7 Favorite Calming and Sensory Tools for Kids: Emotional Regulation Series Part 1

What is Emotional Regulation?

Emotional regulation is a person’s ability to manage and control their emotions. This isn’t always easy for adults, so it definitely isn’t something that comes naturally for children. Emotional regulation is a skill that everyone has to learn!

Think about all of the moments when frustration bubbles up, sadness overwhelms you, or your excitement goes into overdrive. Now imagine you’re seven years old, you just found out it’s too wet to play on the playground today, your class gets cupcakes at the end of the day today, or can’t quite master your new spelling words despite lots of practice— and no one taught you how to handle your big feelings.

Emotional regulation teaches students how to:

Recognize what they’re feeling
Cope with emotions in productive ways
Respond to situations without letting big feelings take over

Why Emotional Regulation is Important to Teach to Children

As an early elementary teacher, you’ve likely seen how dysregulated emotions can derail the morning for your entire classroom. It only takes one meltdown about a broken pencil or an argument between classmates during small group instruction to send the energy of everyone into pure chaos.

Teaching emotional regulation skills equips students to effectively handle the emotions that go with ALL the moments. When they begin to do so, your day will be more manageable for everyone!

Other benefits of teaching emotional regulation skills to kids:

Increased self-awareness and empathy
Improved attention and focus
Better relationships with others

Emotional regulation contributes to long-term success both socially and academically too. The earlier students learn these skills, the more they’ll benefit throughout their entire lives!

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Favorite Calming and Sensory Tools for Kids

Calming and sensory tools are absolute game-changers when teaching these important life skills to little learners!

These tools give kids something tangible to help them channel big feelings like anxiety, frustration, and sadness.

Check out 7 of these best calming and sensory tools to help your students regain focus and emotional control:

1. Fidget Toys

Fidget toys give students an easy, engaging way to channel excess energy while improving their focus. These tools help kids manage and calm big emotions through different textures and movements like stretching, manipulating, and squeezing.

fidget calming and sensory tools for kids

Favorite Fidgets:

2. Weighted Items

Weighted items provide gentle, deep pressure that can help students feel grounded and safe. A weighted stuffed animal or lap pad can be especially helpful for kids who like to be comforted through touch. When they’re feeling big emotions or overall sensory overload, these tools are a great choice!

Favorite Weighted Items:

3. Calming Jars

Watching the slow, rhythmic movement of calming jars can be both soothing and mesmerizing for students who are feeling overwhelmed. These tools encourage kids to take deep breaths and practice mindfulness while giving them a moment to reset their emotions.

Favorite Calming Jars:

4. Visual Timers

Time can be a frustrating concept for students, especially during transitions and waiting. Giving kids access to a visual timer can help them practice patience and self-regulation skills in a more concrete way. There are so many fun options to choose from!

visual timers calming and sensory tools for kids

Favorite Visual Timers:

5. Tools to Support Feelings

Tools that support emotional expression help students begin to understand and identify their emotions. When they recognize what they are feeling, they can talk about it more easily.

Favorite Tools to Support Feelings:

6. Tactile Items

Tactile items give kids a hands-on, sensory-rich way to release tension and improve their focus. These tools are extremely beneficial for students who need movement to regulate their emotions and stay engaged in learning throughout the day.

tactile calming and sensory tools for kids

Favorite Tactile Items:

Squishy drawing pads
Kinetic sand
Tactile floor tiles
Play-doh
Silly putty

7. Flexible Seating Options

Flexible seating options give students the ability to move, wiggle, and find comfortable positions to help them feel secure and regulated so they can be active learners in your classroom.

flexible seating options for emotional regulation and calming

Favorite Flexible Seating Options:

How to Implement These Tools in Your Classroom

Once you have gathered some (or all!) of these tools, the next step is to create intentional spaces and opportunities for students to use them. Consider these options:

Introduce a Feelings Circle

Easily include some of your calming and sensory tools, like emotion puppets or weighted stuffed animals, into Feelings Circle time with your students. Have students sit in a circle on your carpet and take turns talking about how they are feeling and why they are feeling that way.

Feelings Circle to discuss feelings with kids

Make Feelings Circle a regular part of your classroom routine! This time allows students to talk about their emotions in a safe space. It is a great opportunity for students to build empathy and understanding as they listen to their peers too.

Create a Calm Down Corner

Another easy way to integrate these favorite sensory tools into your classroom is to create a Calm Down Corner.

Store your sensory and calming tools in your Calm Down Corner when students are feeling overwhelmed, sad, or anxious and just need a moment to themselves. This 3-tier rolling cart is a simple way to keep these objects organized and easily accessible!

Promote calm feelings in this space with a lamp, hanging lights, a cozy reading pillow, or a bean bag chair to help make this a spot where students truly enjoy resetting their emotions.

Offer Tools to Early Finishers

You can also offer calming and sensory tools to students who finish tasks early. Many times, early finishers become a distraction for peers who are still working hard to complete assignments.

calming and sensory tools for kids who are early finishers

By encouraging these students to utilize some of these calming and sensory tools, you can ensure they are doing meaningful emotional work while their peers can maintain their focus

Get Ready for the Rest of the Emotional Regulation Series!

This post is just the beginning! Over the next few weeks, we will explore all of these other important emotional regulation topics throughout the Emotional Regulation Series:

Calm down strategies
Relaxation strategies
Breathing exercises
Mindfulness techniques
Creating a calm down corner

By the end of the series, you’ll have a full toolkit for teaching emotional regulation skills in a way that truly empowers your students and fosters a positive classroom environment.

emotional regulation through calming and sensory tools for kids

Remember: kids can’t learn if they’re feeling overwhelmed by big emotions. Introducing some of these favorite calming and sensory tools for kids is an excellent first step in helping them find balance as they navigate their feelings. Watch your classroom begin to transform into a calmer, happier place with these effective (& fun) tools!

Let me know if you have any questions about anything you see here. Don’t forget to pin this post to refer to it later!

GUIDE STUDENTS IN DEVELOPING A GROWTH MINDSET WITH THESE

Free Growth Mindset Punch Cards

The perfect way to start meaningful habits and conversations with your students!

Yes! I need this!

Diane Romo

Thank you for being here! I love sharing ideas with other teachers! If you are looking to enhance your teaching and build a positive classroom community, you have come to the right place!