Have you seen your child take deep breaths to calm down? Do you do this at home as a family? This year schoolwide, we’re teaching kids 12 “tools” to help kids (and adults) calm themselves and problem-solve. Our curriculum is called Toolbox. At this point, we’ve introduced the Breathing Tool which helps kids calm down by using three big, deep breaths. 

Our second Tool was the Quiet Safe Space Tool. Kids close their eyes and imagine a calming place like their bed or the beach. This tool can help them reset and feel more relaxed, so they are feeling confident and ready to learn. 

The last problem-solving tool we introduced is the Listening Tool. We explained to kids that it’s important to listen to others with your “ears, eyes and heart.” We encourage you to encourage your child to use a tool when they are upset at home. The Toolbox Project brochure has more details about this curriculum as well as the full 12 Tools.

Here are some fabulous third graders using the Tools to problem solve!