The following CAPPD intervention methods are appropriate for four year old children.
Age: 0-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Calm, present, attuned
What It Is:Play soft, classical/instrumental music in the background.
Why It Helps:This technique can help create a soothing environment. The rhythms of music help bring brain functioning from hyperactive or disassociated states to “normal”, which promotes neurological development.
Age: 2-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Calm, attuned
What It Is: Create a cozy area where children can go when stressed, angry, sad, or fearful. Make the area as warm and homelike as possible – soft blankets, soft chairs, beanbag chairs, cushions, stuffed animals, etc.
Age: 0-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: calm, present, attuned
What It Is:If possible, don’t allow children to watch TV at all, but especially programming that exposes them to traumatic events (disaster, murder, accident, death, etc.). If you do watch media on trauma or violence with children, actively engage them and talk about what’s happening while watching it and after the program is over.
Age: 3-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Calm, attuned
What It Is:Using props, have children pretend that the police come to help a girl who is lost (assign roles to the children), etc (other dramas might involve the hospital, social workers, firefighters – anything with which the child might have had negative experiences).
Age: 2-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Present, predictable, calm
What It Is:Direct the children to do various large motor movements (Simon says: touch your toes, bend over, reach up high, jump up and down, shake your right hand, etc).
Age: 2-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Attuned, present
What It Is: Use simple, short stories with large words and pictures. Ask children questions about the story as you go along (How do you think the boy feels? What happened at the beginning of the story? What happened in the middle? What do you think will happen next? Have you ever done anything like this? etc)
Age: 2-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Attuned
What It Is:Ask children to find/identify other children with certain traits – gender, hair/eye color, shirt color, etc. Other, similar activities would be I Hear and I Feel.
Why It Helps: Children who have experienced trauma often have difficulty with peer relationships. This activity helps them learn about their peers and relate to others. Focusing on sensation also helps calm them.
Age: 2-5
Applicable To: Groups or Individuals
CAPPD Concepts: Predictable
What It Is:Have children look for certain objects (yellow star, etc) around the room. Repeat the activity often.
A project of
The Health Federation of Philadelphia
