Comfort Container
Help children take a quiet moment alone and soothe themselves.
Watch the video together. Explain that when we’ve having a big feeling, there are a lot of ways we can take care of ourselves. Big Bird uses his comfort container; talk about some of the things he has in it.
To make your own comfort container, invite children to decorate a box or bag (the size and material will depend on what you put in it; a bag like a backpack allows children to carry it from place to place). You might add:
- squeezy ball
- crayons and paper
- fidget spinner
- storybooks
- blanket
- photos of loved ones
- stuffed animal or doll
- fabrics of differing textures
- a small instrument like a kazoo
- bubble wrap to pop
- pinwheel for breathing exercise (breathe in deeply through the nose then exhale slowly out the mouth to make the pinwheel move)
When children are having a big feeling or a hard time, offer or suggest their comfort container and ask whether they’d like to spend a few minutes alone or whether they’d like you to stay with them, like Big Bird’s Granny stayed with him.
Safe & Together
When families have to leave home in order to stay safe, it helps to remember that home is where the love is.
Bubble Time
A quiet activity such as blowing bubbles can help both children and adults breathe deeply, slow down… and calm down.
Crayon Power
Coloring together can soothe both children and grown-ups.
See You Later Alligator
A special, loving good-bye routine can make separations easier.
Friendship Bracelets
When it’s hard to be apart from those we love, the littlest things can become big reminders that someone loves us and is thinking of us.
Cloud Watching
Spending time outside can feel like a “reset” on the day.
Pillow Hugs
Hugging a pillow covered with an item of a loved one’s clothing can help comfort children when they’re missing them.
