Child Stress Skills: Ways to Introduce Anti-Bullying and Violence Prevention to Preschoolers

Uncooked noodles were flying all over the floor. 22 children, ages 3-5, waited to do Noodle Drumming, learning about their hearts today at a daycare/preschool. We felt our hearts beating slowly, speeded them up running in place, then slowed them down with deep belly button breathing.They LOVED Noodle Drumming! We placed X’s on our bodies where we feel upset to increase awareness of our body stress trigger areas. We became butterflies that were calm with slow beating hearts, then fast flying butterflies making our hearts beat faster, then took a deep breath to slow our hearts down. When all activities concluded, I encouraged each child to have a moment drumming for slow or fast heart beating, whatever they chose. Priceless expressions, as you can see! FUN wholistic, experiential learning – there’s nothing quite like it!!!!!! And child stress can be reduced when children have self-awareness about how they work inside themselves with mind/body/emotions. Violence prevention and anti-bullying have a living chance when children know how to use their internal resources wisely with greater self-control because they are aware.