Self-control
A young infant practices calming down after a mildly stimulating activity with a bell.
Be Prepared: This activity is for infants who are not mobile.
[Hold the infant with his/her head well supported in the bend of your arm. Smile, make eye contact, and hold up the bell for the infant to see and touch.]
I have a new toy. Would you like to play with it?
[Pause and acknowledge the infant’s response. Example: “You are looking at the toy. I will move the bell closer so you can touch it.”]
[Hold the bell so the infant can easily reach it. The infant may show interest by watching, making arm movements in the direction of the bell, and/or reaching out and grasping it. If the infant appears to be enjoying the bell, support the infant in exploring the bell’s shape, feel, and/or sound.
Watch the infant’s reactions closely to determine whether the infant might like you to move or shake the bell or the infant prefers to hold or manipulate the bell. Gently take away the bell if the infant seems disinterested or distressed at any time.
Describe your actions with the bell and the infant’s actions and reactions. Example: “You are smiling so big when you move the bell back and forth! You are listening to the sound the bell makes when it moves.”
After several minutes of the infant exploring the bell, put it away and tell the infant it is time for us to calm down. Example: “We are putting the bell away. All done. We can calm down now.” Reposition the infant to provide a clear signal that play time with the bell is over. Hold the infant and provide comfort, such as patting on the back, quietly singing a familiar song, or offering soft-voice reminders that it is time to rest.]
[Smile and make eye contact as you describe time with the bell. Example: “We had fun with a bell! You told me with your big smile that you liked to hold the bell and listen to the sounds it makes. Then we put the bell away. I held you while you got calm again.”]
Self-control
An older infant practices calming down after a mildly stimulating activity with a bell.
Be Prepared: This activity is for infants who can sit independently or with support.
Invite an infant to sit across from you on the floor to play with a bell. Introduce the bell and invite the infant to touch and hold the bell. Describe what the infant does with the bell. Encourage the infant to ring the bell. Then invite the infant to ring his/her bell while you ring your bell and sing a song. Sing the following song with an enthusiastic voice. Smile widely while you ring your bell. Encourage the infant to ring his/her bell, too. (Tune: “Row, Row, Row, Your Boat”)
Ring, ring, ring your bell,
Ring it up and down.
Ring it loud, ring it soft,
Ring it to the ground.
Sing the song and ring your bell a second time if the infant seems to enjoy the activity. Encourage the infant to ring his/her bell, too.
After one or two rounds of the song, describe the infant’s reaction to the bell. Example: “You had fun ringing a bell, Sydney. You smiled and rang your bell while I sang a song. I rang my bell, too!”
Then softly announce that ringing the bell is done. We are putting away our bells. Encourage the infant to sit and rest with you. The infant may want to sit near you or on your lap. Provide quiet time for the infant to become calm. The infant may benefit from your patting his/her back and/or quietly humming a favorite song.
Conclude the session by acknowledging the infant’s efforts to become calm. Example: “We put away our bells. You are sitting next to me. We are getting calm.”
Some infants will focus on holding the bell and examining its shape and feel with their hands and mouth. Others may enjoy waving the bell around and listening to the sounds. And some infants may prefer to watch you move and ring the bell. Each of these possibilities can be mildly stimulating for the infant and set the stage for practicing how to calm down. Watch the infant closely to make sure the bell ringing is appropriately stimulating. Some infants do not like a loud bell sound but respond positively to a soft bell sound. You can add or decrease stimulation through your motions with the bell, such as moving your hand only versus your arm, and through softer or louder rings and song.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: caged bells, blanket or mat, soft music
Place the bells on a blanket or mat on the floor for interested infants to explore. Play soft music and invite infants to play with the bells while they listen to the music. Mobile infants may crawl or walk to the interest area. Younger infants may indicate interest by watching, vocalizing, or reaching toward the bells. Provide support for each interested infant to participate. After the activity, encourage infants to sit quietly with you and become calm before moving to another activity.
Materials Needed: variety of age-appropriate musical instruments (including caged bells), soft music
Children of all ages enjoy making music with toy instruments. Give each child an instrument to play while listening to soft music. Alternatively, you may wish to sing a variety of songs with the children, such as the bell song in Option 2. Infants will enjoy holding their own bell to shake and ring. Before moving to the next activity, invite children to put down their instruments and sit quietly for a few moments. You may wish to softly recite a simple, familiar rhyme.
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