Kids Play Smarter is happy to partner with Calming Clothing for Kids for this sponsored post about clothing products that aides in calming kids behaviors by calming their bodies.
As an occupational therapist, I am frequently asked by teachers and parents about ways to help kids calm their bodies down at school or home. There are lots of great ways to help kids calm and organize their behaviors and children do need a combination of strategies and consistency to actually see lasting results.
Almost all calming strategies do take some work on the part of the child or caregiver to complete. For example, exercise, yoga, deep breathing, improving diet, and sensory activities all take work and effort on the part of the child and caregiver.
As we all know, sometimes the work and effort involved in completing these calming strategies becomes burdensome and time consuming. Then unfortunately, some great calming strategies fall to the wayside in your child’s daily routine. Fortunately, there is a more convenient strategy that requires no effort (outside of putting on a piece of clothing) to add to your child’s tool box of calming ideas.
How Does Calming Clothing Work?
These pieces of calming clothing provide a constant reminder of where your child’s body is in space, allowing their bodies to feel more secure, organized, and grounded. This clothing looks and feels like “regular clothes”, although it is thicker than your average cotton T-shirt or pants. The thickness comes from a blend of cotton and Lycra which helps contribute to that increased body awareness and security.
The clothes are designed to fit snugly (not tightly) to provide constant reassurance and security to the body of where its at in space which promotes improved body control and security. These feelings of increased body security spill over into your child’s behaviors and emotions. A secure and organized body allows for calmer and more organized behaviors.
How are these different than weighted vests or compression vests?
This clothing has some distinct advantages over traditional weighted vests or compression vests which are also designed to help kids calm down. The most obvious advantage is that calming clothes look virtually identical to real clothes and can be worn without feeling “different” than other kids. If you want them to look even more like real clothes, then you may want to think about shopping around for any specific colors or patterns that your child enjoys. Or even creating your own tie-dye shirts could be a start in helping you to find the perfect calming clothes for your children. You can learn more here. But it’s important that you find clothing that provides a soothing effect to your child. Compression vests and weighted vests look more “therapeutic” and as kids become older and more self-conscious, they tend to dislike wearing traditional vests because they feel “different” than their peers. Plus, since they look just like “typical clothes”, they can be layered under other clothes, or dressed up with jewelry and accessories!
Also, because these calming clothes are designed to fit snugly, but not tightly like compressions vests, there are no “wearing schedules” that need to be established. Your child can wear this to school all day without having to worry about a regimented “wearing schedule” where the vest has to be removed and then donned again roughly every 20-30 minutes, as most weighted and compression vests’ protocols call for.
Who Should Wear These Clothes?
Any child with daily stressors such as a big test, speaking in front of the class, an overwhelming birthday party, a sports game, traveling, the first day of school, etc.. could benefit from wearing the calming clothes. Children who may have a tougher time with sensory processing, body awareness, or difficulty with managing the anxiety and frustrations of daily stressors can especially benefit from these clothes. Plus, if any of the descriptors from the list below sounds like your child, then you will want to check out Calming Clothes for Kids.
- Anxiety
- Distractibility
- High Engine Speed
- Impulse Control
- Sensory Seeking
- Sleep Disorders
- Limited Eye Contact
- Difficulty with Speech Articulation
- Difficulty with Self-Regulation
- Difficulty with Body Awareness
Where Can I Get These?
Please check out CalmingClothesforKids.com for purchasing information. Calming clothing comes in short and long sleeve T-shirts, pants, shorts, and singlets. You can read some great testimonials, get proper sizing measurements and find out more about these great pieces of clothing! Check them out today!
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