Most of us have experienced the inconsolable kid. They are the ones whose crying you recognize immediately, and it creates instant knots in your stomach. We pull out crayons, paper, Play-Doh, and games, but nothing works. Enter the mandala.
I found the idea to use mandalas on (drum roll, please) Pinterest! I printed up about 15 of these puppies and had them ready to go for my sweet peas who are so overwhelmed that even fun stuff requires too much energy. Mandalas are mindless. The design is there, and the most complex decision the child needs to make is what color to use. It requires them to focus on the design as opposed to the tears and frustrations which prevent them from being a part of their class. The tears go, the conversation starts, and they make the transition back to class.
"Do they work?" You ask. In a word: yes. I have used them to calm friends of all ages, kids with Autism, emotional needs, and even the teary kindergartner who is trying to process the schedule change of their first half day. I never thought that I would be celebrating a circle with repetitive designs in it as a saving grace, but here I am...
I found the idea to use mandalas on (drum roll, please) Pinterest! I printed up about 15 of these puppies and had them ready to go for my sweet peas who are so overwhelmed that even fun stuff requires too much energy. Mandalas are mindless. The design is there, and the most complex decision the child needs to make is what color to use. It requires them to focus on the design as opposed to the tears and frustrations which prevent them from being a part of their class. The tears go, the conversation starts, and they make the transition back to class.
"Do they work?" You ask. In a word: yes. I have used them to calm friends of all ages, kids with Autism, emotional needs, and even the teary kindergartner who is trying to process the schedule change of their first half day. I never thought that I would be celebrating a circle with repetitive designs in it as a saving grace, but here I am...