Grounding tools are activities or items which give some intense or distracting sensory input which brings a person back to the present moment, focusing on their bodies and/or senses rather than what is bothering them. Here are some ideas of grounding tools that I often explore with children, to find what works best for them:
Mouth tools
Sour candies/ foods
Sweet hard candies
Gum
Crunchy snack
Coffee stirrer
Water bottle
Blow balloon
Blow bubbles
Ice/ something frozen
Hearing tools
Music (headphones)
Noise cancelling headphones
Humming
Ear plugs
Doing tools
Breathing exercise
Sit on hands or legs
Chair push-ups
Squeeze hands together
Doodle/ color
Go for a walk
Go to a quiet place
Self-hug
Tapping ‘exercise’
Squeeze arms and legs
Pet an animal
Lift weights
Exercise with resistance band or medicine ball
Snap rubber band on wrist
Bounce a ball
Text somebody/ give someone a call
Yoga
Grounding exercise (ie mindfulness, 54321)
Play drums
Do a puzzle or rubik’s cube
Punch a punching bag
Cats cradle
Activity book
Eye tools
Look at a picture
Read a book
Wear sunglasses
Liquid motion timer
Sand timer
Calm jar/ bottle
Hoberman Sphere
Body tools
Weighted lap pad
Weighted animal
Weighted blanket
Vibrating pillow
Massager
Shower or bath
Hand tools
Tangle
Stress ball
Koosh ball
Slime
Putty
Acupuncture ring
Smooth stone
Worry bead bracelet
Lotion
Spinner ring
Bendy animal
Cold pack
Grip trainer
Flex bar
Nee-doh/ Giant Morphe ball
Kinetic sand
Water beads
Finger knitting
Smell tools:
Aromatherapy bracelet, spray or roller
Scented lotion
Scented markers
“Red Zone” tools Ideas
Rip paper/ cardboard
Punch punching bag
Crash into bean bag chair
Punch pillow
Listen to ‘heavy’, rhythmic music
Go for a run
Squeeze hands together
Deep breathing
Kick/ throw a ball against a wall
Sand bag throws
pushups