Toddlers don't always know how to deal with their feelings. It's why they can so often go from being happy to throwing a frustration tantrum in the blink of an eye. As a parent, it's important to help your child process their complex emotions. As they grow up, they'll learn to embrace their big feelings and handle them in healthy, well-balanced ways. Setting up a calm-down corner will help you and your little one on this momentous journey.
What is a calm-down corner?
A calm-down corner (or, simply, a calm corner) is a space in your home where your child can go to work through their emotions. They'll be surrounded by comforting objects so they feel comfortable expressing their feelings.
It's not a time-out corner because they're not used as a punishment. Rather, they're an incentive for your child to take a deep breath and address what they're struggling with in a positive way.
Where to set up a calm-down corner?
Set up the comfort corner in a quiet, peaceful area of your home that your child has easy access to. For example, you could set it up in the dining room or even in your toddler's bedroom.
10 ideas for building a calm corner
You don't need a big budget to build your toddler a calm corner. Take inspiration from these calm corner ideas to prioritize your little one's self-care.
- Personalize the corner. Add decorations to the calm corner to make it look intentional. Display kid-friendly artwork, a sign with your child's name, or calm corner printables.
- Add comfortable seating. The best way to get your child to relax in their calm-down corner is to make it cozy. A bright fluffy rug and a comfortable beanbag chair are great additions.
- Give your child some privacy. Partition the quiet corner from the rest of the house with curtains, a bookshelf, or a folding screen.
- Display emotion charts. Many kids learn visually, so a chart displaying different emotions can help them identify how they're feeling.
- Include printables of calming strategies. Put together a picture booklet of soothing activities your child can explore. For example, practicing yoga poses can be an effective relaxation technique for kids. Or taking big breaths for stress relief. As your child grows up, they'll find what works best for them.
- Fill a basket with sensory objects. Molding playdough, crushing eggshells, and shaking containers with beans can help your child offload some of their frustrations.
- Include soft plushies. Hugging a soft, squishy plush toy is emotionally comforting.
- Offer craft supplies. Using their hands and creativity helps toddlers destress.
- Have a pen and notebook available. For older kids, journaling is a terrific way to work through complicated emotions. Putting everything on paper can feel relieving.
- Consider having a sound machine. While tech doesn't usually have a place in calm-down corners, a sound machine is generally a good addition. The sound of waves crashing on a beach or frogs singing in a forest can ground and soothe children.
Spend less while buying more kid-friendly essentials
You can build a calm-down corner your child will seek out with what you already have at home. But if you want to jazz it up with something extra, be sure to look for deals. The discounts you'll find in a Save Coupon Book near you make it easy to treat your little one without going over budget.
