5 Ways To Help A Child Calm Down

As hard as it can be sometimes, it is our job as our children’s parents to help them to learn how to regulate their emotions. Every child experiences frustration, anger, sadness, and many more emotions. Unluckily for my son, he is just like me in that he experiences intense emotions, he can get very upset and overwhelmed. But it also means he loves very deeply and is empathetic. Because of having two of us at home who experience strong emotions, I’ve had to adopt a few strategies to help keep it a calm and peaceful home. I want to share with you our best strategies for 5 ways to help a child calm down.

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5 Ways To Help A Child Calm Down

1. Sensory!

Fill up a few plastic cups or bottles and keep them in the freezer, when your child is struggling to calm down, remind them about their ice cups and they can go and grab one. Sensory activities help to bring comfort. You can even splash a few drops of food colouring to make them more fun! You could also get a few sensory toys or make them yourself to keep for quiet times, I purchased one of these the other day and my children (one age 10, and one age 1) both love it.

2. Nature!

An outside adventure, a cuddle with a pet, or digging in the soil (did you know, inhaling the microbes from stirring up the soil, stimulates serotonin production?). You could even set your child a task like “run to the second tree, find a pinecone and run back” Connecting with nature is calming and brings our focus to the present. Nature is free and always accessible so it’s an excellent tool for calming ourselves.

3. Eat some calm-inducing food!

We can all get a little grumpy when we have forgotten to eat or haven’t had a chance to eat, and it is especially true for our little growing ones. But did you know there are certain foods that can actually make us feel calmer when we eat them? try these next time you think your child might need a little help to feel more relaxed!

• Oranges
• Dark chocolate
• Berries
• Turkey
• Eggs
• Yogurt
• Seeds

4. Listen and Validate

Sometimes we just need to make space for their emotions, and listen to and accept them. When we show our children that their emotions are not to be feared, they will feel safe to let them pass, and they’ll get better every time you practice this with them. If your child needs space, allow them space. If they need you to hold them, hold them. This helps teach our children that emotions come and they go, and they don’t need to control us, but we need to allow them because our emotions are there to help us.

5. Singing and music

Music can cause us to feel relaxed and present at that moment, this is why singing to babies helps to soothe them. There are also lots of other great sounds like the ocean and birds which work well for children to help them settle or go to sleep. Introducing more music into family life can help with a more relaxed atmosphere. When my baby is getting overwhelmed, sometimes I will sing to her and it calms her almost instantly. 

Implementing these practices into our lives can help us as well as our children because parenting is hard! it also means your children will have these tools for life and when they are feeling overwhelmed or they are struggling, they’ll have ways to help themselves, or they’ll know to reach out because you’ve taught them not to bottle up their difficult emotions.

What are your best calm down tips?