Calm Again Kids: 5 Tips for Preventing Meltdowns Before They Happen

It’s no secret that our youngest kids sometimes have the biggest feelings. Navigating these feelings can be a huge challenge and stressor, both for parents and kids alike. The next time you see your little one headed toward a meltdown, try one of these quick tips to change the course.  

Acknowledge that your child is experiencing something difficult and then:

Suggest an activity that allows them to move freely 

Young children need to move. A lot. A lack of opportunity for adequate movement can lead to frustration and built up energy. Engage their gross motor skill development to provide a release for some of that energy. Language: “Can you jump like a frog?”, “Let’s choose a fast song and dance together!”, “Can you give me 20 high fives in a row?”

Engage their fine motor skills

The concentration required for this can help them to shift their focus return to a place of calm. Examples could be sorting blocks or puzzle pieces, painting, tracing, or using playdough. 

Language: “Let’s choose a picture to paint together”, “Could you help me to sort these pieces?”

Change their physical location

Go outside, come inside, move to a different room in your home. Disrupting the sensory input can sometimes flip the switch on a big feeling or behavior that is bubbling up. 

Language: “Let’s take our lunch outside today”, “Would you like to work on your puzzle in my room instead of your own?”

Use visual cues

Sensory and “calm down jars” are widely available. You can make your own by following a simple tutorial or purchase a variety of options online. An advantage to a premade version is that they often double as timers and can help to reinforce your child’s sense of time. A quick search for “liquid timer” yields a wide array of inexpensive and effective products.

Language: “Let’s watch the glitter settle together”, “Would you like to count the bubbles in the timer together?”

Teach belly breathing

Showing young kids how to alter their moods by controlling their bodies and minds is a powerful strategy. Teaching children to slow their breathing when they’re feeling upset or overstimulated helps to lay the foundation for other mindfulness practices as they grow.

Language: “Can you fill your belly like a balloon full of air?” “Let’s count together while we breathe in and out in slow motion”

By implementing these strategies, you’ll be helping your child to develop a toolbox of healthy coping mechanisms while working towards a more peaceful environment for everyone in your home.