Calm-down bottle

Children make a glitter bottle that helps them calm down: shake it and breathe calmly until the glitter settles.

Steps

1. Each child gets a plastic bottle. Fill it two-thirds full with warm water.
2. Add a spoonful of glitter glue or glycerine (the glitter falls more slowly) and a pinch of glitter in a favourite colour.
3. The teacher closes the bottle and seals the cap with hot glue.
4. Talk: the glitter is our thoughts and feelings when we're upset. Shake the bottle and breathe calmly while watching it settle.
5. The bottles go into a 'calm corner' children can use when they need a quiet moment.

Tip: Use thick plastic bottles, not glass jars. Always glue the caps so children can't open them.

Materials needed

• Small plastic PET bottles (1 per child)
• Glitter glue (1 pack per group)
• Glycerine (1 bottle)