Breathe and Relax
Times are stressful. We’re all living with a pandemic, many of us have grossly adjusted our work schedules and many have lost work all together. We have been thrust into new roles as teachers, caregivers, and online facilitators. In addition to the increased time we are spending with families, we are feeling the stress of the circumstances. As counter-intuitive as this may sound, we can find relief from yes, our cellphones. Today there are a myriad of apps out there to help us learn to breath and relax all the while connecting us to a larger online community. Today I’d like to share three apps to get you and your whole family started in managing your stress, one breath at a time.

The first app I’d like to share is Insight Timer. I’ve been using the timed portion with the kids I work with to help guide us in a “Mindful Minute.” I let them choose the bells they want to start and end with as well as the music that plays during the space between the bells. They enjoy having that control and they are more willing to relax for a few minutes knowing they set it up. This free app also has meditations for parents and children focusing on relaxation, managing stress, concentration, and sleep.

The second app to get you back to feeling relaxed and in control is Calm. The visuals are beautiful and the natural sounds are like you’re completely immersed in nature. I like the Mood Check-In that allows you to log how you’re feeling and then you receive a recommendation for a meditation based on your response. They too have body scans and sleep meditations to take advantage of. Calm is also a free app.

And lastly, a little detour from the others, I like the app Colorfly. This app provides a variety of free pictures that you can color with a tap of your finger. They provide you several beautiful palettes to choose from. There’s a showroom where you can upload your finished item to share with others around the world. So go on, express yourself!

I hope you’ll take a few moments to check out these three wonderful apps. They are all free and easy to navigate through. They provide a variety of opportunities to step away from it all and relax the nervous system a bit. Feel free to share your thought on our Facebook page. We’d love to hear from you!

Lori Stokes 
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant 

Playing outdoors is fun and important for children’s development and growth. Children use their senses to interpret the world around them. While outdoors, children are exposed to a calm and sensory-rich environment. Playing outdoors provides many benefits to children, including directly impacting the development of both fine and gross motor skills. Plus, outdoor play offers opportunities for much needed breaks from screens and blue light exposure—from computers, cell phones, pads/tablets and television.

“Hands-on play in the natural environment stimulate children’s senses through what they hear, touch, see and feel,” says Stacy Ringold, occupational therapist at Kinera Foundation, a local nonprofit in Queen Anne’s County that serves families with children who have disabilities and special needs. “By touching materials in nature, such as grass, leaves, sand and water, children enhance their tactile experiences. And, playing outdoors can help children feel calm and less overwhelmed, which may help with focus in the classroom school setting.”

According to the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE), a child who plays and takes breaks outside is more likely to feel happy and less anxious, depressed and stressed. This correlates to students who have increased focus and less behavior problems in the classroom, and may help children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates from 2016 show that approximately 9.4% of children between 2-17 years of age were diagnosed with ADHD. Current treatments for ADHD include pharmacological and behavioral interventions, such as stimulant medications and therapies that address problem behaviors. Data from studies in 2011 show that participation in activities in open, outdoor environments can improve symptoms of ADHD, and positively impact a child’s memory, critical thinking skills and ability to learn.

“Outdoor play offers many cognitive benefits,” explained Ringold. “When children use their whole body by climbing, jumping and running they develop gross motor skills, build their strength, and increase balance and coordination. And when children explore nature by picking up flowers and rocks, they are helping to develop their fine motor skills—all of which impacts the ability of how they process and remember information.”

Playing outdoors provides so many benefits for children—from decreasing stress, increasing focus, to developing fine and gross motor skills, just to offer a few! Time spent outdoors encourages a healthy lifestyle, helping children form healthy habits for a lifetime. So, what are you waiting for? Go out and play!

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The Kinera Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to enhancing the quality of life for children, teens and adults with special needs and their families by providing parent support groups, social activities and events, access to therapies and treatments, while continuing to support inclusive and community programs. The Kinera Foundation Eastern Shore Regional Hub, with partners that include the Office of Genetics and People with Special Health Care Needs and Kennedy Krieger’s Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities, provides a centralized, coordinated Hub of patient/family centered care. The Hub brings together providers, therapists, families and supporting agencies to ensure Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) have access to the level of care, services and resources they need. For more information visit www.kinera.org.


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