Ollie's Glitter Calm Jar

What you need

• Water, enough warm water to fill the bottle
• Plate or tray, 1 tray to work on (optional)
• Plastic bottle with lid, 1
• Clear glue, 1 spoonful, plus a little for the lid
• Glitter, 1 pinch
• Spoon, 1
• Clear cups, 1, for pouring
• Towel, 1 damp towel

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Find a clean plastic bottle with a lid and peel off any label. Run warm (not hot) water from the tap and test it on your wrist. Put down a tray or towel to catch spills. Keep the glitter and the sealing glue on your side of the table until it's time to use them, and remind little ones to keep glittery fingers away from eyes and mouths.

1. Set the bottle on the tray and pick your glitter color.
2. Grown-up checks that the water feels warm, not hot. A grown-up does this
3. Pour warm water into the bottle, leaving a little space at the top.
4. Add one spoonful of clear glue to the water.
   Ask: What do you think the glue will do to the water?
5. Sprinkle in one pinch of glitter. Keep your fingers away from your eyes and mouth.
6. Grown-up glues the lid and screws it on tight. Let it dry. A grown-up does this
7. Shake, shake, shake the bottle as hard as you can!
   Ask: Does it look like a snowstorm, a galaxy or something else?
8. Hold the jar still and breathe slowly while the glitter falls.
9. Now show a friend, or make another! What new color will your next jar be?
   Ask: Who would you like to share a calm moment with?

Play it again

• Color mix: make a new jar with two glitter colors and see how they swirl together.
• Breath count: shake the jar and count how many slow breaths it takes to settle, then try to beat your count.
• Calm corner: keep your jar in a cozy spot and shake it whenever you need a quiet moment.