Self-control
Toddlers observe how a caregiver calms down after doing a mildly stimulating activity.
None
Be Prepared: Become familiar with the “Open Shut Them” rhyme with motions. Examples are available on the Internet. For this option, use the first verse only; omit the “creep them, crawl them” verse.
[Invite several toddlers to join you to learn a song.]
What does our hand look like when it is open?
[Pause for toddlers to respond. Recognize verbal and nonverbal responses. Demonstrate an open hand.]
What does our hand look like when it is shut (closed)?
[Pause for toddlers to respond. Recognize verbal and nonverbal responses. Demonstrate a closed hand.]
I would like to show you how we can open and shut our hands during a song.
[Enthusiastically and slowly recite the words of the rhyme while demonstrating the corresponding actions. Smile and make eye contact with each toddler while singing the rhyme.]
Would you like me to move my hands again while I sing the song?
[If the toddlers respond positively, repeat the rhyme enthusiastically with hand actions.]
I have fun moving my hands with this song!
I can get excited moving my hands to a song. I am going to take a break to calm down. Please watch me calm down.
I am going to keep my hands in my lap.
I am going to close my eyes.
I am going to breathe slowly and deeply.
[Demonstrate the actions described above: put hands in lap, close eyes, take deep and slow breaths.]
I had fun moving my hands with this a song! I opened and shut and clapped my hands. I got excited doing these things! Then I did some things to calm down. I kept my hands in my lap. I closed my eyes. And I breathed deeply and slowly. Now I feel calm.
Self-control
Toddlers practice calming down with caregiver support after engaging in an exciting activity.
None
Be Prepared: Become familiar with the “Open Shut Them” rhyme with motions. Examples are available on the Internet. Offer the first and second verses in this option.
Invite several toddlers to join you in moving our hands with a fun song. Describe and demonstrate the hand actions for the first verse. Example: “We open our hands, like this. Then we shut (close) our hands, like this. And then we clap, clap, clap!” Lead toddlers in practicing the actions as you sing the first verse.
Then explain there is more to the song. We move our fingers down our sides and up our tummy to our mouth. Our song calls this creep and crawl. Describe and demonstrate the actions. Emphasize that our fingers do the creeping and crawling. Then lead toddlers in practicing the actions as you sing the second verse.
Next, lead toddlers in doing the actions for both verses as you sing the song. Offer a second round of both verses if toddlers are interested.
Then explain that moving our hands and fingers to this fun song can make us feel excited. It is time to calm down. Example: “Let’s take a break and do some things to help us calm down.” Encourage toddlers to watch how you calm down. Demonstrate and describe each of the following:
Lead toddlers in the calming down actions described above. After a brief period of quiet, acknowledge toddlers’ efforts. Example: “We had fun moving our hands to a song. Then we did things with our bodies to calm down. Our bodies can rest when we calm down.”
Self-control
Toddlers describe and demonstrate how to calm down after independently engaging in an exciting activity.
None
Be Prepared: This option is for toddlers who are familiar with calming down strategies, such as those offered in Option 1 or 2. Become familiar with the “Open Shut Them” rhyme with motions. Examples are available on the Internet. Offer the first and second verses in this option.
Invite several toddlers to join you in moving our hands with a fun song. Explain that moving our hands to the song may make us excited. We will want to calm down after we move our hands and sing the song. Remind toddlers that we know how to calm down our bodies after doing something that makes us excited. Invite toddlers to describe and demonstrate how we calm down. Briefly affirm each calming down strategy after toddlers describe and demonstrate it. Example: “We know that keeping our hands in our laps helps us calm down.”
Engage toddlers in doing hand actions for the first two verses of “Open Shut Them” as you sing the song and demonstrate. If toddlers are not familiar with the actions, demonstrate actions for each verse and then lead toddlers in doing the actions. Offer a second round of the song, with both verses. This time, sing but do not demonstrate so toddlers have the experience of doing the actions independently. Demonstrate only if toddlers seem unclear about what to do.
Explain that we had fun doing the actions with the song. We got excited. Now it is time to calm down. Example: “Let’s all calm our bodies. Remember, we talked earlier about what we can do to calm our bodies.” Quietly provide verbal guidance if toddlers seem unclear about what to do. Emphasize the importance of being quiet.
Acknowledge toddlers’ efforts with the hand motions and then calming down. Emphasize that we are learning how to calm down.
The three options differ significantly in how much support is offered for calming down. Option 3 should be pursued with toddlers who have a good understanding of calming down strategies. This option is an opportunity for toddlers to describe and show what they know about calming down. We learn a lot by describing and showing how to do something! If it turns out that toddlers know less than you anticipated about calming down, promptly incorporate parts of Option 2 so toddlers can be successful and not view the activity as a test.
As suggested in an Extra Support tip, omit the “creep them, crawl them” verse in Option 2 or 3 if you expect this will be too challenging to do or may lead to higher levels of excitement than desired.
Toddlers are not expected to memorize or say the rhyme, although some may enjoy reciting some of the words, such as “clap.” Some toddlers may need repeated demonstrations and/or practice to do the open and shut actions. (See Extra Support tip below.) Some toddlers may find it challenging to stop the activity and calm down (see Extra Support tip). The “creep them, crawl them” verse may be particularly exciting for some toddlers.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: assorted nursery rhyme books, blanket on the floor
Place the books in a basket on a blanket in a quiet area of the room. Invite toddlers to explore the books and select rhymes that they would like you to read. You may wish to make up hand motions and encourage toddlers to copy them as you say the rhymes. After the rhymes/finger plays, invite the toddlers to sit quietly with you and practice calming down before moving on to another activity.
Materials Needed: none
Children of all ages enjoy rhymes and finger plays. In addition to “Open Shut Them,” introduce classic rhymes like “Where is Thumbkin?” Many rhymes have additional verses that older children will enjoy reciting and doing the corresponding actions. Revisit favorite rhymes and finger plays on a regular basis. Children will be more likely to actively participate in rhymes and finger plays when they are familiar with the words and actions.
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