10 Must-Have Mindfulness and Relaxation Tools to Help Kids with Learning Challenges Find Calm 🌟
- Kathy Cousineau
- Dec 20, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 11
In our fast-paced world, mindfulness and relaxation tools have become essential for helping children, especially those with learning challenges like dyslexia, manage stress and improve focus. These tools not only encourage relaxation but can also foster resilience, confidence, and self-soothing strategies for times when life feels overwhelming.
Whether your child could use a way to unwind after school or needs a little help focusing during homework, this list is here to offer a variety of ideas. These ten mindfulness and relaxation tools range from apps to aromatherapy and will make calming down both accessible and fun.
The Calm App is packed with guided meditations, sleep stories, and breathing exercises specifically designed for children. Known for its simple interface and soothing approach, the Calm App provides children with the skills to manage their stress independently. With options for quick, 5-minute meditations, kids can choose calming activities to fit any mood.
Why parents love it: Easy to use and accessible anytime, anywhere, Calm empowers kids to learn self-soothing techniques in a way that feels natural and engaging.
The Headspace for Kids section within the popular Headspace app offers mindfulness exercises that cater to a child’s unique needs, with guided meditations focusing on themes like happiness, calm, and focus. These mindfulness practices encourage positive mental habits while being age-appropriate and entertaining.
Why parents love it: The app’s kid-friendly approach and easy-to-follow exercises make mindfulness a natural part of any child’s daily routine.
The Mindful Kids Card Deck offers 50 beautifully illustrated cards, each featuring an easy mindfulness activity designed for kids. These cards offer simple, calming exercises that children can do independently or with a parent. Each card is an opportunity to breathe, relax, and reset.
Why parents love it: The cards are easy to bring anywhere, making them perfect for quick calming breaks during car rides, family outings, or after a busy day.
Weighted lap pads provide a gentle, calming pressure that many children find comforting, particularly kids with sensory processing needs or anxiety. The lap pad can be draped over the child’s legs during homework, reading, or any other seated activity, offering a grounding effect that promotes focus.
Why parents love it: Simple and effective, a weighted lap pad is a portable, easy-to-use tool that helps children feel secure and centered.
A Zen Garden Kit introduces children to mindfulness through a hands-on, sensory experience. These kits come with mini rakes, sand, and stones that allow children to create patterns in the sand, promoting focus and relaxation. Kids can engage in a quiet, calming activity that helps them feel centered.
Why parents love it: A Zen garden provides a screen-free activity that encourages relaxation, creativity, and sensory play.
🔵 6. Nature Sounds and Relaxation Music Playlist 🎶
A playlist of nature sounds or relaxation music can be a wonderful tool for creating a peaceful atmosphere, especially during homework or before bedtime. You can find these sounds on music apps like Spotify or YouTube, ranging from forest birds and ocean waves to gentle rain.
Why parents love it: This simple solution is free, effective, and can be tailored to suit any child’s preference, making it ideal for relaxation at home.
Cosmic Kids Zen Den is a free YouTube series that introduces kids to mindfulness in a fun, relatable way. Hosted by Jaime, these short, engaging episodes teach kids how to manage emotions, build focus, and develop resilience through simple mindfulness techniques. Each video tackles relatable topics like managing frustration, understanding emotions, and making thoughtful choices.
Why parents love it: The Zen Den helps kids with learning challenges develop emotional regulation and self-awareness in a way that’s easy to understand. The episodes are short (5–10 minutes), accessible, and provide a calming screen-time activity with real-life benefits.
A Bubble Timer or Sensory Liquid Motion Bubbler is a mesmerizing tool that provides visual relaxation. Kids can watch as bubbles or colors move down in a calming rhythm, offering a sensory break that helps them decompress and refocus.
Why parents love it: These inexpensive tools are perfect for sensory breaks, and they can be used at home or in the classroom to help children center their attention.
A diffuser with kid-safe essential oils like lavender, chamomile, or cedarwood can create a relaxing environment for children. Aromatherapy has been shown to help reduce anxiety and promote calm, making it a wonderful addition to your child’s bedtime routine or study area.
Why parents love it: The gentle fragrance creates a comforting space, and diffusers are an easy, affordable way to add a natural relaxation tool to any room.
Breathe Like a Bear is a fantastic mindfulness book for kids that features 30 simple breathing and mindfulness exercises. Each exercise is easy to follow and designed to help children focus, calm down, or re-energize when needed. The engaging activities can be done independently or with a parent, making it perfect for any time of day.
Why parents love it: The book’s simple, accessible approach encourages kids to practice mindfulness in a way that feels both fun and manageable.
Bonus: DIY Calming Jar ✨
11. DIY Calming Jar
A calming jar is a DIY sensory tool that can be easily made at home using just a few ingredients. Also known as a “glitter jar,” this simple creation can help children manage stress and refocus. When kids shake the jar and watch the glitter settle, they can take deep breaths, calming their minds and regaining focus. Calming jars are perfect for younger children who may need a physical way to reset after feeling frustrated or overwhelmed.
How to Make a Calming Jar:
To make a calming jar, you’ll need:
🏺 Clear jar or plastic bottle
💧 Warm water
🧴 Clear glue (or glitter glue)
🌈 Food coloring
✨ Glitter
Fill the jar halfway with warm water.
Add clear glue—about a tablespoon for a smaller jar or two for a larger one. The glue thickens the water so the glitter moves more slowly.
Add glitter and food coloring. Choose colors your child loves; calming colors like blue or purple work well.
Fill the rest of the jar with warm water and tighten the lid.
Shake to test it. If the glitter settles too quickly, add a bit more glue. You can seal the lid with strong glue to avoid any spills.
Why parents love it: Not only is it an inexpensive DIY project, but a calming jar also provides an instant, calming distraction for kids. Watching the glitter slowly settle can help kids learn to pause, breathe, and reset.
Why Calming Jars Are A Great Mindfulness and Relaxation Tool To Help Kids
The calming jar is a visual way to show kids how their minds work. Just like glitter in the jar, thoughts and feelings can sometimes “swirl” and feel chaotic. Watching the glitter settle can help children realize that with a few deep breaths, their feelings will calm down, too. It’s a fantastic way to introduce kids to the concept of mindfulness in a visual, hands-on way.
Adding a calming jar to your mindfulness toolkit is a fun way to give your child a little extra support when they need it. Plus, it can double as a soothing bedtime activity, helping your child unwind before they go to sleep.
Why Mindfulness and Relaxation Tools Are Essential for Kids with Learning Challenges
Children with learning challenges like dyslexia often face unique stressors. They might struggle with self-esteem, concentration, or frustration, especially if school feels overwhelming. Mindfulness and relaxation tools provide an invaluable way for children to manage these emotions in a positive and proactive way.
Regular use of these tools can help children become more resilient, improve their focus, and build a stronger sense of self-confidence. These practices are not only calming in the moment but also teach lifelong skills for managing stress and cultivating emotional balance.
With the right mindfulness and relaxation tools, you can create a supportive environment that helps your child thrive both in and out of the classroom. Try incorporating some of these tools into your daily routine and see how they make a difference in your child’s focus, confidence, and overall well-being.
Enhance Mindfulness at Home with Our Free Toolkit! 🌟
Looking for more ways to support your child’s mindfulness journey? We’ve created a free mindfulness toolkit designed to help kids with learning challenges like dyslexia build focus, calm, and confidence.
Our Mindfulness Toolkit includes simple, practical tools you can use at home to help your child manage stress and emotions. These strategies are perfect for busy families and are easy to incorporate into daily routines like homework, bedtime, or after-school wind-downs.
✨ What’s Inside:
🧘 Breathing exercises to help your child reset during stressful moments.
🎨 Creative mindfulness activities to engage kids while promoting relaxation.
🌟 Practical tips for building emotional resilience and focus.
By using this free resource, you’ll empower your child with skills that not only help in the moment but will also support their long-term emotional well-being and success.
📥 Download the Mindfulness Toolkit now and take the first step toward creating a calmer, more mindful home:
Let mindfulness be the tool that transforms stressful moments into opportunities for growth and connection! 💛
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