the beauty of the calm-down jar
For Supporting Emotional Regulation and Behavioral Redirection
(most effective for children 2-3 years old and up)
Just as newborns learn to regulate their breathing, heart rate and body temperature through an outside source (e.g. skin-to-skin contact with a parent), older kids often require an outside source in order to learn how to regulate their physiological and emotional responses to stressors.
This is called self-regulation. Most toddlers and preschoolers (and even older kiddos) are not able to self-regulate and often require some sort of instruction or model for how to respond to stress.
If a child is so upset she cannot be consoled or engaged in other calming activities (like she doesn’t want to be touched, hugged, or talked to), these Calm Down Bottles can serve as a visual “anchor” in order to bring her focus into one place when it may feel like her world is spinning out of control.
She can shake the bottle as hard as she wants, and this provides calming proprioceptive input to her body while also serving as a physical outlet that is less destructive than hitting or kicking. While she holds the bottle and watches the glitter fall, her hands and eyes are brought to midline and this can help organize and center her nervous system as well. And as her heart pounds and she demonstrates fast, shallow breathing from being so upset, the slow fall of the shaken glitter can serve as a visual model that, often unconsciously, can slow her heart rate and respiration.
At first the use of a Calm Down Bottle will likely need to be initiated by the adult. As with most calming strategies, it should be introduced to the child before she is ever upset so she knows what it is and how it works. Additionally, it will likely be the most effective when given to the child before she completely escalates and is totally inconsolable. Most calming strategies will be most effective when implemented before kids get to that “point of no return”. Shake up the bottle, hand it to the child, and see what she does. If, after repeated introductions, you find the Calm Down Bottle is an effective tool, then it’s possible you’ve found something to help your kiddo transition to self-regulation!
To Support Language Skills:
Work on the concepts of Go and Stop. Say, “GO!” and encourage your child to shake the sensory bottle until you say, “STOP!”
To Support Social Skills:
Take turns using the bottle. Make sure to give your child a warning on how much time they will have to play with it until it is your turn. For example, “In 2 minutes, it’s Daddy’s turn” (visual representations of time, such as a sand timer or a timer app like Countdown Timer are great for this).
When the time is up, point to the sand timer, say “It’s my turn” and gently take the bottle. Before you begin your turn, repeat the same process by saying, “30 seconds, then your turn” and flipping the sand timer over again.
While you play with the bottle, your child is learning how to wait – a wonderful bonus skill for any child! At first, you will likely need to make your turn significantly shorter than your child’s turn. Practicing turn taking in this way will help your child learn to take turns with their friends.
To Support Gross Motor Skills:
Encourage your child to roll the bottle on the floor and then crawl, jump or animal walk (e.g. bear, duck or crab walk) after it.
(most effective for children 2-3 years old and up)
Just as newborns learn to regulate their breathing, heart rate and body temperature through an outside source (e.g. skin-to-skin contact with a parent), older kids often require an outside source in order to learn how to regulate their physiological and emotional responses to stressors.
This is called self-regulation. Most toddlers and preschoolers (and even older kiddos) are not able to self-regulate and often require some sort of instruction or model for how to respond to stress.
If a child is so upset she cannot be consoled or engaged in other calming activities (like she doesn’t want to be touched, hugged, or talked to), these Calm Down Bottles can serve as a visual “anchor” in order to bring her focus into one place when it may feel like her world is spinning out of control.
She can shake the bottle as hard as she wants, and this provides calming proprioceptive input to her body while also serving as a physical outlet that is less destructive than hitting or kicking. While she holds the bottle and watches the glitter fall, her hands and eyes are brought to midline and this can help organize and center her nervous system as well. And as her heart pounds and she demonstrates fast, shallow breathing from being so upset, the slow fall of the shaken glitter can serve as a visual model that, often unconsciously, can slow her heart rate and respiration.
At first the use of a Calm Down Bottle will likely need to be initiated by the adult. As with most calming strategies, it should be introduced to the child before she is ever upset so she knows what it is and how it works. Additionally, it will likely be the most effective when given to the child before she completely escalates and is totally inconsolable. Most calming strategies will be most effective when implemented before kids get to that “point of no return”. Shake up the bottle, hand it to the child, and see what she does. If, after repeated introductions, you find the Calm Down Bottle is an effective tool, then it’s possible you’ve found something to help your kiddo transition to self-regulation!
To Support Language Skills:
Work on the concepts of Go and Stop. Say, “GO!” and encourage your child to shake the sensory bottle until you say, “STOP!”
To Support Social Skills:
Take turns using the bottle. Make sure to give your child a warning on how much time they will have to play with it until it is your turn. For example, “In 2 minutes, it’s Daddy’s turn” (visual representations of time, such as a sand timer or a timer app like Countdown Timer are great for this).
When the time is up, point to the sand timer, say “It’s my turn” and gently take the bottle. Before you begin your turn, repeat the same process by saying, “30 seconds, then your turn” and flipping the sand timer over again.
While you play with the bottle, your child is learning how to wait – a wonderful bonus skill for any child! At first, you will likely need to make your turn significantly shorter than your child’s turn. Practicing turn taking in this way will help your child learn to take turns with their friends.
To Support Gross Motor Skills:
Encourage your child to roll the bottle on the floor and then crawl, jump or animal walk (e.g. bear, duck or crab walk) after it.
