Your Child Will Learn
A way to calm their body before falling asleep
Here’s What to Do
- Find a space where you can move. Invite your child to notice how their body feels.
- With your child, wiggle your arms and legs one by one. Shake them out in soft circles and wiggles.
- Stop wiggling and stand very still. Invite your child to notice what it feels like to be still.
- Repeat every night before bed.
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Stand facing each other. Feel your feet on the floor and your chest moving in and out. Notice how your body feels.
ENGAGE
- “Let’s shake out our arm first. Can you give it some gentle shakes and wiggles? Can you move it in a slow circle?”
- “Now we’re going to stand totally still. Can you try not to move any part of your body?”
ENCOURAGE
- “Now that we’re still, I notice that my hands feel a little tingly. What do you feel in your hands?”
- If your child has trouble slowing down, play a slow game instead. Have them pretend they’re an ant crawling across the floor with a crumb on their back. They have to move super slowly so the crumb doesn’t fall off.
REFLECT
- “Does your body feel different than before? How?”
Not Quite Ready
Try doing a silly whole-body wiggle dance, then pausing and being still for a moment. Repeat so your child can feel the difference between being wiggly and being still.
Ready for More
Try a variation: move each arm/leg in big, slow circles to start. Make the circles smaller and smaller until your arm or leg is still.
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will know a way to help their body slow down before bed
Time to Complete
10 minutes
Materials Needed
None