It might sound corny, but deep breathing techniques really help to relax the mind and body. With some students, especially those who experience high anxiety, deep breathing techniques can really help calm them down.
When Peter (age 5) arrived on Friday he was really high-strung. So I got two cushions and put them on the floor of our study room. We sat across from each other with our eyes closed. I asked him to breathe in as deeply as he could through his nose. He did it without even asking why. Then I asked him to push all of the air out of his lungs as hard as he could. We did this several times until I felt that he'd done it enough to calm him down a bit.
I think I will implement this technique into our daily routine. Younger children like routine and like to know what to expect at each session. This will be a good way to start the session.
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