Age: 0-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Calm, present, attuned
What It Is:Play soft, classical/instrumental music in the background.
Why It Helps:This technique can help create a soothing environment. The rhythms of music help bring brain functioning from hyperactive or disassociated states to “normal”, which promotes neurological development.
Age: 0-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: calm, present, attuned
What It Is:If possible, don’t allow children to watch TV at all, but especially programming that exposes them to traumatic events (disaster, murder, accident, death, etc.). If you do watch media on trauma or violence with children, actively engage them and talk about what’s happening while watching it and after the program is over.
Age: 2-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Present, predictable, calm
What It Is:Direct the children to do various large motor movements (Simon says: touch your toes, bend over, reach up high, jump up and down, shake your right hand, etc).
Age: 2-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Attuned, present
What It Is: Use simple, short stories with large words and pictures. Ask children questions about the story as you go along (How do you think the boy feels? What happened at the beginning of the story? What happened in the middle? What do you think will happen next? Have you ever done anything like this? etc)
Age: 6 mo-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Calm, present
What It Is:Let children run, jump, climb, scream and play outside. Toddlers, as well as older children, like to play ‘hide and seek.’ Let children be creative in their play.
Age: 3-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Calm, present
What It Is: Have children squeeze their face muscles tight (while making a face), notice how it feels, squeeze tighter – as tight as they can. Then, tell them to let those muscles relax and ask them how it feels now? Move down through the body – shoulders, arms/hands, legs/feet, whole body.
A project of
The Health Federation of Philadelphia
