I have written about my daughter’s calm down box in the past. The items in the box are designed to help you focus your attention on the items and to help you reset your mood.
I have a calm down space in my science classroom, as well. I usually call it the Calm Down Cockroach Corner. There is a long bench at the back of the room under the windows. My pet Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches sit in their cage on the bench. There is space for students to sit down next to them. They will also find calm down or refocusing tools nearby. This space is one of the stations that my preschoolers and kindergarteners can visit during our science time. This gives them a chance to use the tools and become familiar with them.
My first- and second-graders use the calm down/refocus tools during whole-group science lessons. They may visit the cockroaches when they need a moment to rest and regroup. Sometimes they bring the fidgets back to their desk to continue helping with focus.
Sensory Tools in the Calm Down Space
Liquid Motion Timers
My students enjoy watching the motion timers. It takes the focus off whatever was happening and helps them relax.
Sensory Fidgets
This set is from Learning Resources. Two of the cubes have little balls to get through holes. One of the cubes is squishy. The fourth cube spins in the middle.
Items to squish or squeeze are often great calm down tools or fidgets.
Pop-its and Tangles
Pop-its went through a really popular phase where they were everywhere. They still are a good fidget to help with calming and focus. Plus, they are typically quiet.
Tangles are another quiet option. They twist and turn, so you can manipulate them in different ways. The only downside is that you can pop apart all the pieces.
Playfoam® Sand Sensory Spheres
This is basically a zen garden with squishy sand. Roll the ball to create a pattern in the Playfoam sand. Use the solid ball to clear the pattern away.
My 11-year-old has asked for one of these at home for her.
Jelly Blox
These are not actually in my calm down space. However, I did purchase them as a building material for my preschoolers. My 11-year-old opened them up for me and tested them out. She liked the different squishy textures. She did not like the strong plastic smell they came with.
The smell has since dissipated. My preschoolers enjoy building with these blocks. They take patience to stack as the blocks are a bit wobbly. It’s a great exercise in perseverance and trying again.
Final Thoughts
All of these sensory tools can work at home as well. They are child-specific, so what one child may find calming, another child may find not helpful. Keep trying and see what your child likes best. My daughter requests new tools on a regular basis. I think the novelty helps with the calming aspect for some kids. Other kids may prefer the same calming tools or at least the same type of calming tool each time.
