Growing Hands-On Kids

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Calm Down Toolkit For Kids

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Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.

All children can benefit from calm down strategies, whether they have sensory processing challenges or not. Today I have teamed up with Fun and Function to share this great calm down toolkit for kids. You can use it in your home, classroom, or clinic/school-based practice. It's a great way to encourage independence in self-regulation for kids of all ages, with a little training. I have a free download for you today with some printables for setting up.

Calm down toolkit for kids. Includes my calm down station toolkit printable.

This post is sponsored by Fun and Function. I received monetary compensation as well as free products in order to write this post. The giveaway below is also sponsored by Fun and Function. 

Teaching Self-Regulation Techniques

In order for calm down toolkits or any sensory strategy to work successfully, you need to teach children how to use them, BEFORE they are melting down.

There are many different emotions, but we all come hardwired with 6 main emotions. These are:

  • Happiness
  • Sadness
  • Fear
  • Anger
  • Surprise
  • Disgust

Teaching all children about emotions and how to react to emotions can benefit the entire classroom, home, or clinic/school-based setting. Children need to be able to recognize these emotions, how they feel, and the how different responses can affect them or those around them. Calm down strategies will not work as effectively unless a child understands WHAT they are feeling, WHY they are feeling the way they do, and then HOW to respond.

As an adult, I have to challenge myself to practice my own calm-down strategies in order to show my kids how to react appropriately. Of course, we all make mistakes and don't always respond the appropriate way. But by practicing these responses before we need them, it helps our brain to access these responses when we need them.

If you have a child or work with a child with sensory processing challenges, they often have emotional reactions to sensory input. These reactions can affect how they function in the home or classroom, which affects their ability to problem solve and learn. Preparing them with calm down strategies can be extremely helpful to them to function in the different environments.

Setting Up a Calm Down Toolkit

When you are setting up a calm down toolkit, it's important to provide things that will hit all 8 senses. Lots of gross motor movements to provide proprioception, vestibular, and also tactile input are the first 3 senses to focus on. Typically, these 3 senses are the basis of sensory processing challenges, so it is important to address these 3 senses first. Then you can pull in visual, auditory, taste, and smell to help with calming.

I was really excited when Fun and Function asked me to use some of their products to create this calm down toolkit. I wanted to choose items that would hit multiple sensory systems that you could use with multiple kids. Fun and Function also has a lot of other amazing products you can look through to add to your toolkits. And of course, you can always use your own DIY options.

Remeber to scroll down to the bottom of this post where I have a free download to get you started with your calm down toolkit and there is also a giveaway from Fun and Function!

Calm down toolkit for kids. Includes my calm down station toolkit printable.

Your toolkit can be put into a basket or plastic bin with a lid that child has access to in your home or classroom. It's important that it is accessible without the child needing your input to encourage self-regulation and independence with calming strategies.

I included the following items in my calm down toolkit:

 

Happy Face Fidget NecklaceHappy Face Fidget NecklaceVisual Cards for CalmingVisual Cards for CalmingDiscovery Putty - Intergalactic OdesseyDiscovery Putty – Intergalactic Odessey

And I wanted to suggest some other ideas you could include, these can be found on the Fun and Function as well.

 

Mushy Smushy Bean Bag ChairMushy Smushy Bean Bag ChairVisual TimerVisual TimerNoise Reduction HeadphonesNoise Reduction Headphones

Subscribe and Get Your Free Calm Down Toolkit Printable Packet

Calm down toolkit for kids. Includes my calm down station toolkit printable.

This printable packet will get you started with setting up your own calm down toolkit for your regulation station or sensory calm down station.

Subscribe to Growing Hands-On Kids for weekly newsletter activity tips and ideas, just like this one. You'll also be the first to know about new printables, resources, and product recommendations.

As a free gift, I'll send you the My Calm Down Station printable download!

You'll also be receiving my 9-day sensory processing email series. You can unsubscribe at any time.

By downloading this free printable, you are agreeing with my site's terms of use and privacy policy as detailed here.

If you have already subscribed, don't worry, you won't be subscribing again. By entering your email address below it lets my email provider know which printable to send you. You will not receive duplicate emails from me!

 

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CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.All information on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult with a medical professional if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. The information on the Websites does not replace the relationship between therapist and client in a one-on-one treatment session with an individualized treatment plan based on their professional evaluation. The information provided on the Website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.Do not rely on the information on the Website as an alternative to advice from your medical professional or healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment as a result of any information provided on the Website. All medical information on the Website is for informational purposes only.All activities outlined on the Website are designed for completion with adult supervision. Please use your own judgment with your child and do not provide objects that could pose a choking hazard to young children. Never leave a child unattended during these activities. Please be aware of and follow all age recommendations on all products used in these activities. Growing Hands-On Kids is not liable for any injury when replicating any of the activities found on this blog.YOUR RESPONSIBILITY The Website was developed strictly for informational purposes. You understand and agree that you are fully responsible for your use of the information provided on the Website. Growing Hands-On Kids makes no representations, warranties or guarantees. You understand that results may vary from person to person. Growing Hands-On Kids assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions that may appear in the Website.

Comments

  1. I would love the visual timers or calming cards, or the happy face fidget necklace! I LOVE Fun and Function!

  3. If I won the gift card for Fun and Function I would order Discovery Putty. The kids I work with absolutely love it!

  4. Thank you so much for your post. I can’t wait to make my own calm down tool kits for my TK students.

  5. This is such an amazing resource. I can’t wait to incorporate it in my class. These strategies are so needed.

  6. I would love the visual timers for my kiddies with anxiety and difficulties with transitions!

    Or the happy face fidgets for my kiddos with busy hands/mouths!!!

  7. New to the blog but so far I’ve enjoyed the information that has been shared. I plan to put the free download of pictures for breathing to use right away! If I were a lucky winner, my first choice would be the discovery putty but the necklaces are a close second, because of the needs of my students this year.

  9. I would love the putty and happy face fidget as my kiddos both go through those items quickly. I love fun and function and can think of a LOT of things to spend money on there my wish list is long 🙂

  11. I would love the $50 Fun and Function gift card as we ready use a different brand of calming cards, but saw so many other great items on the website!

  12. Thank you for this post, I’ve been looking for the happy face fidget necklaces, and would love to win one for my son! I’ll be checking out fun and function for sure!

  13. I just recently discovered Fun and Function and ordered several things. I like the putty.

  19. I would buy the happy faces fidget necklaces, possibly the visual cards followed buy the visual clock in that order

  20. I think I would choose either the fidget necklaces or the visual timers. Thank you!

  21. Thank you so much for sharing this resource. Teaching our children to achieve ‘calm’ to achieve their best learning is so important. I would have on my wish list the visual cues to calming cards.

  25. If I won the gift card I would love to get the visuals for calming and/or the chew necklaces! I have a ton of kids that would benefit from both!

  26. I would probably choose the Discovery Putty, my little one seems to enjoy it even though he dislikes so many sensory products.

  27. Great ideas! As an occupational therapist, I love that you incorporate all of the senses.

  29. I would most likely put the 50 towards a bubble tube or the floor tiles as I am helping design a new sensory space for our therapy department at Lauren’s Institute in Arizona.

  30. I would get the calm down kit to help teach my little boy about feeling and how to calm down

  31. I would love to use the Sensory Calming Cards with my students. They look well made, visually appealing, and practical to use!

  32. I would choose the visual calming cards and the discovery putty!! I love your blog, it’s so helpful for me as a school-based OT!

  34. Thanks for all of these wonderful resources! I love the discovery putty & the chewy necklaces and I would purchase a vest and weights with a giftcard.

  36. I would love the fidget faces, I have a couple of biters and they would benefit from their feedback

  37. I entered the giveaway..thanks for all the great information. My son has SPD and as a preschool this is all very inspiring!

  43. Oh my goodness so many great ideas and things! Thank you for the opportunity I think I would love the beanbag chair and the calming cards, but it’s really hard to choose!

  46. The XXT Grabber Kit would be super for my son who chews/eats everything from paper clips to those sound-reducing ear “muffs” and his clothes! I’d get a lot of them! Thank you for such wonderful, helpful ideas!

  47. I love the variety in this calm down tool box. Would especially love to ee how my little guy reacts to using the putty and cards.

  49. If I won the gift certificate, I think I’d probably put it towards a new compression vest for my son as he outgrew his ages ago but still is always seeking that input.

  54. i am an ot student and i would love to purchase a variety of things to put in my ot fieldwork activity kit for my activity analysis class


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