The Key To Calming Down
In “The Key to Calming Down,” three kids (Charlie, Katrina, and Sienna) join Todd to share tips and tricks they use to calm down — which come in handy when they’re experiencing big feelings. The kids and Todd then take a journey to the Land of Qook-a-lakcas to visit Todd’s friend Quinlan who invited the group to become the first humans ever to attend Camp Quinder-Calm!
The role of Quinlan is played by Rebecca Naomi Jones. The original song, “I Have the Key,” which Quinlan shares with the children in the Land of Qook-a-lackas, was composed by Benjamin Weiner, a NYC-based writer, composer, and educator. The ukulele music in the episode is written and performed by Bill English. Bill is an actor, musician, and voiceover artist based in NYC. Thank you to Dr. Cara Spitalewitz who advised us on the mediation that Quinlan leads in the episode. Cara is a clinical psychologist who works with children and an assistant clinical professor at Columbia University Medical Center.
Thank you to Ahmed Ashour, who made this episode and all the episodes of Season 2 of our podcast sound amazing — and to the rest of the team who put this episode and the season together.
Guest Star
The role of Quinlan is played by Rebecca Naomi Jones, an American actress and singer best known for her performances in the Broadway rock musicals Passing Strange, American Idiot, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. She was also the first woman of color to play Laurey in Oklahoma! on Broadway and starred in As You Like It in NYC’s Shakespeare in the Park.
Original Song: I Have The Key
The original song, “I Have the Key,” which Quinlan shares with the children in the Land of Qook-a-lackas, was composed by Benjamin Weiner, a NYC-based writer, composer, and educator.
Little Kids, Big Breaths
Practice six calm-down breathing strategies with Charlie, who was one of our guests on this episode.
Educator Resources
There are MANY strategies that children (and all of us) can use to regulate our emotions. In this episode of Little Kids, Big Hearts — The Key to Calming Down — we practice some of the strategies people can use to calm down.
Practicing ways to calm down and regain equilibrium can help children to develop strong habits that will help them in school and social settings — and be useful as they grow!
Finding strategies that work for an individual child can be a process — and not every strategy works for every person. Some children find calming corners to be helpful. Calming jars or stress balls work for others. For some, listening to music, working with play dough, drawing a picture, or meditating works. Others need to get their energy out by going on a walk, jumping on a trampoline, running around, or even screaming into a pillow. The key is to practice in calm moments, so that when a big feeling comes, we are more ready.
At every step, parents, teachers, and other trusted grown-ups can be there to validate children’s feelings and help them to manage stressful moments and big feelings.
In the educator resources, you’ll find some useful strategies you can use to help children practice calm down strategies they can use.