Pause with Panda – A fun and cuddly way to help children self-soothe and build resilience

I’m a mom to two grown, adult children. I am very grateful that my kids were pretty much easy going and we didn’t have to deal with any major issues, with the exception of the normal things like the pre-teen attitude and teenage angst. Ha Ha.

For the past decade I have been working with school aged children (5-12 years old) and I have come to find that there are situations that I never had any previous experience with, and that I had to quickly learn to adapt to.

I’ll give you an example. I have a kindergartener this year who is incredibly smart (he can do math problems my third graders can’t do!), but he has no self control and if he doesn’t get his own way, he will throw a fit and cry LOUDLY. I suspect he gets away with A LOT at home (he’s an only child). I have had kids throw fits over silly things, but he takes it a whole new level. He gets himself all worked up over the silliest things.

Not having prior personal experience with a child like this, I have resorted to breaking out my big box of fidget-like toys to help distract him and give him some time to himself to calm down. Once he’s calm enough I try and talk to him about his reaction, and how he can deal with the situation better without resorting to crying and having a breakdown (I don’t use those words of course).

I have read children’s books about teaching kids to calm down by taking deep breaths and/or doing Yoga poses. Since I’m not flexible AT ALL, it’s not easy for me to teach those poses, but I do try and get children to take deep breaths and have them do the “5-4-3-2-1″ technique (identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste).

Now there is a fun, cuddly way to help children to calm down, self-soothe, and even relax in order to get to sleep. It’s called Pause with Panda.

Pause with Panda is a cuddly, plush 16” Panda that has different buttons on it’s paws and ears. Each button serves a different purpose – to help a child calm down, focus, move, love and sleep.

This brief video provides you more information about Pause with Panda.

 

I received one of these adorable Panda plush toys to check out for myself.

Pause with Panda comes with the plush toy, which is rechargeable (no batteries needed). It also comes with a sweet, illustrated book that introduces children to the concept of Pause.

In addition, there are stickers and a downloadable activity pack for children.

Parents can download the FREE app (available on the App Store and Google Play).

 

The adult companion app (available on the App Store and Google Play) where parents and caregivers cam customize Panda’s content, track usage and even record a personal message for your child.

First and foremost, the plush Panda is ADORABLE and very cuddly. It’s the perfect size for a child.

The buttons are very easy to press. I like that they have symbols on them to identify each button’s purpose. This is great for children who might not be able to read yet.

The woman’s voice is very soothing. I’m not kidding when I say I can easily fall asleep with Pause with Panda’s sleep mode. Ha Ha.

Here is a brief video I took. This is not the entire session. It goes on for a couple of minutes.

I really appreciate that the functions provide a few minutes worth of content and not just a few seconds. That shows that the toys makers put a lot of thought into the design of this product. There is TWO HOURS worth of content available.

I also think it’s wonderful that there are several options to choose from. That means your child can pick and choose the content they feel like they need to utilize at any moment during the day. Best of all, they can use Pause with Panda whenever THEY feel like they need it. Parents do not need to help them with this product. The child simply presses the button to access the content they feel like they need.

There is soothing music as part of the content as well.

The heart option also prompts a positive self image (I am strong and capable, I am beautiful just as I am, I treat my body with kindness and care...).

This product also promotes kindness. I am a HUGE believer in teaching children how to be kind towards others, including animals.

Pause with Panda even discusses feelings, comparing them to things like fluffy clouds, dark clouds and more descriptions that are kid-friendly.

I’m listening to it right now in the sleep mode, with the sound of a babbling brook in the background as the narrator speaks. Now I need a nap! Ha ha

I can’t say enough positive things about this amazing toy. But it’s NOT just a toy… it’s so much more!

Pause with Panda is great for a child, grandchild, for a birthday gift, holiday gift, and more.

If you would like to learn more, visit PausewithPanda.com. You can also check them out on Facebook and Instagram (links found on the bottom of the brand’s website).

Kimberly

*I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.