Selkirk Self-Regulation Tools
During a regular year, it can be hard for children to transition from school to after-school routine. Due to COVID-19’s school closures, some children may be struggling more than usual during that transition. We wanted to share some tools that we use at school when children need help to transition from one period of the day to the next. It may be helpful to incorporate some of our classroom regulation strategies into your family’s daily routine to help make these transitions easier.
Breathing Tools |
Movement Tools |
Activity Tools |
Hot Chocolate Breath: Imagine you have a nice, hot cup of hot chocolate. Before you can take a sip, you need to cool it down. So, bring your hot chocolate close to your mouth, take a nice long inhale through your nose, and smell the chocolatey deliciousness. Exhale through your mouth, over your cup. Make sure to spread your exhale over the cup to cool down the hot chocolate. Repeat 3-5 times. |
Thunder Storm: Imagine a thunder storm is on its way. Rub your hands slowly, and then faster and faster. Pat your knees slowly, and then faster and faster. Clap your hands slowly, and then faster and faster. Stomp your feet fast! Now, clap your hands fast, and then slower and slower. Pat your knees fast, and then slower and slower. Rub your hands fast, and then slower and slower, until a stop. The thunder storm has passed. |
Light stretching, walking, or biking with a loved one |
Play Simon Says or Silent Copy Cat |
Colour by Numbers, Dot to Dots, Cutting or Tracing lines |
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Box Breathing or 6 Sides Breathing: www.healthline.com/health/box-breathing#getting-started hubforce.wordpress.com/2015/08/25/calming-tools/six-sides/ |
Get to 50, Get to Zero: Snap your fingers 10 times. Clap your hands 10 times. Hop 10 times on your left foot. Hop 10 times on your right foot. Do 10 jumping jacks. Shout out 50! Do 10 jumping jacks. Hop 10 times on your right foot. Hop 10 times on your left foot. Clap your hands 10 times. Snap your fingers 10 times. Whisper Zero. |
Sweeping, Raking, or Shovelling, with a loved one |