Encouraging children to learn self-soothing techniques is important for supporting and developing their emotional regulation skills. We suggest helping your child learn these strategies whilst they are in a calm state and able to focus and enjoy the activity. Once you have determined with techniques works for your child and which ones they like best, they have a better chance of succeeding when they are in an emotional or distressed mindset. Read below for some of our favourite ideas for helping children self soothe.
Self soothing tool #1: Practice Deep Breathing
Invite your child to lie on their back and place their hands (or favourite toy!) on their belly. Encourage them to breathe in through their nose for the count of one and out through their mouth for two. Inhale One Hippopotamus, exhale Two Hippopotamus.
Self soothing tool #2: Visualisation Exercise
Invite your child to close their eyes and picture their favourite place, such as the beach or playground. Ask them to share:
What can they hear?
What can they feel?
What can they smell?
What can they see?
The waves crashing, cold water on their toes, seagulls squawking, children playing, their hands in the warm sand building a castle.
Self soothing tool #3: Make a move!
Put on their favourite tune and dance around the living room or backyard for the whole song! This helps to connect them to their body, sensations and joy.
Self soothing #4: Sing-a-long
Encourage your child to sing a song to direct their focus as well as calm their system and breathing. Invite your child to sing their ABCs or their favourite nursery rhyme such as Insy Winsy Spider or Humpty Dumpty.
Self soothing #5: Legs up!
According to the beliefs of Yoga, placing the head below the heart has a calming effect on our nervous system, easing feelings of stress or tension.
Encourage your child to lay on their back with their legs up a wall. Or suggest they practice a Downward Dog position. Invite them to stand and bend over from their hips to touch their toes - then sway their arms around like a jellyfish!
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