Self-Regulation Strategies, Ideas and Activities for ECEC Practitioners
When implementing trauma-sensitive practices in ECEC settings it is important
To focus on relationships
To promote safety and trustworthiness
To engage in choice and collaboration
To encourage skill-building and competence
To create a safe and secure environment for children, which has very clear boundaries and a consistent structure.
Comfort Box
A comfort box is a physical box that is used to distract a child from negative thoughts and encourage more positive, soothing ones. It is an anchor of comfort when a child is experiencing periods of anxiety.
Your child’s comfort box should include only items that create happy memories, soothing sensations or pleasant feelings using the five senses. Here are some examples of items to consider including for each sense:
- Smell: bathtime soap or your body spray/aftershave
- Taste: their favourite sweet treat or snack
- Sight: a picture or drawing of a fun, family experience
- Touch: a comfort blanket or favourite cuddly toy
- Sound: an audiobook, piece of music or sound of a loved one talking
There are lots of different things that you can include in a comfort box obviously, you will want to tailor it to the children in your care. Here are some more ideas of things in you can things you can put in a comfort box for children.
Fidget toys such as fidget spinners, Tangle Jr. or Puffer ball
Cuddly toy
Play doh, clay or silly putty
Pipe cleaners – to twist and bend
Harmonica, whistle bell, chimes
Small mirror
Therapeutic stories deal with anxiety, worry or loss.
If you want to write therapeutic stories for children the following books are useful resources:
Using Story Telling as a Therapeutic Tool with Children by Margot Sunderland
