Kids Restless At Home? Try These 6 Relaxation Activities To Help Them Calm Down

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, kids being at home can be really challenging for parents as they tend to get restless and are likely to demand for constant attention. Usually, the kiddos have school to attend to but now, they are getting lessons at home without the same supervision they get from their teachers. And now, it is mummy's and daddy's responsibility to hold the fort. With all of the distractions of kids jumping and running around, screaming and crying, and making messes here and there, these have since become a part of their daily routine and their parents' ultimate pain point. As if things were already not hard enough for everyone stuck at home, being in this situation can be a total headache for all the working-from-home mummies and daddies out there. However, fret not! With the right methods, you can get this whole situation under control by doing some relaxation activities with the kids to help them (and you) cope with being at home most of the time. What Is A Relaxation Activity? Photo credit: istockphoto Relaxation activity is a type of technique that can help calm you down and make you feel more relaxed. Just when your kids are about to get restless and you, on other hand, might lose your sanity, how about trying out these activities with them? 6 Relaxation Activities To Help Your Kids Calm Down 1. Blow bubbles Photo credit: istockphoto Blowing bubbles is not only a fun activity for the little ones, but it can also create a sense of calmness in them as well. To blow bubbles, they have to breathe in and let it out by blowing the air slowly through a bubble wand. Kids tend to blow out too hard but through a few rounds of practice, they will eventually learn how to blow the bubbles properly. Such breathing technique is believed to bring out a calming effect and help the body to relax. If you want to add a little bit of fun to this activity, how about making a bubble solution together? This easy bubble recipe is definitely the one you are looking for. You can actually make a bubble solution that produces bubbles that will not pop by using only 3 ingredients. Isn’t that great? In a bowl, make a mixture consisting of 3 cups of water, 1 cup of liquid dishwashing detergent, and ½ cup of white corn syrup. Then, let your kids blow a swarm of bubbles to the sky! 2. Listening to music and sounds Photo credit: istockphoto What we hear and listen to can affect us tremendously. Human's moods, emotions, and feelings can easily change within seconds upon listening to certain sounds and music. That is how powerful they can be. This activity is pretty easy to conduct. If it is only one kid, you can use a headphone. But if there are a few of them, you can use a speaker to play the sounds and music. But first, it is better to place your kids in a circle with their eyes closed and the speaker at the center. By doing so, the sound projection is even and they will have a better focus. There are a lot of calming sounds available online that you can choose from. Take for example, the sounds of waves, rain falling, waterfalls, and forests. Music too, can be relaxing and soothing. For instance, instrumental music by piano and meditation music. These are known to bring peace and calmness to the listeners. 3. Stress ball Photo credit: istockphoto Contrary to its name, a stress ball is effective to de-stress the tension you have. You can totally get it for your kids as it is an amazing stress outlet. Stress balls can come in a variety of colours, designs, smells, and some may even feature illustrations. It is normal for kids to not be able to express their emotions properly. But because of that, they tend to rebel and throw tantrums. When this happens, stress balls can be an excellent tool in helping them un-bottle what they have been keeping inside. By pinching, squeezing, and massaging the stress ball, your kids can let out their feelings and frustrations healthily. By doing so, the tension in their muscles is released and relaxed as well. 4. Warm bath Photo credit: istockphoto Getting soaked in water can be therapeutic and relaxing in many ways. Especially if it is warm, you can relax your muscles and release your tension. This activity is not that hard to carry out as generally, kids do love playing in the water. If you do not have a bath tub at home, you can consider getting a portable inflatable pool. Fill it with warm water and for a better effect, add on lavender oil, which has a soothing and calming effect. Let your kids relax their bodies by soaking in and moving around in the water. Another relaxation activity you can do with water is teaching your kiddos how to float their bodies with their eyes closed. To do that, they will have to be calm and voilà, they are floating away! 5. Yoga Photo credit: istockphoto Apart from that, you can teach your kids certain yoga poses for a relaxing time, such as the 'warrior series', the 'downward facing dog', and 'happy baby' poses. The 'warrior series' for example, is known to help release negativities. Mummies and daddies can choose suitable yoga poses and teach your kids how to do them correctly. In doing so, they will have to learn how to breathe properly during the process, which will in-turn calm them down. 6. Playdough Photo credit: istockphoto Experimenting with playdough, such as molding and forming shapes can help to relax your kids, too. Playdough has been known for its therapeutic properties. An activity like this taps on kids' creativity and encourages them to display their playful imaginations. If your kid likes to throw a tantrum and tends to get angry about sudden changes, playdough can be used to release their stress and enhance the development of mindfulness in them. Photo credit: istockphoto Trying out some of these relaxation techniques regularly can help smooth over the stress of being at home and even make a happier home out of it. Best of luck, mummies and daddies! Year-end holidays are great in so many ways, especially when you have fun family activities to fill up your time. For more fun-filled holiday ideas right within your home, visit our Cuti-Cuti Family articles here!

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