Calm Down Ideas for Children & Adults
Use these ideas to come up with a strategy to calm yourself, or your child, down. If it is for use with a child then work with them to create it. Being part of the creation helps with buy in. Also be prepared to review this when it has been used a few times. We don’t often get something 100% right first time.
Be outdoors – preferably in nature
Being outside in nature reconnects us to the ground. When you are outside notice your feet on the ground and the colours all around you.
Nature is where our ancestors lived and is part of who we are. We feel better and calmer when we are there. Go on hug a tree!
Write
Maybe a story about how what has just happened could turn out better. Maybe about how you are feeling and how you want to feel. Get out any negative thoughts and end with something positive.
It is best if this is done the old-fashioned way with pen or pencil and paper as the act of writing helps our minds to process.
Scream and shout
Away from people shout, scream and make sounds. You can do this into a pillow if there are other people around.
This is NOT about words, it’s about sound and energy release. By doing this we breath deeply and our bodies relax.
Sing
Maybe to a song you like or to the radio.
This helps us calm down by using our breath to lead our mind.
Do something physical
This could be going for a walk, playing a sport, going to a playground / gym, throwing a ball with friends or on your own.
Physical exercise releases happy hormones that help make us feel good.
Remember a time when
Remember a time when you were happy or relaxed or having fun. Remember what you were doing, who you were with, where you were. Think back to the sounds that were there, fully immerse yourself in your feelings from that time and your memory of it.
Draw
You can draw how you feel or a scene or just draw.
This helps by making our feelings and thoughts into something external to us.
Fight something soft (and not sentient)
Squeeze, hug or punch a pillow, duvet, mattress, toy.
The physical movement will help change our bodies and our minds will consequently change too.
Watch something pleasant
Maybe a YouTube video, TV programme or Tik-Tok. Something that is non-violent, non-aggressive, positive.
Talk it through
Talk to someone or something about what has got you all het up. Even telling a pet has the benefit of getting it out and often just saying it out loud helps to gain a better sense of it’s importance. It may be a lot smaller after you have spoken.