In education, we all strive to create an environment where our young learners feel secure and valued. Nevertheless, there are occasions when their young minds and bodies become overwhelmed, making it challenging for them to maintain composure. It falls upon us to provide the necessary support during these moments. We empower them to discover techniques for regulating their emotions and thoughts. With a variety of strategies at our disposal, one that stands out is the implementation of a “calm-down corner”.
What is a Calm Down Corner?
Within your learning environment, a “calm-down corner” serves as a sanctuary for students to retreat and regain their composure. This designated space is typically equipped with an array of manipulatives or fidgets. Those can include clocks or timers, cozy pillows or blankets, unique seating options, and quiet toys or cuddly stuffed animals. These resources aim to assist students in redirecting their energy and attention towards peaceful, grounding activities, thus regaining a focused state of mind conducive to learning. Personally, I find the incorporation of yoga poses to be a particularly valuable enhancement to a calm-down corner.
Integrating Yoga into the Calm-Down Corner
Yoga, as a holistic practice centered on mindfulness, tranquility, and attentiveness, aligns seamlessly with the use of a calm-down corner. By engaging in yoga, students direct their focus towards the movements, effectively steering away from feelings of overwhelm or overstimulation.
I developed a set of Yoga Pose Task Cards specifically tailored for the calm-down corner. These task cards showcase a range of simple yoga poses designed to help students soothe their minds and bodies.
At the beginning of the academic year, youc an introduce students to all of the components included in the calm-down corner. We dedicate time to familiarizing ourselves with the various yoga poses, ensuring that students are well-equipped to incorporate these techniques whenever they require a moment of recentering. The students not only find that they can calm themselves using these practices but also genuinely enjoy them, as they seamlessly blend calming effects with an element of amusement.
More Calm Down Fun!
If you love these yoga pose task cards for calming little minds and bodies, you’re going to love my Calm Down Corner Printables Bundle. It is filled with printable task cards and activities designed specifically to help your students calm down, refocus, and relax their minds and bodies.
The Calm Down Corner Printables Bundle Pack includes:
- Yoga Poses Task Cards for Kids
- Breathe and Trace Strips
- Relax and Color – Coloring Book
- Free Calm Down Corner Posters
- Free Bilingual Calming Strategies Task Cards
Save These Poses for Later
Love these activities? Make sure to pin this post to your favorite teaching or therapy board so you can come back to it again and again!
