Probably each of us has encountered a situation when a child presented an excessive level of nervous system stimulation. Whether at home or in kindergarten, children are sometimes more nervous, they get angry more easily, they can cry in situations that for us adults are completely incomprehensible. It also happens that they start to run, jump or spin harder and more intensely than usual. This behavior makes it difficult for children to concentrate on a task and causes various difficulties, such as problems with falling asleep. So what can be done to help a little person deal with these emotions? There are several ways to help you calm down and relax. which ones? Here are some interesting ideas.
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- 1) When working with children, pressure massage of the arms and legs is great. It can be performed using various textures that will give interesting stimulation, both in the area of deep and superficial sensation. Massages are worth doing not only in moments of agitation or anger, but also after an intense day or before falling asleep.
2) Playing pancake – for this activity it is necessary to use an exercise mat or a fairly heavy blanket. The parent asks the child to lie down on the material and then wraps it in it. At the end, it presses and kneads, just like pasta dough From the prepared pancake, the child still has to get out. It’s worth repeating the game 4-5 times.
3) Gyms – strong pressures or pushing help to calm down the nervous system. So it’s a good idea to do a few of these activities with your child. We can sit opposite each other – it’s good that the child is leaning against the wall – and we push first with the right hands, then with the left, and finally with both. We do the same exercise with the legs. The back or sides can also be strained. It is also worth encouraging the child to try to push the wall or to push a large exercise ball up and down the wall.
4) Games with the use of an obstacle course – to prepare an obstacle course at home, all you need is a little imagination. It is worth spreading pillows, blankets on the floor, setting a few chairs under which you should crawl, or placing bowls filled with peas/beans. The child’s task becomes to avoid particular obstacles in a suitable, predetermined way.
5) Joint preparation of plastic masses – on the Internet you can find many recipes for interesting plastic masses. Artificial snow is great in the winter. To prepare it, you need potato flour and shaving foam. We mix the two ingredients together in such a way as to obtain a fairly well kneadable mass. Paints or food coloring can be added at the end. This will give the mass an additional charm. Snowballs or snowmen come out great. This game gives children a lot of joy, and the gentle touch of the mass has a calming and calming effect. Of course, it should also be remembered that children who show symptoms of tactile hypersensitivity and avoid playing with dirty substances should not be forced to do anything.
6) Reading together – this is one of the most common ways to calm your baby down before bedtime. It turns out, however, that reading can also be used as a break between other activities. You have to play with stories. So it’s good to modulate your voice, change its tone, sometimes read something louder, sometimes quieter. This stimulates the child’s concentration.Słuchanie muzyki relaksacyjnej lub słuchowisk/audiobooków.
7) Painting with paints or modeling with plasticine.
8) Thermal stimulation – we pour water into two bottles. In one bottle, the water must be warm, and in the other, cold. The bottles will be used as massage tools. First roll the baby’s body with a bottle of warm water, then a bottle of cold water.
9) Hugging the child tightly.
- 1) When working with children, pressure massage of the arms and legs is great. It can be performed using various textures that will give interesting stimulation, both in the area of deep and superficial sensation. Massages are worth doing not only in moments of agitation or anger, but also after an intense day or before falling asleep.
Of course, these are just a few ideas that can be used in your home space. However, you should always consider what causes your child’s excessive arousal level. It is usually strongly associated with too many stimuli, with too many things happening in his environment or they significantly deviate from the daily routine.
Knowing the cause allows you to better understand the child and helps you empathize with his situation. Remember that children have an immature nervous system and are not able to handle emotions in the same way as adults. It is therefore necessary to take care of their well-being and psychological comfort, and to give them the opportunity to calm down and relax.
Justyna Kapuścińska-Kozakiewicz
Sensory integration therapist
Deputy Director for Pedagogical Affairs