Calming Activites for Kids
“Clearly recognizing what is happening inside us, and regarding what we see with an open, kind and loving heart, is what I call Radical Acceptance.”
Tara Brach
Lavender
When things get overwhelming it is super helpful to have a few calming activities in your arsenal. Adding lavender to play dough or soap recipes like I have don here, can add a layer of therapeutic properties to craft time.
Lavender has many proven benefits which makes it a lovely herb to work with when you are doing crafts and activities with children. We’ve made a lavender scented play dough that has a light blue color and beautiful scent that is a perfect fit for small hands. We have also made these scented flowers for breathing exercises. Breathing in the subtle lavender scent has a calming effect enhancing a breath work practice.
Sensory Play
Crafts that incorporate all of the senses especially touch, I have found are excellent at calming kids when emotions are overwhelming. Playing with dough, using their hands to mix powdery ingredients, and the smell are all in action for these crafts. Touching and feeling new textures while stimulating olfactory senses, is so beneficial for small kids and a major way that they learn and take in the world.
Useful + Beautiful Things
A third component to a good calming craft, is creating something that is truly useful. In this post, we have made items that are practical and beautiful. A bar of soap, play dough, bath bombs that we actually used in our everyday. The meaning behind a practical item can be a learning moment for a young child. When they wash their hands with soap that they crafted, they can feel pride in their work. They can be a mentor as they explain to a friend the steps it took to make the soap.
How does lavender help kids find calm? It’s science!
The lavender plant contains actual compounds that support our bodies. Flavonoids are anti-inflammatory with antioxidant properties. Specifically Linalool has been show to reduce anxiety and blood pressure. (Cleveland Clinic.org) This makes lavender a wonderful herb to incorporate in activities and crafts. The scent alone is soothing and so pleasant. Lavender also can improve our melatonin levels which then leads to improved sleep and relaxation. Was I a bit obsessed with relaxing my crazy toddler? Yes, oh yes I was.
I use lavender at bedtime and during quiet time to set the mood for relaxation and calm. My son is very high energy, but would get super fussy when he was overtired. It was really important that his days were peppered with what I called “relaxation points”; moments created in the day for downtime. Kids sometimes need a little craft or book to read to help them shift into these moments. I would have a few of these “relaxation crafts” that we could do that were slow and intentional. This allowed his nervous system time to deregulate.
How does lavender help?
Relaxation and supports sleep
There are studies that support the relaxing effects of smelling lavender to aid in sleep. Breathing in lavender’s aroma can potentially improve Melatonin levels.
Reduced Anxiety
Linalool vapor found in lavender has been shown to reduce anxiety when reaching the brain through smell. This Japanese study had finding that support Linalool found in lavender and other herbs to be beneficial to reducing anxiety.
Pain relief and reduces inflammation
Lavender contains antioxidants that can help protect against free radical damage, and its antimicrobial properties may help fight off certain bacteria and fungi. More research is needed but the soothing effects of lavender but there are small studies (PubMed) that found success in pain treatment in conjunction with pain medications.
Here are a few fun lavender crafts. Not only are they scented with lavender oil or petals, they are also tactile crafts where kids can get a little messy too. These can be included in a social emotional learning curriculum or just a fun thing to do any afternoon.
Easy Lavender Soap
This lavender soap is a bit of a cheat as we use ready made goats milk pellets that melt down easily and all you have to do is add your favorite lavender essential oil. Homemade gifts are a lovely way for kids to give gifts that they have had a hand in. It is so sweet to watch their prideful faces, as they present the gifts to loved ones. We made this soap for both Father’s Day and as teacher’s appreciation gestures at the end of the school year.
Handmade Organic Lavender Soap
Organic Goats Milk Melt and Pour Soap Base
Dried Lavender
Vitamin E
20 drops Lavender Essential Oil
10 drops Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
10 drops Vetiver Essential Oil
10 drops Orange Bergamot Essential Oil
Silicone Soap Molds
I used half of the package of this soap base which made four bars of soap and worked well with the amount of essential oils in the recipe.
Chop soap base into small squares. In a double boiler melt soap base to a liquid. You can microwave the soap in a pyrex bowl by heating it in intervals until liquid.
Add vitamin e and essential oils to base and stir. Add dried Lavender. Experiment with the essential oils to get the scent you like. There is no real recipe needed here. It can be a very personal project. Pour liquid into molds and let set for about an hour until solid and firm.
