A primary goal of childhood is to lay the foundation for strong emotional regulation skills. Because the brain networks underlying executive functioning (i.e., a set of complex cognitive abilities that guide purposeful behavior, including impulse control, planning, and self-monitoring) do not fully develop until early adulthood, children often need support learning how to tolerate negative emotions and self-soothe.

By teaching children active emotional regulation strategies, parents and caregivers provide children the opportunity to practice a skill that their brain is not equipped to do entirely on its own. Helping a child learn to regulate their emotions, particularly when faced with a challenge, can improve frustration tolerance and better position that child for success.

The Mindful Glitter Jar is one easy and inexpensive tool that children can use to facilitate emotional regulation. The technique is based on the principle of mindfulness, a meditation practice characterized by present-moment awareness. By focusing on the here-and-now, the mindfulness practitioner encourages their mind and body to slow down and notice themselves and their surroundings, turning focus away from distressing thoughts or feelings. Research suggests that regular mindfulness practice improves emotional regulation in young children and adolescents and may also contribute to overall executive functioning development.  

Explain to your child that the Mindful Glitter Jar acts just like our minds. When you shake the jar, the glitter swirls chaotically throughout the fluid, just like our thoughts and feelings can sometimes feel out of control in our body. But, when the jar is at rest, the glitter will begin to gently settle at the bottom, and the remaining liquid becomes clear. Like the Mindful Glitter Jar, when we stop and breathe, our own thoughts and feeling begin to settle in our bodies and we can think more clearly.

To use the Mindful Glitter Jar, shake the jar and ask your child to simply sit and watch the glitter fall to the bottom. Encourage them to breathe deeply through their nose as they watch the glitter settle to the bottom. Some children may like to focus on individual pieces.  In the beginning, younger children will typically require gentle support to stay focused on the jar, and they often benefit from initially doing this activity together with a parent or other trusted adult. Your child should practice using the Mindful Glitter Jar during periods of calm, so that the task feels familiar during periods of distress. With practice, your child can learn to use to their Mindful Glitter Jar to help them feel better during periods of frustration, anger, or sadness.
 
How to Make the Mindful Glitter Jar
 
Materials
1. Small container with water-tight lid (e.g., Mason jar)
2. Glitter (consider using an eco-friendly/biodegradable glitter option)
3. Non-toxic clear glue
4. Warm water
5. Hot glue and hot glue gun or other strong adhesive (optional)
6. Food coloring (optional)
7. Newspaper (optional)
 
Instructions
1.Cover your workspace with newspaper to ease cleanup process. Consider adding newspaper to the floor if you are concerned about glitter spilling.  
 
2.Fill your jar with glue. Begin with filling the jar ¼ of the way, but the amount of glue used is up to you! The more glue in the jar, the slower the glitter will fall.
 
3.Add glitter to the jar. You may add as much as you and your child would like. You may consider adding different colored glitter to represent different types of thoughts or feelings.
 
4.If desired, add a few drops of food coloring. Depending on its color, the glitter is also likely to die the water on its own. 
 
5.Slowly fill the jar with warm water. Before filling the jar completely, close the lid tightly and shake vigorously to mix the contents. Use this opportunity to add additional glue, glitter, water, or food coloring, as desired.  
 
6.Once you and your child are happy with the way the jar looks, close the lid tightly. Consider ceiling the lid with hot glue or another type of strong adhesive.