Recreation Connection
305-209-4REC
               4732
  • Home
    • Contact Us
  • Programming
    • Kids
    • Adults
    • Camps
    • Swimming
  • Ideas/Blog
    • Links
    • Pictures and Experiences
  • Rec Therapy Defined
  • Community / News
  • Internships and Employment
  • Client
  • Resources
    • Toys

Meltdown or Tantrum?

11/27/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
It's important to be able to differentiate between your child having a meltdown and a tantrum. This will make avoiding them as well as dealing with them easier. 

Lets begin with understanding what each one means. When your child is having a meltdown there is something out of their hands going on. A meltdown encompasses a physical, mental, or sensory element. Common causes of meltdowns include: hunger, lack of sleep, illness, sensory-overload, lack of energy-outlet. This is often avoidable and should not be reprimanded in the same manner as a tantrum. 

A tantrum, on the other hand, is simply behavioral. It's a communication tool that your child is using to get a message across and should not be encouraged. 

Here is a simple checklist you can use to help you differentiate which is occurring. 

MELTDOWN

Are they looking for a reaction? NO
Are they trying to communicate something? NO
Are they in control of their behavior? NO
Can the child calm down when distracted? NO
Are they able to calm down after the situation is resolved? NO
TANTRUM

Are they looking for a reaction? YES
Are they trying to communicate something? YES
Are they in control of their behavior? YES
Can the child calm down when distracted? YES
Are they able to calm down after the situation is resolved? YES
Because meltdowns are caused by something external, they should not be reprimanded like a tantrum. One must understand that the child is incapable of controlling their emotions, to a certain extent, because of something occurring TO them. These can be avoided by thinking ahead and being aware of your child's needs, schedules, habits, and states of mind. If you know they did not sleep well last night, or know there is a flu running around the daycare... it might not be the best day to take your child to a 4-hour long theatre show. Snacks are also a great way to avoid meltdowns. If you know that your chid's lunchtime has passed and gone and they haven't been fed you should expect a meltdown. On the other hand, when you know you're going to be in a "bad-food situation" such as a being in a supermarket full of cookies and chips or an adult party full of things you don't want them to eat: have a healthy snack for them, so that they have options. 

Tantrums should be treated as behavioral reaction that your child has learned and can be changed. For some reason or another a child who has a tantrum has learned that using yelling, crying, hitting, fits, etc. will get them the things they want. The best way to remedy this is to teach the child that the opposite is true. Until they use appropriate communication skills (calm voice, no crying, verbal communication) they will not get what they are asking for. Remove your child from the situation, explain to the them that you understand they are upset and you will be happy to listen to them when they are ready to use calm words to explain what they want. And then you wait for them to do so. DO NOT give in. This is the most important step. The first times will be the hardest and longest, but it will be worth it in the long run. They must learn that only calm verbal communication will get them results. 
0 Comments

Target Practice!

11/27/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Bringing shuffle-board to the young. There are many ways to play variations of this game. Make a target our of string or painter's tape. You can make the targets big, small, round, square... your imagination is your limit. This game will help kids learn how to aim as well as teaching them how to measure their strength and improve their hand-eye coordination. For smaller kids, use a small beanbag or a simple sock filled with rice (so it doesn't roll). For older kids use a heavy ball. The rolling adds an extra level of required-skill. :) 

Have fun!

thanks whattoexpect.com for the pi

0 Comments

Foam-maddness

11/27/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
This blog has some amazing ideas of how to play with foam/shaving cream with your little ones. Benefits of foam-playing: sensory skill development with easy clean-up!!! It's great to play with in the tub or outdoors on a hot day. Some of our favorite games from the blog: crackle foam, puffy sand, and clouds in a jar. 

http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/09/ways-to-play-with-shaving-cream.html

1 Comment

Sensory letters

11/27/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
What a fun way to improve fine-motor while working on those sensory skills. "Little Hands, Big Work" has posted this easy game to play with your child at home. Simply fill a bucket or bowl with sand and place the cut-outs of a board game and have your child search for them and then match them to the appropriate piece.
For a bathtub variation of this game you can fill a bucket with bubbles and have them paste it to the tile-walls!! 

0 Comments

Storytelling leads to communication skill enhacement

11/27/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Good communication skills can go a long way. It's important that one fosters a child's communication skills from an early age. In Training Communication Skills in Young Children by: Carolyn Uhlinger Shantz and Karl E. Wilson they discuss the effects of appropriate communications skills in the long term. Some of these effects include healthier relationships, less use of physical violence, lower blood pressure, and advanced career development opportunities. 

With simple games and family traditions one can encourage their kids to use their verbal communication skills to express themselves. As they say, with practice comes perfection. So, practice this skill all you can!! Building your child's vocabulary as well as teaching them to feel comfortable sharing feelings and opinions will go a long way throughout their lives. 

Here are some great ideas to bring more communication skill practice into your home:

- Aided Story-telling: Use a bag or box filled with objects or words to help aid your child in building a story. (if you use plastic toys you can even play this in the bathtub). Take turns adding to the story with other family members. It's a great way to include siblings of many ages or even grandparents into a game. Be sure to switch up when you find inside the bag, to keep the stories fresh. 

- "Best, worst and for me": This game is amazing for emotional development as well as building empathy skills. During a chosen time of the day (before going to bed or during dinner-time for example) have your family describe the best moment of their day, the worst part of their day, as well as something someone has done for them. This is a wonderful opportunity to discuss feelings and how to deal with those feelings in healthy manners. Plus, the added "what someone did for me" helps kids to recognize that aiding others is important and it encourages them to do things for others in the long-term. 

- "Changing the ending": This exercise is great for learning to deal with other's inputs. Have your child tell a story and then re-tell it, changing the ending. They can play this with their friends or siblings too. It's important to encourage participants to be open to the changes others make, which at times can be hard. If you want to push it a step farther you can ask participants to choose a favorite ending at the end of the game or ask them to compliment each other's endings. 


0 Comments

Copy Cat

11/27/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
Here is a creative way to work on those fine motor skills, as well as following directions and compliment giving. You can play this on a doodle-board or on a sheet of paper. Draw something on one side and have your child make a duplicate. Then you can switch it around and have them draw first. In the end, practice giving each other positive feedback on your duplicates. This is a great game to play when waiting around at a doctor's office or anywhere that your child may get bored while waiting. 

For more fun ways to use your doodle-board, check out this blog: http://happyhooligans.ca/magna-doodle-activities/

1 Comment

Easter in December

11/27/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
This is a great idea to keep kids busy indoors or outdoors, while working on their matching skills, their abilities to deal with frustration and perseverance, as well math skills. Paint rocks and other objects in different colors and hide them around your house or yard. Your child then has to find the colored items and put them in different piles. You can make the game harder for older kids by drawing numbers instead of colors or even have them add up the numbers to reach 10. 

1 Comment

    Author

    We are Recreational Therapists who provide participants with the tools they need to conquer the world using guided play.  

    Archives

    December 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    January 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011

    Categories

    All
    Activities
    Innovative Ideas
    In The Water
    Kids
    Kinetics
    Motivation
    Outdoor Fun

    RSS Feed

Picture