Calming Activities for Preschool

Calming Activities for Preschool

Prior to or upon arrival to school

• Walk to school if that is an option, carry a heavy backpack or pull a wagon, push a stroller with heavy objects or another person in it.  
• Use a scooter, scooter board, roller skates or a bike to get to school
• Open (heavy) doors independently 
• Various animal walks incorporating crawling, jumping, arm movements, etc.

Circle Time or seated tasks

• Hold squeeze toys, silky fabrics, vibrating toy, small amount of playdough
• Sit on a ball, rocking chair, bean bag, or almost fully deflated beach ball on a chair
• Do chair push ups while sitting (place palms on seat of chair and push body upward) 
• Hold objects with weight (books, cans) in lap
• Tape a circle on the floor or use a carpet square where child is to sit
• Allow child to lie on stomach on floor 
• Have child slide or carry chair to circle area
• Incorporate animal walks (frog, bear, crab, snake etc.) to provide movement to seated tasks
• Incorporate reward system (small piece of gummy or crunchy candy, stickers, stamp to hand, high five, verbal praise) intermittently for appropriate behavior.  Be sure to simply explain appropriate/inappropriate behavior

Heavy work throughout the day (center time/guided free play)

• Playdough, dough, putty (rolling pin, flatten, pull apart, knead, push together, push pegs/coins into it, hammer)
• Dry noodles, rice, beans, birdseed, sand, water (pour, touch, mix)
• Mop, sweep, vacuum
• Use hole punch 
• Finger-paint, shaving creme
• Tweezers
• Blow toys (straws, instruments, cotton balls)
• Vibrating pens, drawing on textured surface (sandpaper, bubble wrap, Lego table)
• Standing at an easel for painting, drawing, cutting
• Resistive manipulatives (pop beads, Legos, foam puzzles)
• Wear heavy backpack during this time (be sure to remove prior to gross motor play)
• Laundry play (fold, iron, carry laundry basket, slide another child sitting in the basket)
  instruments (marching, banging, blowing)
• Obstacle course
• Make a quiet area with pillows, beanbag, tent or small child pool with balls in it (ball pit), low light, calming music, books, squeeze toys or vibration, silky fabrics for self calming
• Row your boat (stand or sit holding another’s hands, rock back and forth)

Heavy work for outside/gym

• Bikes, scooters, scooter board (pull another child as they are on their stomach or have child hold rope as they are pulled on their stomach on scooter board), roller-skates
• Swinging, monkey bars, playground equipment, tug of war
• Shovel snow, rake leaves
• Spray bottles, chalk, blow bubbles, paint walls/ground with paintbrush and water
• Obstacle course (jump, roll, run, crawl, etc.)
• Wagon pull and wagon rides
• Catch, kick, throw, t-ball
• Fly a kite
• Sand and water play

Snack/Meal Time

• Have the child be a snack helper to pass out cups, plates, etc.
• Wipe off the tables using large motions
• Carry heavy cans of juice, pitchers
• Chair push-ups
• Crunchy or gummy candy, Twizzlers, milkshakes through a straw
• Stack chairs at the end of meal times

Nap/Bedtime

• Quiet music, white noise, low lights
• Rocking, vibration, deep massage
• Heavy blanket on legs, wrap in blanket or youth sleeping bag
• Lie in hammock or beanbag
• Hold silky fabric, Taggie blanket, etc.
• Token rewards (stickers, verbal praise) for staying in bed, on mat
• Page through books