Have you ever felt like your thoughts are swirling around like glitter in a snow globe after a vigorous shake? Well, that’s exactly what can happen to our minds when we experience strong emotions. But just like the calming descent of those shimmering flecks, we can learn to quiet the storm within and regain our inner peace. And for our little ones, navigating this emotional rollercoaster can be even more challenging. This is where the magic of Mind Jars comes in!
These simple DIY jars, filled with water, glitter, and a bit of thickener (see directions below) become powerful tools for teaching children about their emotions and how to manage them. Here’s how I like to teach children about brain awareness and emotion regulation through the lens of a Mind Jar:
- Clarity in Calm: Start with the jar brimming with clear water tinted with a bit of food coloring. Explain to your child that this represents a calm mind, where thoughts flow freely and problems seem manageable. Just like looking through crystal-clear water, we can think clearly and make good decisions when our emotions are settled.
- The Glitter Storm: Now, give the jar a vigorous shake! Watch as the glitter erupts in a whirlwind of color, mimicking the chaos of overwhelming emotions. Explain that just like the swirling glitter obscures our vision, strong feelings like anger, worry, or frustration can cloud our thinking and make it difficult to see things clearly.
- Settling the Sparkle: Place the jar down and observe the mesmerizing dance of the glitter as it gradually settles. Use this as a metaphor for calming down. Explain that just like the settling glitter, our emotions can also find their way back to peace with a little patience and effort. Encourage your child to focus on the descending shimmer, associating it with their own calming breath or soothing thoughts.
- Breaking the Shake Cycle: Take the exploration a step further. Explain that sometimes, when big emotions arise, we tend to act in ways that keep the glitter swirling instead of letting it settle. This could be dwelling on negative thoughts, whining about problems, or getting lost in “what-if” scenarios. These are like holding onto the jar and shaking it again and again, prolonging the emotional turmoil.
- Choosing Stillness: Guide your child towards strategies for settling the internal glitter storm. These could be simple breathing exercises, focusing on positive affirmations, or engaging in calming activities like drawing or listening to music. Encourage them to identify their own personal anchors that bring serenity in the midst of emotional whirlwinds.
Remember, using a Mind Jar is a journey, not a destination. There will be times when the glitter erupts again, but with each practice, your child will learn to recognize their emotions, acknowledge their power, and choose tools to navigate them with increasing ease. As a teacher, counselor, or parent, you’ll be equipping your little one with invaluable skills for emotional intelligence and lifelong well-being. These little life lessons will become BIG life skills.
Helpful Tips:
- Get creative! Decorate the jars with paint, ribbons, or face stickers to personalize them.
- Use different colors and sizes of glitter to represent different emotions.
- Add calming sensory elements to the jar, like small shells or colorful beads.
- To slow down the glitter’s descent, experiment with adding a thickener like clear glue (glitter glue works double duty!), clear hair gel, or even light corn syrup.
- Adjust the water-to-thickener ratio to find your sweet spot (a little experimentation goes a long way!). The ideal glitter-settling time is around 3 minutes, offering a perfect window for pausing, breathing, and letting calm wash over.
- Make it a family activity! Share your own experiences with big emotions and how you cope with them.
- Remember, patience and positive reinforcement are key. Celebrate each step along the way, no matter how small.
May your Mind Jars become sparkling reminders that even the wildest emotional storms can eventually give way to inner peace and clarity.
Make Your Own Mind Jar!
Materials:
- Clear reusable water bottle (such as Voss, Fiji, or Nestle Pure Life) with a tight lid
- 1/2 bottle Distilled water
- 2-3 tablespoons Glitter (mix of sizes recommended)
- 2-3 tablespoons clear glue, hair gel, or light corn syrup
- 1 drop Liquid dish soap (Dawn works best)
- Sequins, beads, or other small decorative items (optional)
Instructions:
- Prep your bottle: Give your plastic water bottle a good washing and rinse it thoroughly.
- Fill it halfway: Pour ½ bottle of distilled water into the cleaned bottle. Distilled water helps prevent mineral buildup and keeps the solution clear.
- Add your chosen glitter! Start with 2-3 tablespoons, using a mix of sizes for visual interest. Remember, more glitter creates a slower descent, so adjust based on your preference.
- Enhance the sparkle and slow the descent: For a longer glittery journey, include one of these thickening options: 2-3 tablespoon clear glue, clear hair gel, or light corn syrup.
- Shake it up! Give the bottle a gentle shake to mix the glitter, thickener, and water. You want everything evenly distributed.
- Add a single drop of liquid dish soap. This breaks the surface tension of the water, creating a smoother glitter descent.
- Top it off: Fill the bottle to the brim with remaining distilled water, leaving minimal air gap to prevent bubbles. Tighten the lid securely to avoid any leaks.
- Give your Mind Jar a good shake and witness the mesmerizing dance of the glitter. Observe its swirling as it mimics strong emotions, then focus on its gradual settling, representing the calming of your mind and body.
Pro Tips:
- Remember, patience is key! Finding the perfect water-to-thickener ratio might take a few tries, but the sparkling reward is worth it.The ideal glitter-settling time is around 3 minutes, offering a perfect window for pausing, breathing, and letting calm wash over.
- Experiment with different glitter sizes and colors to create unique visual effects.
- Decorate the bottle with paint, ribbons, or stickers to personalize your Mind Jar.
- Use Mind Jars as a conversation starter about emotions and coping mechanisms with children.