Why not create a useful, home resource that helps your kids and teens feel calmer…
… and helps ‘reset’ their emotions!
Creating a self-soothe box is a great way to introduce meditation to young people – helping you and your family to gather tools, ideas and resources that can help them (and you) press the re-set button when life, stress and anxiety takes hold.
As parents or carers, we all want our children to feel safe, happy, and secure. But life can be challenging, and even the most well-adjusted kids can experience stress, anxiety, or difficult emotions.
That’s where a self-soothe box can come in handy.
By creating a personalized box of items that promote relaxation, comfort, and mindfulness, we can help our children learn how to cope with stress and build resilience.
In this blog, we’ll share some tips for creating a self-soothe box for children that includes meditation and mindful skills.
What is a self soothe box?
A self-soothe box is a tool that can be used to help young people cope with stress, anxiety, or difficult emotions.
Normally, it is a box or container filled with items that promote relaxation, comfort, and mindfulness. The contents of the box are usually unique to the person who creates it, tailoring it to their personal preferences and needs.
What do you put into a self-soothe box?
Here’s an example of some of the items that can be included in a self-soothe box :
- Scented candles or essential oils (smell)
- Stress balls or fidget toys (touch, sight)
- A journal or coloring book (touch, sight)
- Tea bags or hot chocolate mix (smell, taste)
- Photographs or other sentimental items (sight, touch)
- Soft blankets or pillows (touch, sight)
- A list of positive affirmations or uplifting quotes (sound, sight)
- A favorite book or movie (sight, smell, sound)
- A playlist of calming music or sounds (sound)
(We put the different senses in brackets to draw your attention to this – very important in mindful skills to tune into the sense).
The purpose of a self-soothe box is to provide a quick and accessible source of comfort and relaxation, especially during times of stress or distress. It can be used as a way to practice self-care and mindfulness, and helps young people take responsibility for their wellbeing.
Or try our tutorial!
Creating a Self-Soothe Box for Children
Step 1: Choose a container
The first step is to choose a container for your child’s self-soothe box. It can be a shoebox, a wooden box, or any other container that is large enough to hold the items you want to include.
Let your child decorate the box with stickers, markers, or paint to make it their own.
Step 2: Include items that promote relaxation and comfort
The next step is to gather items that promote relaxation and comfort.
We gave you some ideas above, but don’t limit the list to those; your children may have some fantastic, mindful ideas to share.
Step 3: Introduce meditation and mindful skills
Now that you have a collection of items for your child’s self-soothe box, it’s time to introduce meditation and mindful skills. Here are some ideas:
- Include an online *guided meditation or a mindfulness app that your child can listen to
- Write down simple breathing exercises or guided visualizations that your child can do
- Include a small bell or chime that your child can use to practice mindful listening
- Add a card with a simple mantra or affirmation that your child can repeat to themselves
Step 4: Practice using the self-soothe box together
Finally, practice using the self-soothe box together.
Encourage your child to use the items in the box when they are feeling stressed, anxious, or upset. Perhaps you can join in and practise, what they choose, together.
Over time, your child will develop their own strategies for coping with difficult emotions and will have a go-to source of comfort and relaxation.
Creating a self-soothe box for children can be a powerful tool for helping them cope with stress and build resilience. By including meditation and mindful skills, we can teach our children important life skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.
So gather your materials, get creative, and create a self-soothe box that your child will treasure.
What about teens?
If you want to learn how to create a virtual box for teens, then check out our self soothe tutorial below!
Curious about learning mindful skills to help children/teens self soothe?
You can take our ‘self soothe with meditation’ tutorial – discounted for a limited time!
It includes a special bonus of ‘how to create a virtual self soothe box for teens’. tutorial!
