Prevent behavior problems by teaching primary students to calm down using sand, stress balls, music, drawings, and feelings journals.
Did you ever just look around the classroom and know that is was going to be a long day? A couple cranky kids can cause the mood of the whole class to spiral downward and result in discipline problems. Instead of waiting for the behavior issues to surface teach your students to visit the Classroom Spa or Cool Down Corner to relax and calm down.
Choose a place in your classroom for the Cool Down Corner that is separated from the main teaching area. Place a small table or desk and a comfortable chair in the Cool Down Corner along with some relaxation tools.
At the beginning of the school year explain why and when the students should go to the Cool Down Corner and what they need to do while there. Prompt them to use the Spa and encourage them to ask to go there when they feel frustrated.
What Students Do in a Cool Down Corner
- Play with sand. Show students how to run the sand over their hands to relax.
- Squeeze stress balls to calm down when they are feeling angry.
- Listen to soothing music while taking deep breaths to settle down.
- Use crayons to draw a picture of what is bothering them.
- Write their problem in a feelings journal to share with the teacher.
Teaching students to visit the classroom spa for a few minutes to unwind and distress will save the whole class time by preventing behavior problems. Utilizing the Cool Down Corner will also help kids learn the valuable lessons of self-control and anger management, skills that will help them succeed in life.
