Everything You Need To Know About a Calm Down Kit!

I get asked all the time about the difference of my calm down kits. The simple answer? Each different calm down kit has different resources to meet the needs of your students. You do not need one to use the other, all three are standalone resources that can be used to help students cope. The long answer? Keep reading…

The CALM DOWN KIT can be used and easily stored in a basket/box to create a small “kit” in your classroom. All of the resources in this product can be stored easily, pulled out and when needed and easily manipulated by students and staff. All of the visuals provided can be stored in a basket or you can simply pick and choose which visuals will work for your students. This can be stored in all classrooms and offices on campus to create a consistent behavior routine in your school setting! Here is a preview of all that is included:

The CALM DOWN CORNER can be used to set up an area in your classroom, office, home or school to create a calm down area. The visuals in this product can be displayed, attached or posted in your safe space. Pair these items with sensory equipment such as bean bags, body socks and trampolines. Just be sure to clearly display your calm down area rules (included.). Depending on the needs of your students, some teachers choose to include the calm down kit in their calm down area to provide more visuals, however this is NOT necessary if those visuals are not needed for your kids. Here is a preview of all that is included in the calm down area product:

The CALM DOWN KIT ON THE GO was created after I saw my students being successful with their calm down kit tools in the classroom. Over time my students were becoming more independent and more successful Lin the classroom. Naturally, this led to more mainstreaming, inclusion and generalization. What did this cause? A rise in behaviors of course. I couldn’t take my calm down corner outside with me, and even the calm down kit was too bulky. All of the skills embedded in these two products were merged into a handy dandy notebook creating my calm down kit on the go. This book can be printed into a 3 ring binder or binded into a notebook. This book can go anywhere and everywhere with a student! Send it home too for consistency!

WHO CAN USE A CALM DOWN KIT?

Anyone! A calm down kit is not just for students with special needs. A calm down kit can be used with any child who has trouble coping with emotions. These tools can help students to become independent in resolving conflicts, troubleshooting issues and managing personal emotions. These calm down kits can be used in the general education setting as well! All students have emotions and all students sometimes need help coping with them. These tools can be used in the school office, counseling room, psychologist office, PE playground etc. UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES for students to cope with emotions in a safe way!

WHAT IS A CALM DOWN KIT?

A calm down kit is a kit full of visuals and tools to help students cope with their emotions in a positive and safe manner. Every calm down kit can look a little different depending on the needs of your population. I like to add various calm down tools and sensory goodies into my calm down kits. To see exactly what I use, check out my blog post HERE.

WHERE CAN YOU USE A CALM DOWN KIT?

Anywhere! Depending on your student’s and schools needs, you can create multiple! It is beneficial to have a calm down kit in all classrooms, the school office, the counselor’s office, psychologists office, speech room, cafeteria, playground, the bus et. You can also simply just keep one in you classroom and teach students to report back to the room when needed. If you need a more portable version, you could consider an interactive calm down kit on a tablet or a calm down kit on the go.

WHEN SHOULD YOU USE A CALM DOWN KIT?

ALL THE TIME! No, really, I did use these all the time when I was in the classroom. I used these visuals as a teaching tool too. I liked to use the social stories and coping visual steps card each day to remind students of some of the basic steps we take throughout the day to remain calm. It is important to teach expectations to students rather than just assume they are able to perform these basic steps on their own. I also used them during a tantrum. Utilize the visuals that fit your students needs to help de-escalate in an appropriate manner for the school setting. I also used them as a follow up to a tantrum. Do you have a student that got so out of control he caused harm to someone? If so, it is extremely important to revisit some of the tools once the student is calm and discuss how they can do better next time they get hurt or upset. Like I said, I really did use them all the time. Consistency is key to a good behavior management plan! A calm down kit is a tool that can be used for students feeling an overwhelming sense of emotion and is unable to cope appropriately. Ideally, a calm down kit should be used to help identify and cope with emotions appropriately before any outburst. It can also be used to help de-escalate any extreme emotions, tantrums and outbursts.

WHY IS IT BENEFICIAL TO STUDENTS?

A calm down kit is a life changing tool for any student who has difficulty coping with emotions on their own. With the tools in the calm down kit students will learn to identify, regulate and cope with their emotions on their own. A calm down kit can be the tool to help a student go from an aggressive, scared and frustrated student to a student thriving in their environment. My number one goal for all of students is to help them to become as independent as possible. I like these tools because after awhile I am able to see my students utilize the visuals and tools needed to calm down with little to no assistance from staff. It’s amazing to see a kiddo go from flipping tables and being restrained for their own safety to asking for a break and finding the tools they need on their own to manage their behaviors!

The next biggest question I got was…

How do I utilize them?

Well, I am not in the classroom right now. But I can answer how I did use them when I was in the classroom. It’s quite simple. I designated a spot in the classroom that is clearly labeled with the rules and calm down sign from my CALM DOWN CORNER. In this area I stored all of the visuals from all 3 calm down kits as well as some sensory supplies. This changed depending on my kids preferences. Of course, add whatever you need to your calm down area that will help your students calm down. When a student starts acting out in any form, whether it be physically or verbally, I prompt them to the calm down area or utilize a tool from the calm down area with the child. Exactly what I do depends on why the child is tantruming. This is why I love my CALM DOWN KITS, I have visuals to meet all of my students needs in my calm down area. The goal of the calm down area is to teach students to escort themselves to the calm down area and calm down independently. We want to teach students how to cope with emotions and regulate their feelings on their own prior to acting out. While this may seem impossible for some kids, I promise you it is not. Take baby steps. Work on students mastering one small step to calming down and prompt them through the rest. Depending on the student it could be to walk to the calm down area, or take 1 deep breath, or fold hands etc. There is no “one plan fits all” for students with emotional and behavioral challenges. It is up to the students education team to devise a plan in how to manage a challenging behavior. Most importantly, make sure all staff are on the same page and consistent with the child in order to build independence for the student so that they are able to eventually calm down on their own!

Looking to set up your own calm down kit or calm down area? Check out my resources below: