• A range of low cost materials that students perceive as calming. Consider including a flipchart with picture cues of things students can do in the calming space. 
• Low-cost materials for calming could include: pipe cleaners, squishy balls, pinwheels, theraputty, weighted frogs, pencil crayons, colouring pages, optical illusion books, find hidden object books, and/or origami. 
• Complementary practice: Calming spaces/havens (Stress management and coping skills)

• Can be used with older students if the materials are age appropriate (e.g., fidget toys, mindful colouring pages, worry stones) and/or use a calming idea jar with several suggested activities for calming. 
• You may wish to encourage students to bring things from home that they find calming.  
• Students understand the box is for when they are feeling anxious. Some may wish to use it all the time, so establishing criteria for using the box is important (e.g., being sensitive to student needs, some may require personalized objects). 

Having designated space or time for calming in the classroom normalizes emotions, and allows students to manage emotions, so they can refocus and engage in learning (Blair & Diamond, 2008; Diamond, Barnett, Thomas, & Munro, 2007). 

Blair, C., & Diamond, A. (2008). Biological processes in prevention and intervention: The promotion of self regulation as a means of preventing school failure. Development and Psychopathology, 20(3), 899-911. doi:10.1017/S0954579408000436 

Diamond, A., Barnett, W. S., Thomas, J., & Munro, S. (2007). Preschool Program Improves Cognitive Control. Science, 318(5855), 1387-1388.