Love seeing all the mediation ideas.
I like using the Hoberman sphere, the only drawback is that my group will tend to want to each touch and use it so I like to use it during an activity.
My calming hacks:1. Start an exaggerated YAWN-- and get the group yawning. OH, can YOU YAWN? It's weird but its a normal response for a yawn to " catch on" and the body's natural physiological response is to go into a more calm mode.
2. I sing in a regular to a quiet voice... "
put your hands on the wall on the wall...put your hands on the wall, on the wall.... put your hands on the wall and don't let it fall, put your hands on the wall, on the wall". -- needless to say just a few rounds and they are lined up against the wall without any fussing.
3.
TAKE 5 Breathe ; check out YOGAKIDS. This works 80% of the time to calm most of the group.
4. Gentle rocking motions- swaying from side to side, or tick tock goes the clock with their heads can sometimes be enough to encourage relaxation.
These do really work for me, and believe me--- I
need hacks to calm my group, because I'm a specialty preschool movement teacher (and physical therapist is my "day" job) -- so I'm the one who gets them all hyper (some days) and need to transition them back to another location.
Good luck! Curious to hear back what you did!
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Dr. Mary Lynn Hafner, PT, DPT
myneighborhoodpt@gmail.comPhysical Therapist. Early Childhood Educator. Author of The Joy of Movement (2019).
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2018 02:38 AM
From: Leonora Possumato
Subject: Calming kids after doing a movement activity or transition into circle time.
My students that are 4 and 5 years old are having a hard time calming themselves after a movement activity or transitioning from play centers to gathering on the rug for our next activity. I would like some suggestions on helping them get back control of their bodies.
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Leonora Possumato
Lead teacher
Foundations Preschool
Annandale NJ
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