Sometimes you just need a moment to calm down. Everyone does! Especially overstimulated, tired, cranky, frustrated, (insert your own adjective) children who can’t effectively communicate their emotions without resorting to a meltdown. I might just have one such toddler at home, who may or may not have had a meltdown just this morning. Enter the “calm down bottle” — our family’s newest addition to the emotional toolbox.
I ran across the calm down bottle while browsing toddler activity ideas on Pinterest. It can be used as an alternative to “time out” or just as a way to transition to a more relaxed state when the child gets too hyper. Our bottle is particularly useful near bedtime, when being tired makes it hard for our daughter to do anything without dramatic flair or tears. While I originally thought it looked like a cool bottle with sparkles that might catch her attention, I found it also serves a deeper purpose. (Disclaimer: I am not a professional and I’m interpreting what I read here, so it might be oversimplified.) Apparently, holding something with both hands at the midline can help children (and adults!) focus and reorganize their thoughts. It can help settle scattered thoughts by activating both hemispheres of the brain and bring a sense of calm. And I just thought it was pretty! Who knew? Here are some pictures of a Calm Down Bottle in action. Ready to make your own? Check out the directions below.
You will need:
- plastic bottle of some sort with lid that fits tightly (I used a smooth-sided water bottle, label removed)
- container to heat water (I used a glass measuring cup)
- bowl to mix hot water and glitter glue
- water (tap will do!)
- glitter glue (I used Elmer’s)
- super fine glitter
- super glue to affix lid to bottle
Optional:
- sequins or confetti shapes
- small beads
- food coloring
- funnel
Directions
Heat the water and pour it into the bowl with the glitter glue to dissolve and mix it. Make sure there are no globs, let it cool so it won’t melt or warp your water bottle, and then pour it into your final container. I ended up using about half a regular bottle of glitter glue to get my bottle to settle very slowly, leaving more time to watch it swirl and have its calming effect. The glue slows down how fast the bottle settles after being shaken; if you’re using it for a time-out bottle, use less glitter glue and it will settle faster. I added about three tablespoons of different colors of super fine glitter to my bottle and then a few sequins and beads for variety. You can also add food coloring.Test it, and when you’re happy with the results, add more water until the bottle is a few inches shy of full. You want some room to get it really shaken up and see all the cool bubbles that form when shaken. Make sure your lid is dry and glue it on tightly using the super glue. Voilà! You have a super cool Calm Down Bottle of your very own!
You can read more about other cool things to make or do with your kids here or check out these titles:
- “101 Kids Activities That Are the Bestest, Funnest Ever! The Entertainment Solution for Parents, Relatives & Babysitters” by Holly Homer
- “A Moving Child Is A Learning Child: How the Body Teaches the Brain to Think (birth to Age 7)” by Gill Connell
- “Get Outside Guide: All Things Adventure, Exploration, and Fun!” By Nancy Honovich
- “Maker Dad: Lunch Box Guitars, Antigravity Jars, and 22 Other Incredibly Cool Father-daughter DIY Projects” by Mark Frauenfelder
- “1001 Fun Ways to Play” by Susan E.Davis
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