Calming Jar activity 101

There are moments when stress, anxiety, frustration or anger just take over and we have to force ourselves to stop & calm down before we can move forward. As adults, we know this.  The calming process isn't as easy with kids though. We can tell them to breathe. We can hold them. Talk with them. Repeat as necessary. But it doesn't always help them to take the moment to calm and refocus.  

The following is a quick 101 on a fun craft you can do to help make a calming jar for them to use during such moments.  

Supplies needed:

~ white rice

~ Kool Aid drink mix

~ Ziploc bag

~ Clear Jars (I used mason jars but you can use plastic bottles, jelly jars, plastic containers, etc.) 

~ Beads with letters on them

Step 1:  

This is the fun, science-y, talking while you do crafts together part.  

You are going to dye your white rice into colors.  Pick as many colors as you want from the grocery aisle of Kool Aid packet mixes.  

To dye your rice, put in the desired amount of rice (about 1-2 cups) into a Ziploc bag, pour in about half of the small packet of Kool Aid mix, and then pour in 1-2T of water.  Seal the bag. Let your kid shake the heck out of it.  The rice will turn the dye color. If you want it darker - add more drink mix.  Lighter? Add more rice.  

After the desired color is finalized, dump the rice onto a cookie sheet or into a pan.  Bake it at 275 degrees for about 15 minutes until it's dry. This helps the color to set and your hands to not turn bright colors.   You'll want to stir the rice a few times while it's baking to ensure it doesn't stick into a clump.  When dry (it should feel like uncooked rice), take it out of the oven and let sit to cool.  

Repeat this with as many colors as you want.  

Step 2:

While your rice is cooling, talk with your child about words that make them happy, help them to relax or things they they find calming. Together work to spell those words and find those letters together.

Step 3: 

Let your child mix up their own jar of rice. They can mix all colors, choose just one color, whatever they want. Leave space at the top of the jar so the rice can move about freely.  Then they add their words/letters into the jar.  Put the lid on the jar - glue it if you desire- and shake. The letters will hide into the rice.  

Step 4 - the application.

When your child is feeling stressed, angry, upset, etc. they can sit with their jar, shake it up and turn it until they can find the words they put inside the jar. It will force them to sit and take the time to work to find each of the letters hidden inside the jar in order to spell the words. { For those who aren't quite yet spellers on their own, you can write the words on the top of the lid or on the jar itself with a Sharpie.}

Easy. Cheap. Quick. Effective.

Have fun!