum or a xylophone. Encourage your child to write a short story. This can be a fun way for them to express their thoughts and ideas.

Working with clay can be very calming. Your child can make anything they like, from bowls to animal figures. Your child might enjoy acting out their feelings with puppets. This can be a fun way to express themselves and share with you how they are feeling.

Photography can be a calming, creative outlet for older kids and teens. They can use a camera or phone to capture interesting things around them. These activities can be very relaxing.

Your child can start with simple patterns. The repetitive motions can be calming and create something beautiful in the process!

Coloring is for more than just young kids. Teens can also find it calming. Suggest they try adult coloring books, which have intricate patterns and designs.

They can use colored pencils, markers, or crayons. Sometimes, kids and teens may feel angry. Here are some activities to help your child release their anger in a healthy way:. If your child is feeling angry, hitting a punching bag can help. They can imagine the bag is their anger, and every hit makes it smaller.

This can help them let out their anger in a safe way. Squeezing a stress ball can help your child release tension and feel calmer. Singing can be a great way to release anger. They can sing loudly, softly, fast, or slow — whatever helps them feel better. Give your child some old newspapers or junk mail, and let them rip it up.

The physical act can be a satisfying way to let out frustration. Let your child inflate a balloon, then let it go without tying it. As the balloon zips around the room deflating, it can be a visual representation of releasing anger. Give your child some paints and a canvas or large piece of paper , and let them paint out their anger.

They can splatter paint, use their fingers, or use any technique they feel expresses their anger. A rage room, also known as a smash room or anger room, is a place where people can let out their anger safely.

They can break items like old furniture or dishes. It can be a fun and satisfying way for teens to release their anger. The key is to find healthy ways to express that anger. Encourage your child to try different techniques until they find what works best for them.

Both younger kids and teens can enjoy these relaxing activities. A good chat with a friend or family member can calm down their nerves and lift their spirits. Warm water can be soothing to the nervous system.

Here are some activities to help your child release their anger in a healthy way:. If your child is feeling angry, hitting a punching bag can help. They can imagine the bag is their anger, and every hit makes it smaller.

This can help them let out their anger in a safe way. Squeezing a stress ball can help your child release tension and feel calmer.

Singing can be a great way to release anger. They can sing loudly, softly, fast, or slow — whatever helps them feel better. Give your child some old newspapers or junk mail, and let them rip it up. The physical act can be a satisfying way to let out frustration.

Let your child inflate a balloon, then let it go without tying it. As the balloon zips around the room deflating, it can be a visual representation of releasing anger. Give your child some paints and a canvas or large piece of paper , and let them paint out their anger.

They can splatter paint, use their fingers, or use any technique they feel expresses their anger. A rage room, also known as a smash room or anger room, is a place where people can let out their anger safely. They can break items like old furniture or dishes. It can be a fun and satisfying way for teens to release their anger.

The key is to find healthy ways to express that anger. Encourage your child to try different techniques until they find what works best for them.

Both younger kids and teens can enjoy these relaxing activities. A good chat with a friend or family member can calm down their nerves and lift their spirits.

Warm water can be soothing to the nervous system. Your child can add some bubble bath or bath salts for a special treat. The slow, gentle movements of fish can be very relaxing to watch. I have felt calmed myself after just staring into a fish tank. Your child can listen to white noise, ocean waves, rain, or other calming sounds using noise-canceling headphones.

Your child can try to make the biggest bubble, the most bubbles, or try to catch them before they pop. Spending time with a pet can be very calming.

They can pet, brush, or just cuddle with their pet. A short nap can help your child feel refreshed and relaxed. Sitting under a warm or weighted blanket can feel like a comforting hug. A gentle massage can be very soothing. The mall is so over stimulating next time you go try out one of the massage chairs before leaving.

Looking at the stars can be calming and awe-inspiring. This is great for clear nights. During the day, your child can watch the clouds go by. They can try to find shapes in the clouds for fun.

Your child can write about their day, thoughts, or anything they want. This can help them understand their feelings better. Check out these writing prompts to get them started. Simple guided meditations can help your child feel calm and focused.

The gentle back-and-forth motion can be very relaxing just like a swing. They can even hold their favorite stuffed animal or doll. Reading a good book can help your child relax and escape to another world. So give your child a quiet place with their favorite book to read. Remember, each child is unique and may like some calming activities over others.

Encourage your child to try different things and see what they find most enjoyable. Set them up a calm down corner in a quiet part of the house with various activities to try. Every child is unique. What helps one child feel calm might not work for another child.

Look at what activities your child already enjoys. Do they love being active? Do they love creating things? Watch and learn! Your child knows what they like! Ask them about their favorite activities.

They might have some great ideas for calming activities. The best way to find what your child likes is to try different things. Try some physical, creative, sensory, and relaxing activities. See what your child enjoys the most.

It might take some time to find the best activities for your child. Remember, the most important thing is that your child enjoys the activity. As a parent or caregiver, you play a big part in helping your child feel calm.

You can help your child try different activities and create a calm place for them. Some activities might be new for your child. You can show them how to do the activity. This can make it easier for them to try. Doing calming activities together can be a lot of fun! It can also help your child feel more relaxed.

Your child might need some time to get used to a new activity. Be patient and let them take their time. Find a quiet and comfortable place for your child to do calming activities. This will help them stay relaxed and not anxious about their surroundings.

Try to keep distractions away when your child is doing calming activities. This can help them stay focused.

Doing this on a regular basis can make it easier for your child to relax. A good time could be right after school before they get started with homework. Children need regular brain breaks. These simple activities can help kids of all ages feel calm and in control of their emotions.

They can also help kids handle stress and anxiety better. Try some of these calming activities with your child. Watch and see how your child responds. You might be surprised at what they enjoy the most! Trying new things can take time. Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Post Comment. Through technology and one on one learning, their future path to success can be made clear again. There are hundreds of resources found on our website, SpecialEdResource.

com, and on our YouTube channel that were created to help parents JUST LIKE YOU understand the cryptic language of special education. Copyright © SpecialEd Resource — Design by DeskTeam What Stress and Anxiety Might Look Like in Kids Every kid is unique, but here are some signs that your child might feel stressed or anxious.

Get upset easily or throw tantrums Having trouble sleeping or eating less than usual Complain about stomach aches or headaches Seem worried or scared often Have difficulty focusing on tasks How Stress and Anxiety Affect Kids When kids feel stressed or anxious, it can affect their daily lives.

The Importance of Calming Activities Calming activities can be a game-changer for stressed or anxious kids. Calming Physical Activities When your child is active they not only burn off excess energy but the boost of endorphins can calm anxiety or anger. Calming Activities to Relieve Anger Sometimes, kids and teens may feel angry.

Here are some activities to help your child release their anger in a healthy way: 31 Let Out Frustration on a Punching Bag If your child is feeling angry, hitting a punching bag can help. Choosing the Right Activity for Your Child Every child is unique. The Role of Parents in Calming Activities As a parent or caregiver, you play a big part in helping your child feel calm.

Creating a Calm Environment — Choose a Calm Place Find a quiet and comfortable place for your child to do calming activities. Remember This… These simple activities can help kids of all ages feel calm and in control of their emotions.

Additional Parenting Resources Anxious Children: Best Ways to Help Your Child With Anxiety Best Books to Help a Child with Anxiety and Worry What Is School Anxiety: Symptoms You Need To Know Proven Strategy To Help Children Verbalize Their Emotions Discover these 54 fun and effective calming activities for kids!

Perfect for parents seeking ways to soothe stress, anxiety or anger. Shannah Holt. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Search Search. Name Required First Last. Untitled What interested in Dyslexia Tutoring ADHD Tutor Autism Tutor Special Education Math Special Education Reading Tutoring for All Learning Disabilities IEP Consulting IEP for Autism IEP for Dyslexia Parent Advocacy Adult Special Needs Advocate Homeschooling Autism Homeschooling for Dyslexia Social Skills Class Pandemic Learning Loss Book Club.

Our Services. Make a collection of origami boxes. One pack or origami paper will produce a lot of boxes, or you can even use printer paper or junk mail. There are tons of directions online, but here is a nice book to work from if you're interested.

posted by defreckled at AM on April 6, [ 1 favorite ]. I really enjoy painting clothespins wait, hear me out. I use inexpensive acrylic paints and brushes and you can buy clothespins for practically nothing. I do recommend you don't buy the VERY cheapest because the wood quality isn't great and the finish won't be smooth.

I spray paint the base coat and then just go nuts on the painting. Stripes, dots, spatter, words, whatever you want.

You can experiment with masking or stencils. It's a fun way to just relax because you can't do anything wrong. There is no counting stitches or messing up you can just spray over it if it gets too nuts.

I usually seal them with a clear coat and then you can send them to friends, use them on a clothesline, use them as chip clips. Seriously, clothespins are fantastic for so many things.

posted by victoriab at AM on April 6, [ 7 favorites ]. To back up the people suggesting cross-stitch, even though you said you're not familiar with handicrafts: cross-stitch is very, very easy to learn.

You make x's on a grid of fabric the holes are already there! with a needle and thread, and you count how many of those x's you need in a given row.

I cross-stitch like a fiend and it has really been so great for my mental health so far. You can get self-contained kits on Etsy. Heck, I'd even be more than willing to set you up with a kit if you'd like to MeMail me; I have tons of supplies!

posted by cooker girl at AM on April 6, [ 8 favorites ]. One thing that is nice about learning to knit is that you can get started inexpensively. Get some yarn you think is pretty - and some simple bamboo needles I think they are easier to learn on because the yarn sticks to them a bit more than metal and get started.

Drop a stitch? Make a mess? Unravel your work and start again! posted by hilaryjade at AM on April 6, Crocheting granny squares - all you need is yarn and a crochet hook and some instructional videos and because it's doing a short-term thing based on a repeatable pattern.

You don't have to think as much and if you fuck it up, oh well you've fucked up one of them and then it's on to the next, so it might be less intimidating to start up?

here's a simple intro, but there are lots of them out on the net posted by rmd at AM on April 6, [ 1 favorite ]. I have started planting things.

You need seeds, dirt, and some pots so not a lot of cash investment required. It doesn't really require a ton of time, but I really like checking on my plants every day and I take pics of them to share on local groups and forums. I have shoots coming up now for some vegetables and a few thriving houseplants.

Many plants can be grown in pots so you don't necessarily need your own land. There is something I find very healing about nurturing a plant and having one in a room really brightens up the space. And if you like cooking, growing your own herbs would be great for that I am growing parsley and basil.

posted by one of these days at AM on April 6, [ 1 favorite ]. Yes, if you pick up knitting or crochet as more of a meditative practice than a craft, you can rip out the same yarn and knit it over and over again.

posted by rikschell at AM on April 6, [ 3 favorites ]. In terms of calming the mind, once you've picked out an activity to keep your hands busy, I would suggest a podcast. Somehow listening to something that's a little bit engaging but not demanding, that I can always back up and re-listen to if I miss something, it gives my brain a little something to latch on to so it's not spinning off into anxiety land.

There have been times when an hour of a dumb solitaire game on my phone together with an episode of The Flop House has turned my day around. posted by beandip at AM on April 6, [ 5 favorites ].

Nthing podcasts to supplement whatever you find to do with your hands. Lately I've been doing jigsaw puzzles online. Previously I spent a lot of time playing Color Tiles while listening.

If you've ever been interested in learning to draw or do art, there are thousands of how-to videos on YouTube as well as short, inexpensive art classes on Skillshare. You can learn to paint, draw, art journal, collage, etc. Mixed media is fun but has a tendency to recommend a lot of supplies.

However you can get by with very little. You can learn to draw with just paper and pencil, or do collage with magazines, paper and glue you may already have lying around the house.

Speaking of YouTube, it is an excellent resource for just about any hobby you can think of. For example, there are people who teach various crochet stitches with close-up videos of the process, which can be super-useful if you are trying to learn from a book and something is not coming out right.

I'm sure there are similar videos for knitting, embroidery, sewing, model-making or anything else you can think of. posted by Serene Empress Dork at AM on April 6, [ 1 favorite ]. Oh, another thing to search for on YouTube is "budget crafts". You can find all kinds of fun, creative things to do with very little.

I'm going to echo defreckled and suggest origami-it's quick to learn simple models and can be done very cheaply or for free although you can buy lots of beautiful papers if you feel so inclined-plug for my favorite paper shop doing online orders here!

I decided that this is a perfect time for me to attempt to make paper cranes, and it's been a really nice soothing meditative thing to work on while watching TV or listening to podcasts. posted by LadyNibbler at AM on April 6, [ 1 favorite ].

Cracking nuts posted by aniola at AM on April 6, I'm also on the cross-stitch bandwagon. The skill itself is ridiculously easy, but it requires concentration to follow the pattern. The shop has been on hiatus but reopens tomorrow. posted by BlahLaLa at AM on April 6, [ 1 favorite ].

I think making felt balls would be perfect for you. It definitely occupies that same space as kneading bread, you can get a ton of balls out of even 4 oz of wool roving, and it's cute. This is the best tutorial I've found. Don't bother buying those wool packs at the craft store, they're incredibly overpriced -- look for listings that say they are wool roving or combed top.

And yes, it has to be wool or it won't felt. You can even do it on the couch while watching stuff, just put your little bit of water in a bowl or tub. And then you can string them into a garland, or they can be cat toys, or dryer balls, or make a big one to play with, or juggling balls whatever you want.

posted by fiercecupcake at AM on April 6, [ 1 favorite ]. If you've got paper and scissors, you can cut the paper into squares and teach yourself some origami.

There's a pretty great beginner's guide here; that looks like a good site, with lots of diagrams for easy models to try out once you've got the hang of the fundamentals, and a collection of links to more advanced instructions elsewhere on the internet if you get bored with the easier ones. I really like modular origami, where you make six or twenty or a hundred identical units and then put them together into something spectacular.

The sonobe unit is the first one I learned, and it's dead simple. Here are some good instructions for making the unit and assembling a cube or something more complicated; or perhaps you'd prefer to put the units together to make the individual pieces of a soma cube puzzle?

By the way, if you find a particular set of instructions is too difficult to follow or the model is just too complicated for the size or type of paper you're using, well, that happens.

Screw the paper into a satisfying ball, fling it across the room and try a different one. What if you don't have paper, but you do have card? If you've got an old business card or train ticket lying around, this is a cute and remarkably jumpy jumping frog.

If you've got six old business cards, you can make a cube scroll down past the frog instructions to find the cube instructions.

instructions at the bottom! It's much better with a pack of real cards than with a computer screen, and there are any number of different one-person card games you can play.

Finally, if you've got string, you could learn some string figures. Cat's Cradle needs two people, but most only need two hands. Much easier to do from a screen than from a paperback book you're awkwardly holding open with your elbow while your hands are enmeshed!

posted by ManyLeggedCreature at AM on April 6, [ 1 favorite ]. I'll nth coloring. No need to even buy a book if you have a printer. There are thousands and thousands of images to color online. Related to cross stitch is embroidery.

My mom always called it stamped cross stitch. You basically do the same x stitch you do in regular cross stitch, but the pattern is stamped onto a piece of fabric. I find it easier because cross stitch patterns make my eyes cross.

A hoop was another 2.