How To Make A Glitter Jar To Help Kids To Stay Calm

May 26, 2024

How To Make A Glitter Jar To Help Kids To Stay Calm

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make this glitter jar (or bottle) you can keep on hand to help your child relax and calm down the next time things become overwhelming.

We all have times when we feel stressed, angry, upset, or otherwise overwhelmed. Sometimes children — just like adults — need a moment to calm themselves and gather their thoughts. The difference is that while adults have years of experience in regulating their emotions, articulating feelings, and learning calming strategies, your child does not.

Kids can therefore quickly become overwhelmed by big feelings and stress responses that throw rational decision-making out the window. That’s why it’s important to help your child learn how to cope with these “big” emotions.

You might also try a visual sensory experience that encourages mindfulness, to help bring your child back into the present moment. This simple activity is for you and your child to make your very own mindfulness calm down jar. As they watch the glitter settle, children can calm themselves and return to the present moment.

You might like to call your jar an anger jar or timeout jar. Giving it a label like this reinforces the idea that using the jar is a tool we can reach for when things are getting too much.

Ready to get started? Let’s jump into how to make a glitter jar!

Materials

• A water bottle or plastic jar with lid
• Clear gel glue
• Super glue (adult supervision required)
• Glitter
• Hot water (adult supervision required)
• Food coloring (optional)

1. Gather your supplies and remove the label from the water bottle or plastic jar by soaking it in warm soapy water.

2. Fill the container about 3/4 with hot water — an adult can help here!

3. Add the gel glue to the container. We used 5 oz of glue in a 33 oz plastic bottle, but the amount needed may vary depending on the size of the container.

4. Add glitter to the container. Different size glitter will fall at different speeds, so you may like to add a mixture of different types of fine and ultra-fine glitter that will settle at different rates. You can even add larger glitter shapes like stars or sequins, if you have them.

5. When you’re happy with the amount of glitter, screw the lid on tightly and then shake until the water, glue and glitter are mixed.

6. Set the calm down jar on a flat surface and watch the glitter settle at the bottom.

Now is the time to fine-tune your glitter jar, so talk with your child about the results. Did the glitter settle fast or slow? Did we use enough glitter? Should we change anything? Do we want to add food coloring? If you want to make changes, add more clear gel glue to make the glitter settle slower or more water to make it settle faster. Make any changes and then super glue the cap onto the container to seal it shut. Let the glue dry.

7. Once your glitter jar is dry, you’re ready to add it to your child’s tools and techniques for calming down and feeling mindful. To use it, shake the jar or bottle and watch the glitter settle.

You can use the calm down jar as a quiet visual experience whenever your child needs a calming moment. Encourage them to focus on the glittering contents as it settles down, and invite them to allow that calming feeling to flow through their bodies as well, as they watch the glitter swirl and then settle.

Full article here: https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/make-a-mindfulness-jar-or-calming-timeout-timer

 

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