Do you need calm down kit ideas? Or have you been wondering how to make a calm down box for kids, but don't know where to start? This printable list of 40+ things to put in a calm down kit is the ideal starting point!
A major focus for us lately is to give my kids lots of tools and strategies for self-regulation. I've come up with a brilliant technique to teach visual learners to do deep breathing (I still have to blog about that though!) and made a set of visual calm down strategies cards.
Another item on my to do list is creating a calm down kit for my boys, filled with lots of tools and ideas for promoting relaxation and self-regulation.
While trying to build our ideal calm down bin, I decided to brainstorm a master list of calm down box ideas. I've compiled over 40 ideas and put together a free printable list so that you can easily brainstorm your own ideal calm down box as well!
This list is geared towards smaller children, but if you have older kids or preteens, then check out this free printable list of 40+ calm down tools for older kids!
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What to Include in a Calm Down Kit for Kids
There are lots of different things that you can include in a calm down kit and obviously, you will want to tailor it to your child(ren). Here are 40+ things you can put in a calm down kit for anxious kids:
- Free printable visual calm down strategies cards
- Bottle of bubbles
- Chew toy or chew necklace
- Small puzzle
- Fidgets such as Tangle Jr. or puffer ball
- Weighted lap cushion or stuffed animal - You can find some great DIY ideas under tip #10 here.
- Weighted vest or pressure vest
- Stretchy resistance bands
- Sensory tunnel
- Hearing protection ear muffs or noise canceling headphones
- Chewing gum, hard candies, or lollipops - We love Pur natural chewing gum and Spry natural chewing gum!
- Calming essential oil spray
- Rescue remedy - I swear by this stuff! Seems to instantly calm meltdowns!
- MP3 player with music and/or audiobooks - Be sure to include headphones and an accompanying book for the audiobook so they can read along while listening.
- Book of yoga poses or printable yoga cards
- Blank notebook and a writing utensil (crayons, pencil crayons, markers, or similar)
- Sensory bottle or calm down jar - I love this post about 6 ways to make a calm down jar from Preschool Inspirations.
- Skipping rope - Try our DIY skipping rope that's made from straws!
- Visual stims such as a kaleidoscope or an hourglass
- Books to read
- Activity books: dot to dots, mazes, word searches, I Spy, etc. - Or print off a bunch of our I Spy printables and include them in your calm down kit!
- Stress balls
- Play dough or silly putty
- Photo album filled with photos of family and friends
- Small blanket
- Bubble wrap
- Pinwheels - To encourage deep breathing and blowing out.
- Rubik's cube
- Small chalk board and chalk, Magna-Doodle, Etch-a-Sketch, or Boogie Board for doodling and drawing
- Eye mask
- Tissue paper to rip - Fill a zipper seal bag with tissue paper and let kids rip it.
- Light up toys, flashlight, or similar
- Plastic snow globe - Acts like a calm down or sensory bottle and makes for a great visual stim.
- Snacks with a variety of textures like crunchy (pretzels or nuts), chewy (fruit leather or dried fruit), or soft (marshmallows)
- Pipe cleaners to twist and bend
- Coloring books
- Scarves or fabric scraps
- Spinning top
- Mini massager
- Scratch and sniff stickers
- Whistle, harmonica, party blowers, or similar small wind instrument - To encourage kids to breath out. Also, making music is a great way to release a variety of emotions.
- Small mirror for making silly faces and exploring emotions
- Straws and pom poms or cotton balls - A great oral motor idea to encourage deep breaths.
- Body sock - Kids can retreat into a body sock for calming proprioceptive sensory input. Since they fold up relatively small, they make a great addition to a calm down kit.
- Smelling bottles - Just fill bottles with calming scents, such as lavender.
- Scratch art doodle pad
Other Great Calm Down Tools for Anxious Kids
Here are some items that you might want to have accessible to your child during their calm down time. You'll want to keep these items near your calm down kit to encourage vestibular and proprioceptive sensory input.
- Wiggle/balance cushion - Great for sitting on, walking on, balancing, on, etc.
- Weighted blanket
- Large cardboard box, fort, or ball pit - Kids will love retreating to these quiet places, but using a ball pit also provides lots of calming proprioceptive input.
- Exercise ball - Perfect for bouncing or balancing on.
- Mini trampoline - Great for kids who love to jump as a way to calm down.
Download the Free Printable Calm Down Kit List
Grab a copy of this free printable list. Then take it with you when you go shopping so that you can easily build a calm down kit of your own!
Thank you for your lists! your suggestions are well thought and I'm excited to get my boxes started with the kids in my different classrooms.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Good luck!
DeleteAnother excellent list! Love all these lists! I work with a lot of kids and teens on the autism spectrum, as well as a lot of those just struggling with anxiety in general. I'm excited that I found your site, it's an amazing resource!
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you, Stacy!!
DeleteWe have been struggling with some extreme anger and outbursts at school. I always tell my 6yo daughter that she has the "tools"she needs to get back to her calm, happy place, but she tells me she can't always remember. This is such a great list! I always put some sensory toys in her backpack but I don't think that's enough as of late. We have been looking for some new strategies. I can't wait to create a kit for her. Thanks for taking the time it to share
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, LT!
DeleteHi Dyan, I noticed that a lot of these amazing ideas are for "visual learners"... what if my daughter has a severe visual impairment and has been diagnosed with severe sensory processing disorder? So its very similar to autism. Do you have any tips for a child with a visual impairment that has an extremely hard time with self soothing and adjusting to social situations? i love the visual calm down kit, etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't have much experience with non-visual learners, but I once saw a tactile type of visual schedule that looked wonderful. Maybe something like that would be a better fit for your daughter. I feel like relying on auditory cues, music, sounds, etc. might also be the way to go. But like I said, not much personal experience with this personally.
DeleteCan I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
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