It may sound strange, but one of the most effective ways to calm down a super excited child is to offer them a movement break. While it may be tempting to try and force them to sit still, carrying out a quick burst of activity is often more effective at helping them to regulate and calm down. Check out these simple movement breaks that you can do in the home or garden to support your kids to calm down.
Jumping Jacks
A thirty-second round of jumping jacks (or more, if your kids have got enough stamina) is highly cardio-intensive. By elevating the heart rate and increasing the rate of breathing, you can be sure that your kids will be feeling a little tired and puffed out after giving it their all to finish the jumping jacks. Encourage some gentle walking immediately after the exercise, and then encourage your kids to sit down to take a breather—hopefully, they will stay seated for a while, giving you a chance to focus on something else!
Arm Workout
Challenge your kids to a competitive arm workout—see how many arm circles you can do in one minute, practice your bicep curls using objects such as cans from around the house, and for older children you can even practice some tricep dips. The competitive element increases the fun for kids, and the movement break can help them reset and calm down if they’ve become overexcited.
Balance Challenge
If the thought of an active movement break, with all the rushing, whirling, and screaming it’s likely to entail, fills you with horror, then why not try a balance challenge? Gather the family together and see who can complete the following: standing on one leg, standing on one leg while you rotate your arms, moving from foot to foot without wobbling, and maintaining a good plank position. This slightly calmer approach to a movement break can still help your kids calm down, just with slightly less noise and activity.