Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Calm Down Corner Essentials for Littles With Big Feelings
21
items Toddlers and preschoolers come with lots of big feelings, and we as parents and teachers have the important job of teaching them how to work through and communicate all those emotions. Both in my preschool classroom and at home, I've found great succ...
Sections
3
Books
Sensory Toys & Tools
Make It Cozy
Books
This is by far my favorite faith-based book about feelings. It acknowledges all the emotions children experience and explains in kid-friendly language how Jesus meets us in our joys and sorrows. A beautiful read for parents and children alike!
Big Feelings Days: Hard Things & Jesus' Love
Grumpy Monkey is great to read with my preschooler when he's feeling grouchy. The humor often snaps him out of his grumpy mood. The story offers a helpful reminder that sometimes we just need someone to be with us when we're in a bad mood, without tr...
Grumpy Monkey
The heart cutouts in this book make it so inviting for children, and it describes the experience of different emotions in beautiful, poetic language that will resonate with little readers.
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings (Growing Hearts)
What kid doesn't love a story about silly monsters? This was a favorite in my preschool classroom. I love how the book gives children language to identify different emotions through color and imagery.
The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions
This is a great book for help children work through disappointment and for teaching empathy - sometimes we just need someone to listen!
The Rabbit Listened
Perfect for children who struggle with worry and anxiety, Ruby Finds a Worry helps children to visualize worry and equips them with tools to work through it.
Ruby Finds a Worry (Big Bright Feelings)
With simple, rhyming text, Calm-Down Time is perfect for helping the littlest learners work through their big feelings.
Calm-Down Time (Toddler Tools® Board Books)
Alphabreaths is such a fun read. Each letter of the alphabet introduces a new, playful breathing technique for helping children learn how to take the deep, gentle breaths that truly help our bodies to regulate.
Alphabreaths: The ABCs of Mindful Breathing
My son loves the real photos and conversational langauge in this book. It's great for working through hard feelings about sharing and gives both children and caregivers practical tools to make sharing feel more manageable.
My Turn, Your Turn: Sharing & Taking Turns
Sensory Toys & Tools
These sensory bottles are a mesmerizing and calming addition to any calm-down space.
Super Z Outlet Liquid Motion Bubbler
I love Dimpl toys because they provide a bit more resistance and sensory input than other popper fidgets.
Fat Brain Toys Dimpl Digits
When I taught preschool, a mentor teacher suggested using an expanding sphere to help children visualize deep breathing. Genius!
Hoberman Expanding Mini Sphere Toy
I was gifted a Pushpeel, but my kids have officially stolen it from me! We all love using it when we need a few moments of quiet sensory play.
Pushpeel Sensory Activity Board
I enjoy using these spinners as much as my kids do! They're perfect for sticking to a window at home or in the car.
Fat Brain Toys Whirly Squigz Silicone Spinners
My kids love their sensory tubes and use them for so many different types of play. They also make a great addition to a calm-down space, where busy hands help to calm busy minds.
Special Supplies Fun Pull and Stretch Tubes
My preschooler loves the sensory input of play dough, clay, and putty. I love that this set comes with different textures of putty for different sensory needs.
Special Supplies Therapy Putty for Kids & Adults
We just bought this swing for our son's birthday, and we're so excited to put it up for big muscle sensory input, especially in winter months when it's harder to get outside!
Marlowe & Co Sensory Therapy Pod Swing
This mirror has been such a fun tool for helping my son to recognize his emotions.
hand2mind See My Feelings Mirror
Make It Cozy
We love our play couch! It's a perfect cozy spot for a calm down space, but it also makes a great slide or a fun fort!
The Nugget®
Warmies are cozy, weighted stuffies that can be warmed in the microwave for an extra cozy touch.
Bunny Microwavable Weighted Stuffed Animal
We have some woven rope baskets like these for toy storage in our playroom. I love how durable and flexible they are. I also love how soft and cozy they are for storage in a quiet space.
Woven Rope Baskets 3 Pack, 15.5x11x5.5"