By Melissa Meyer, DNP, PMHNP
Some days, big feelings swirl like a snowstorm inside your child—fast, loud, sparkly, and completely overwhelming.
And while we wish we could stop those feelings with a snap of our fingers or a quick “just calm down,” the truth is... kids need tools.
They need simple, sensory-friendly ways to see what’s happening inside—and to help their minds and bodies settle so they can feel safe again.
That’s why I love introducing families to DIY emotional-regulation tools—especially ones that are fun to make together.
So today, we’re making:
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🫧 Glitter Jars to help kids slow down and reset
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🌱 Gratitude Gardens to grow joy and emotional grounding
No crafting experience required. Just your heart, your child, and a little space at the kitchen table.
✨ What Makes DIY Tools So Powerful?
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Kids are more likely to use tools they helped create
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Visual and tactile elements give emotions a “shape” to work with
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Crafting together builds connection and communication
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These tools reinforce core skills like mindfulness, self-regulation, and gratitude
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They give your child a sense of agency—"I can do something about how I feel"
Let’s get started!
🫧 Part 1: The Glitter Jar – A Calm-Down Visualizer
What it does:
A glitter jar shows what it feels like when your mind is full of big emotions—and how things settle with time and stillness.
🧃 You’ll Need:
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A clear jar or plastic bottle (with a tight lid)
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Warm water
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Glitter glue or clear glue
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Extra glitter (chunky and fine)
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Optional: food coloring, sequins, a small charm
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A teaspoon of glycerin or clear dish soap (to slow the glitter)
🪄 How to Make It:
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Fill the jar about ¾ with warm water.
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Add glitter glue + extra glitter + optional charm or coloring.
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Stir until mixed, then top off with water and seal the lid tightly (hot glue if needed).
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Shake it. Watch it swirl. Breathe together until it settles.
🧠 How to Use It:
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Say: “Let’s watch our thoughts settle like glitter.”
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Keep it in a Calm Corner or backpack.
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Use before school, after a meltdown, or whenever emotions get messy.
🌱 Part 2: The Gratitude Garden – A Joy-Growing Ritual
What it does:
A Gratitude Garden helps children recognize the good things around them—boosting mood, lowering stress, and training the brain to look for joy.
🌼 Option 1: Paper Garden (great for indoors or classrooms)
You’ll need:
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Construction paper or a poster board
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Pre-cut flower or leaf shapes
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Markers, stickers, tape, glue
Each day or week, invite your child to write or draw:
“Something that made me smile…”
“Someone who helped me today…”
“Something I’m proud of…”
Add it to the garden wall, and watch it grow.
🪴 Option 2: Real Garden (great for outdoor lovers)
Plant a few seeds or small flowers in a pot or patch.
Every time your child thinks of something they're grateful for, they water their Gratitude Garden.
Talk about how small things (like water and kindness) help us grow—even when we can’t see the change right away.
🧁 Bonus DIY Tools (If You’re Feeling Extra Crafty)
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Calm Cards: Create index cards with breathwork cues like “Smell the flower, blow out the candle.”
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Feeling Wheel Spinner: Use a paper plate to help kids name emotions.
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Emotion Bracelets: Color-coded beads that signal how your child is feeling (green = calm, red = overwhelmed, etc.).
💬 A Note from Melissa
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to be a Pinterest parent. You just have to show up.
When you sit and craft emotional tools with your child, you’re telling them:
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“Your feelings matter.”
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“You are worth calming down for.”
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“We’re in this together.”
That message sticks far longer than glitter ever will.
And remember—these aren’t just tools for them.
They’re tools for you, too. Breathe. Slow down. Shake the jar. Grow something beautiful together.
📌 Try This Today:
Start a Gratitude Garden on the fridge. Add a sticky note or drawing every day for a week. Let your child decorate the pot or poster and take pride in every petal.
Want templates for flowers, jar labels, or emotion wheels?
Subscribe to Melissa’s Mindful Minute and get free printables and guides each month—crafted with care by the Hazelwood team.