Comfort Kits:
Mind-body toys and playful instructions that help children re-regulate after traumatic experiences
Comfort kits are small collections of items designed to help children in difficult situations. They’re simple to put together and include small items with instructions about how the items can be used to help a child feel better and cope with his/her problems, which can range from dealing with pain or illness to coping with trauma and displacement.
For Volunteers: How to Assemble Comfort Kits
Comfort Kits are as simple as a few items in a backpack or cloth tote bag. The small items listed below go into a colorful gift bag that cinches closed to make it a “gift.” Then everything goes inside the canvas tote. Printed instructions that describe “6 Feel Better Skills” and a table of contents card with a link to view the video guide for using a Comfort Kit are also included.
Here is a list of typical items in a comfort kit:
Two animal finger puppets
Bottle of soap bubbles
Mini squeeze “stress” ball or small tub of “slime”
Pre-sharpened pencils, colored pencils with sharpener, and/or crayons
Small blank notebook
Biodots and explanation or color changing “mood ring”
Sheet of stickers
Blank, pre-folded, box to re-fold and decorate
Why do we include these items?
The animal finger puppets can be used with belly breathing (have the child put them on their belly and watch them go up and down when breathing). They are also great for engaging children in pretend play and storytelling.
The soap bubbles give children a chance to regulate their breathing -- by taking long, slow breaths to blow bubbles. And they can notice changes in how their bodies feel. It is an opportunity to control their own bodies and notice the connection between mind and body.
The stress ball or tub of “slime” help with the progressive muscle relaxation exercise included in the instruction booklet.
Pencils and crayons, along with the blank notebook, give children a place to draw/write/doodle about their experiences, feelings, etc. It helps to externalize and organize what they are thinking and feeling.
Biodots are small stickers that change color with body temperature changes. Mood rings change color too. Our body temperature warms as we become more relaxed. So, watching the dots or mood rings change color is a terrific way for children to see the connection between mind and body, and to observe the impact of these new skills!
Stickers and a pre-folded box are another fun way to send the message that these toys and skills are important to keep and carry with them.
Have you used Comfort Kits? Let us know!
We want to know how people around the world are using Comfort Kits. Send us a short message with your experience!