ELKHART COUNTY - Young people have a lot on their plates these days, and while things may seem calm and cool on the outside, there could be issues under the surface that well up at inappropriate times.
That's why the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County is working to help foster connections and a sense of belonging while they're at Club. At Middlebury and Goshen Clubs, a sensory room program has been restructured this year to give kids support when they need it most.
Kids can be sent to the room when emotions are running high or they simply need a quiet place to reset. When they arrive, they're asked by Youth Behavioral Specialist Natasha Lantz to identify an emotional zone they're feeling -- guided by a color-coded chart. Different experiences and emotions are listed, ranging from panicked and angry to happy and focused.
Once the emotion has been identified, kids are encouraged to regulate that emotion through breathing and basic physical exercises.
"Sometimes they don't want to regulate themselves right away. It can take many attempts with different activities to get those emotions under control," Lantz said. "You can't put kids in a box. You have to be willing to adapt to the individual."
That's why the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County is working to help foster connections and a sense of belonging while they're at Club. At Middlebury and Goshen Clubs, a sensory room program has been restructured this year to give kids support when they need it most.
Kids can be sent to the room when emotions are running high or they simply need a quiet place to reset. When they arrive, they're asked by Youth Behavioral Specialist Natasha Lantz to identify an emotional zone they're feeling -- guided by a color-coded chart. Different experiences and emotions are listed, ranging from panicked and angry to happy and focused.
Once the emotion has been identified, kids are encouraged to regulate that emotion through breathing and basic physical exercises.
"Sometimes they don't want to regulate themselves right away. It can take many attempts with different activities to get those emotions under control," Lantz said. "You can't put kids in a box. You have to be willing to adapt to the individual."
As the emotion is regulated, kids pick three activities to work with -- anything from sensory toys, board games and physical activities. After spending time on those activities, Lantz will ask the kids to re-evaluate their emotional zone, hoping to show them improvement was made.
One activity involves sitting quietly inside a teepee Lantz has created in the room.
"A boy recently got into the teepee and wrapped himself in a blanket to calm down and it worked. The rest of the session went fine," she said.
Most of the sessions last 20-30 minutes and are done with just one child at a time.
"What do kids want? They want someone to listen and guide them. This helps them know they have control over their decisions and the actions they take," Lantz said. "It also helps them learn how to manage their emotions and lets them know that an adult is listening to them."
Lantz says programs like this are needed now more than ever.
"I think they're feeling the impact from the pandemic and being isolated for so long. There is sometimes anxiety being around so many kids. I also think parents are more stressed and the kids can pick up on that."
Lantz has already built a close relationship with counselors at Middlebury Community Schools so solutions for an individual child are shared between the two organizations. She's hoping to develop a similar relationship with Goshen Schools soon and expand the program to other Clubs.
Because she spends her time travelling between different Elkhart County Clubhouses, Lantz is not always in a particular building when a need arises.
In many rooms, they're setting up "calming corners" with similar tools and zone regulation charts to help during those times.
"I'm so excited to see this kind of signage around the Clubhouse to let kids know that it's OK to talk about our emotions. We can then do things that will help calm the kids down and make them feel better.”
One activity involves sitting quietly inside a teepee Lantz has created in the room.
"A boy recently got into the teepee and wrapped himself in a blanket to calm down and it worked. The rest of the session went fine," she said.
Most of the sessions last 20-30 minutes and are done with just one child at a time.
"What do kids want? They want someone to listen and guide them. This helps them know they have control over their decisions and the actions they take," Lantz said. "It also helps them learn how to manage their emotions and lets them know that an adult is listening to them."
Lantz says programs like this are needed now more than ever.
"I think they're feeling the impact from the pandemic and being isolated for so long. There is sometimes anxiety being around so many kids. I also think parents are more stressed and the kids can pick up on that."
Lantz has already built a close relationship with counselors at Middlebury Community Schools so solutions for an individual child are shared between the two organizations. She's hoping to develop a similar relationship with Goshen Schools soon and expand the program to other Clubs.
Because she spends her time travelling between different Elkhart County Clubhouses, Lantz is not always in a particular building when a need arises.
In many rooms, they're setting up "calming corners" with similar tools and zone regulation charts to help during those times.
"I'm so excited to see this kind of signage around the Clubhouse to let kids know that it's OK to talk about our emotions. We can then do things that will help calm the kids down and make them feel better.”
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County began operations in 1956, and today the Clubs provide programming and services for the most at-risk boys and girls within the community. Each day, the Clubs provide powerful relationships with the youth they serve and open avenues of opportunity for young people across their community by offering safe places where young people can learn, grow and succeed.
Youth Behavioral Specialist Natasha Lantz sets up an obstacle course in the Sensory Room at the Goshen Clubhouse.
