Hum Along to Sunny Days With Elmo and Friends 

Did you know that humming for 10 seconds or more can actually help us relax? Humming makes vibrations in our throat. The vibrations activate a nerve that carries signals from the brain to the body. This nerve, called the vagus nerve, helps us to soothe ourselves and calm our bodies after we’ve been in stressful situations, so we can better cope with stress and manage big feelings.   

In moments of emotional distress, when we’re the most concerned about children’s emotional health and well-being, a strategy like this may offer children some short-term relief. Share this video with children and try humming along! Later, you might: 

• Hum familiar tunes together and make up some of your own.  

• In your own stressful moments, model humming, explain what you’re doing, and invite children to join you! (“Humming can help me calm myself down… want to try it with me?”) 

• Try humming together in challenging moments in the future (perhaps when children are feeling frustrated, angry, worried, nervous, or even over-excited), invite children to join you in humming, singing, or even buzzing like a bee (these activities all create vibrations in the throat). Help them notice how they feel afterward.  

And check out what the Count has to say about humming here!