When children become frustrated, overwhelmed, or dysregulated, they need time, support, and understanding to work through their emotions. Rather than trying to make difficult feelings disappear, we can help children recognize, honor, and manage them in healthy ways. Sometimes they need a quiet, calming space or a soothing sensory activity. Other times, an active or engaging task helps them regulate their bodies and minds before they are ready to talk about what they are feeling.
Calming activities aren't intended to stop emotions—they help children move through emotions. The goal is not distraction, but helping children regulate their bodies and attention so they can return to learning, playing, or participating.
The resources below include a variety of calming sensory activities, social-emotional learning tools, and thoughtfully selected children's books that use bibliotherapy to help children understand, express, and cope with big emotions. Whether you're supporting a child at home, in the classroom, or in another caregiving setting, these ideas can help build emotional regulation skills while reminding children that all feelings are valid and manageable.
Breathe
Smell the Flower and Blow Out the Candle — Pretend to slowly smell a flower by breathing in through the nose, then gently blow out a candle by breathing out through the mouth. This simple visualization encourages slow, controlled breathing, which can help children relax their bodies and settle strong emotions.
5 Finger Breathing — Hold up one hand and use a finger from the other hand to slowly trace up and down each finger. Breathe in while tracing up a finger and breathe out while tracing down. Combining slow breathing with gentle movement and visual focus can help children slow down and become more regulated.
Belly Breathing — Place a hand on the belly and slowly breathe in, noticing the belly rise, then breathe out and feel it fall. Focusing on deep, steady breaths can help release tension, slow the body down, and support a calmer state.
Five-Finger Breathing — Hold up one hand and slowly trace around each finger with a finger from the opposite hand. Breathe in while tracing up and breathe out while tracing down. The combination of breathing, touch, and repetitive movement provides a calming focus and can help children manage overwhelming feelings.
Pretend to cool down hot cocoa — Pretend to hold a warm cup of hot cocoa, breathe in slowly to smell it, and gently blow out to cool it down. The familiar imagery makes slow, controlled breathing easy to understand and can help children calm their bodies and emotions.
Use Your Senses
Squeeze a stress ball or squishy — Squeeze and release a stress ball or soft squishy at a comfortable pace. The repeated pressure provides calming sensory input, gives the hands something to focus on, and can help release physical tension.
Play with putty, play dough, or Model Magic — Squeeze, stretch, roll, and shape the material with your hands. The tactile input and repetitive movements can help children release tension, focus their attention, and feel more grounded.
Scratch and sniff scented stickers — Scratch a scented sticker and take time to notice the smell. Focusing on a pleasant scent can redirect attention to the present moment and help children shift away from overwhelming thoughts or feelings.
Put scented lip balm on the top of your hand and smell it — Apply a small amount of scented lip balm to the top of the hand and gently smell the scent. Paying attention to a familiar or pleasant smell can provide a simple sensory focus and help children feel more settled.
Listen to music — Choose music that feels calming, comforting, or familiar. Listening to rhythm, melody, and sound can help children shift their attention, reduce tension, and support a calmer emotional state.
Watch a glitter tube — Turn over or shake a glitter tube and watch as the glitter slowly settles. Following the movement with the eyes provides a quiet visual focus and can encourage children to slow down and become more settled.
Suck on a mint (for children who are old enough) — Slowly suck on a mint and notice its taste, temperature, and texture. Strong flavors and focused oral sensory input can help redirect attention and support regulation.
Chew on ice (for children who are old enough) — Chew or suck on a small piece of ice while noticing the cold temperature and texture. The strong sensory input can help children feel more alert, focused, and grounded.
Engage with a Sensory Activity Board Set — Explore the different textures, movements, and hands-on features of a sensory activity board. Having a variety of sensory experiences to touch and manipulate can help children find the type of input that feels calming and organizing.
Play with Sensory Tubes — Hold, turn, shake, or watch sensory tubes and notice how the materials inside move. The combination of visual movement and hands-on exploration can provide a calming focus and help children slow down.
Explore Express Your Feelings Sensory Tubes — Explore sensory tubes that represent different feelings and notice the colors, expressions, and movement inside. These tubes can help children identify emotions, communicate how they feel, and use sensory play to become more regulated.
Use a Sensory Brush Set — Explore different brushes by gently brushing appropriate surfaces or using them as directed for sensory play. The varied textures and repetitive movements can provide focused tactile input and help children feel calmer and more organized.
Repetitive Movement
Stringing Objects (i.e. cheerios, beads) — Thread small objects onto a string or cord, one at a time. The repeated hand movements and steady rhythm can help children focus their attention, quiet busy thoughts, and settle into a calmer state.
Dot Painting — Use dot markers, paint, or other materials to create repeated dots and patterns. The simple, repetitive motion can be soothing and predictable, helping children slow down, focus, and regulate their bodies.
Do a Household Chore — Choose a repetitive task, such as loading the dishwasher, vacuuming the floor, or sorting socks. Familiar, repeated movements can provide structure and rhythm while helping children release energy, feel grounded, and regain a sense of control.
Lacing Cards— Thread a lace in and out of the holes on a lacing card. The repeated motion requires gentle focus and coordination, which can help redirect attention away from overwhelming feelings and support a calmer, more regulated state.
Stringing Cereal
Create
Draw a picture — Use pencils, crayons, or markers to draw freely or create a picture. Drawing gives children a quiet way to express thoughts and feelings, focus their attention, and settle their minds and bodies.
Do a puzzle — Work on a puzzle at a comfortable pace. Puzzles provide a focused, predictable activity that can redirect attention away from overwhelming feelings and create a sense of calm and accomplishment.
Construct with Legos — Use LEGO bricks to build freely or create a specific design. Building keeps hands and minds engaged, encourages focus and problem-solving, and can provide a sense of control when emotions feel overwhelming.
Build a Marble Run — Design and build a path for marbles to travel through. Creating and testing a marble run encourages concentration, experimentation, and repetitive play, which can help children shift their focus and become more regulated.
Construct with Brio Build-It — Use BRIO Build-It pieces to design and construct something. Hands-on building provides focused sensory and problem-solving experiences that can help children slow down, organize their thoughts, and feel successful.
Sculpt with play dough or Model Magic — Squeeze, roll, flatten, and shape the material to create something. Working with soft modeling materials provides calming sensory input, releases physical tension, and gives children a creative way to express themselves.
Do a household chore — Choose a simple task, such as loading the dishwasher, sweeping the floor, or taking out the recycling. Familiar, purposeful activities can provide structure, movement, and a sense of contribution, helping children feel more grounded and in control.
Color in a Coloring Book — Choose a picture and color it at a comfortable pace. The repetitive motion of coloring and focus on a detailed image can quiet busy thoughts, encourage relaxation, and help children return to a calmer state. Easy to use options include:
Connect
Play with a pet — Spend time petting, cuddling, or quietly playing with a pet. Connecting with an animal can provide comfort, reduce feelings of stress, and help children feel safe and calm.
Call or talk to a friend or family member — Reach out to someone you trust and spend time talking or listening. Connecting with a caring person can help children feel supported, less alone, and more able to manage difficult emotions.
Ask someone to play a quiet game — Invite someone to play a calm game, such as a puzzle, card game, or board game. Sharing a quiet activity can provide positive connection, shift attention away from overwhelming feelings, and help children settle.
Tell someone how you feel — Share your feelings with a trusted person using words, pictures, or gestures. Expressing emotions can help children feel understood and supported while making big feelings easier to manage.
Move
Nature Walk — Take a walk outside and notice the sights, sounds, smells, and textures in nature. Being outdoors and focusing on the environment can help children slow down, feel grounded, and shift their attention away from overwhelming emotions.
Listening Walk — Walk quietly and focus on identifying different sounds, such as birds, footsteps, wind, or nearby activity. Careful listening encourages children to focus on the present moment, which can help settle busy thoughts and calm the nervous system.
Swing — Spend time gently swinging at a comfortable, steady pace. Rhythmic movement can provide soothing sensory input and help children regulate their bodies, release tension, and feel more settled.
Build — Use blocks, LEGO, magnetic tiles, or other materials to create something. Building gives children a focused, hands-on activity that can redirect attention, encourage problem-solving, and provide a sense of control and accomplishment.
Dance — Put on music and move, wiggle, or dance freely. Dancing provides an active way to release energy and tension, express emotions, and help the body return to a more regulated state.