Calm Down Jar

Let's face it... Every toddler (and adult) has a moment of distress, anger, sadness, disgust, etc... With a limited vocabulary, toddlers can find it hard to communicate effectively, which can cause tantrums, meltdowns, screaming, fights, etc.. It's not always easy for them to calm down in a heated situation, and I am not a fan of time outs as I feel that they push kids away instead of bringing them closer. Time outs can also become an angry battle, and kids often need acceptance and their feelings validated. Us adults do too!! Toddlers' minds are still developing, and sometimes all they need is something calming so that they can think clearly and regroup. Hey, we all need that sometimes, right? I made a calm down jar which simply helps diffuse a toddler's anger and soothe them. The idea is to shake it and watch the rice fall, or flip the jar up and down to watch the rice fall.

Here is an excellent link on positive parenting and brain development:
http://www.positive-parents.org/2011/06/positive-parenting-what-why-how_15.html?m=1



Here's what you need:
1 jar (plastic or glass)
1 cup of rice
4 tablespoons of olive oil
4 tablespoons of dish soap
2 tablespoons of glitter
8 drops of food coloring

Once you put all of the ingredients in the jar, glue the lid on and shake to mix up everything. Now you have a calm down jar!!

So the next time your toddler is getting upset, give them the calm down jar and help diffuse their anger by showing them how to flip the jar to watch the rice fall.. Once they understand the concept, they can automatically go to the jar when they need to cool down.

My son is 16 months old, and I use this jar with him when he is having a rough time coping or calming down. It helps him regroup, collect his thoughts, and then he is able to continue his previous activity.

The calm down jar is also a good way to entertain kids (and adults) too! I love it!! :)