Over the past year, we have all had to find ways to help us cope with the real world. Many of us have experienced anxiety in ways we never imagined. And some of us have watched our littles lose parts of themselves to anxiety outbursts as well. With summer approaching and many restrictions being lifted across the country I believe that we will see anxiety levels continue to rise before they begin finding a new normal point.
When the school year started, I shared a few items that would help littles focus through their fidgeting. I still stand by those items but wanted to take it a step further here. Many of our littles don’t really understand what is happening when their anxiety levels increase. It can happen at any time, in or out of school. It can happen at home or when outside running errands or having fun. The items I included here are ones that I have at home and believe help with both JustaBXgirl’s and my own anxiety. And the thing is, they’re fun to play with even when we are feeling perfectly at ease.
Hoppy & Poppie PinkCheeks – These twin grasshoppers are here to help our littles learn how to express their emotions. You can get the bundle that includes the plush, the book and the bracelets. I love that the plush have a pocket. I tell JustaBXgirl that she can write her feelings down and place them in the zipper pocket so that Hoppy and Poppie can help carry them when they get too big for her. The bracelets are great for both of us. She can wear them or I can wear them and the other person can know the mood that we are in when approaching. They’re also a great way to have littles identify their feelings in the moment when words might be difficult to use. I’ll share about the book in my upcoming Bookshelf post.
Playfoam Putty – Touch is definitely a good way to center our emotions. This putty has multiple textures giving you and your sensory play to concentrate on as you work through the emotions that are making you feel out of control. This putty never dries out which makes it easy to travel with. I like that you can get it in a set of four. Every member of your family can walk around with their own small container.
Color Mix Sensory Tubes – I love that these tubes not only give our hands something to do but our eyes something to concentrate on. Some littles have issues with certain textures so if the Putty is too much for them then these might work instead. The tubes can be turned and shaken to blend together. It is visually pleasing to watch as the colors blend and then separate.
