Parents often find it difficult to find ways to help their child learn how to calm down when they’re upset or overwhelmed. Below are ideas for how to create a Calm Down Corner to help your child regulate their emotions.
The Calm Down Corner
As the name would imply, a calm down corner is a place where your child can go to calm down. It should be a quiet place that your child feels safe and comfortable and where he or she will not be disturbed by others.
The best way to create a calm down corner is by making sure that it has all of the elements listed above: safety, comfortability/privacy, quietness, and being away from other family members who might otherwise distract them when they’re trying to relax and calm themselves down. It is important that the calm down corner is not a punitive place, but rather a calm place to regain a sense of emotional regulation.
What if I don’t have enough space for a Calm Down Corner?
A calm down corner can look like many different things depending on the space you have in your home and your child’s needs. A calm down corner may be an actual corner of a room, or it may be a box of calming items that can travel around the home and be used as needed.
Get creative with your child when creating the calm down corner, and be sure to elicit your child’s input and feedback as to what they feel would be helpful to them in times of dysregulation.
How to Create a Calm Down Corner for Your Child
Remember that every calm down corner is different, below are some ideas of items that may be found in a calm down corner:
- Tent or space dividers to create a private space
- Posters with breathing exercises, mindfulness activities, yoga poses, etc
- Sensory bin
- Stress ball
- Fidgets
- Stuffed animals
- Play dough
- Timer
- Book or puzzle
- Coloring book
- Weighted or non-weighted blanket
- Pillows
- Feelings chart
- Journal and pen
- Bubble wrap
- Glitter jar
Teach Self Regulation Skills
Creating a calm down corner with your child can help them learn to calm themselves down, and self regulate, which is an important life skill. This will help to empower your child to feel like they are in charge of their emotions, and that they can recognize and ask for time in their clam down corner when needed.
When properly implemented, the calm down corner can be a hugely helpful tool in helping your child to find a sense of calm when needed. The Calm Down Corner is a great way to help your child learn how to calm down. By creating a space in your home where they can go when they feel overwhelmed or upset, you give them the autonomy and independence they need to be able to manage their emotions on their own.
A Mindhues therapist can help you and your child discover how to create a calm down corner in your home, along with many other strategies to increase self regulation and emotional awareness. Contact us today to get started.
