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Things I recommend

The fidgets, calm-down gear and feelings tools from my sessions, with how I actually use each one.

Buying guides

Not sure where to start? These are the sets I’d put together for you.

For transitions

11 picks I reach for. Show everything

I don't earn anything from these links. They're just things I'd recommend anyway.

Gentle bubble bath pods

Routines & everyday wins

  • Transitions
  • Bedtime
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

If bath time is a battle, a little fizz can change the mood. These pods are gentle and tear-free, and watching them fizz gives kids something to look forward to. A repeat buy for me.

How to use it

  1. Let your child drop the pod in once the water is ready.
  2. Use it as the first step of your bath routine so it feels predictable.
  3. Keep the pods up high between baths.

Try saying

“Want to drop in the fizz and watch it go?”

Good to know

Store out of reach so pods are not mistaken for candy. Always supervise bath time.

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Soft bunny plush

Bedtime & wind-down

  • Bedtime
  • Transitions
  • Waiting & outings
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

A soft comfort buddy can make hard moments feel smaller. This bunny comes along to bedtime, transitions and tough appointments. I keep a few, so one is always in the bag and a spare is ready if one goes missing.

How to use it

  1. Let your child give it a name and make it theirs.
  2. Bring it to new places, appointments and sleepovers.
  3. Buy a spare and rotate them so both smell and feel familiar.

Try saying

“Bunny can come with you. Give bunny a squeeze if you feel worried.”

Good to know

Follow safe sleep guidance for babies. Soft toys are not recommended in the crib for infants.

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Kids' ear protection earmuffs

Calm-down corner

  • Meltdowns
  • Transitions
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

Loud places can be a lot for some kids. These earmuffs turn the noise down at fireworks, parties, sports games and busy stores, so your child can stay and enjoy more of it. Knowing they are in the bag can help, too.

How to use it

  1. Practice wearing them at home for short bits so they feel normal.
  2. Bring them to places you know will be loud.
  3. Let your child decide when to put them on and take them off.

Try saying

“If it gets too loud, your earmuffs are right here.”

Good to know

They lower noise but do not block it fully. Stay close in very loud places like fireworks.

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Feelings sticker book

Feelings & connection

  • Connection
  • Transitions
  • Ages 4+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

Many kids feel things before they have words for them. This sticker book gives you thousands of feeling words and faces for charts, journals and quick check-ins. Pointing to a sticker can be easier than saying it out loud.

How to use it

  1. Make a simple check-in chart and add a sticker each morning or after school.
  2. Let your child pick the face that matches how they feel, with no wrong answers.
  3. Add your own sticker too, so it feels shared.

Try saying

“Which face looks like how you feel right now?”

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Left/right shoe stickers

Routines & everyday wins

  • Transitions
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

These stickers go inside the shoes. When your child matches the two picture halves, the shoes end up on the right feet. It is a small change that builds independence and cuts down on morning reminders.

How to use it

  1. Stick one half inside each shoe, at the inner edge.
  2. Show your child how to set the shoes side by side to make the picture.
  3. Step back and let them do it, even if it takes a bit longer.

Try saying

“Can you make the picture match before you put them on?”

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Kid-height wall hooks

Routines & everyday wins

  • Transitions
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

When coats and backpacks have one home at kid height, kids can put things away on their own. Mornings and after school get smoother because there is less hunting for things. It is one less thing to ask about.

How to use it

  1. Hang them at your child's shoulder height near the door.
  2. Give each child their own hook, with a picture or name if that helps.
  3. Walk through the routine together for a few days until it sticks.

Try saying

“Backpack on your hook, then you're free.”

Good to know

Mount them securely and at a height where kids will not bump their heads on them.

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Bath bombs with a toy inside

Routines & everyday wins

  • Transitions
  • Bedtime
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

Getting into the tub can be the hardest part. A bath bomb with a surprise toy inside gives kids a reason to hop in, which makes the move from play to bath easier.

How to use it

  1. Give a heads-up before bath time so the change is not a surprise.
  2. Let your child carry the bath bomb to the tub and drop it in.
  3. Wait for it to fizz before fishing out the toy.

Try saying

“Let's go see what's hiding in the bath bomb.”

Good to know

The toys are small. Supervise younger kids, and keep bath bombs out of reach so they are not eaten.

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Gentle detangling brush

Routines & everyday wins

  • Transitions
  • Bedtime
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

Hair brushing can be a daily struggle, especially for kids who notice every tug. Wide teeth mean less pulling, so it hurts less and goes faster. Fewer battles in the morning.

How to use it

  1. Start at the ends and work up toward the scalp.
  2. Hold the hair above the knot so the pull is not on the head.
  3. Let your child brush their own hair first, then you finish.

Try saying

“Tell me if it pulls and I'll go slower.”

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Inflatable bouncy horse

Movement & big-body play

  • Focus
  • Transitions
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

Some kids need to move a lot, and bouncing gives strong body input indoors. This horse is a great outlet on rainy days or before homework. A bit of bouncing first can make sitting still easier after.

How to use it

  1. Set it up on a soft, clear floor away from furniture.
  2. Offer a few minutes of bouncing before a sit-down task.
  3. Keep it to one rider at a time.

Try saying

“Ten big bounces, then we start homework.”

Good to know

Check the weight limit and use it on a soft floor away from corners and stairs.

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Rainbow dance ribbons

Movement & big-body play

  • Transitions
  • Focus
  • Connection
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

Big arm movements plus music make an easy movement break. Ribbons are light, colorful and fun to swirl, so even kids who resist exercise will join in. Good for between tasks or after a long sit.

How to use it

  1. Put on one or two songs your child likes.
  2. Make big circles, waves and zigzags together.
  3. End with a slow song and slow swirls to wind down.

Try saying

“Let's make the biggest circles we can.”

Good to know

Give each dancer plenty of space, and supervise little ones so ribbons stay away from necks.

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Story projector and nightlight

Bedtime & wind-down

  • Bedtime
  • Transitions
  • Ages 3+

Why I recommend it

Dr. Hayley Crain, child psychologist

Projected, narrated stories make a wind-down routine kids can run themselves. That gives them some control over bedtime, which can mean fewer stalls. It also gives you a few quiet minutes.

How to use it

  1. Pick the story together before lights-out.
  2. Let your child start it themselves once they are in bed.
  3. Keep it to one or two stories so the routine stays the same.

Try saying

“One story, then it's time to sleep.”

Good to know

Keep cords tidy and the device out of reach of babies and toddlers.

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