How do you calm down over excited kids without hollering?

[MilaMae]

Is it possible?

[K999]

Yes, leave them to it and come back when they're less excited??

[MilaMae]

Would if I could, alas tiny house so no escape.

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

I usually get my shoes on and open the back door rain nor no rain.. and say "everybody out!" they run in the garden and it sorts itself out.

[HecatesTwopenceworth]

You turn off the tv and radio etc, put away their toys and have quiet time. Turn as many lights off or down as possible. Read a book with them.

By reducing stimulus (stimuli?) as much as possible you may help them to wind down. It's worth a try anyway.

I probably should tell you that mine use any time like that to run round and round the living room in circles, but I am reliably informed that it can and does work for many people.

[charmander]

how old are they?

My eldest 2 get sent to read a book (age 11 and 9).
Peppa Pig dvd works well for 3 year old

[MilaMae]

Mine are twin boys 5 and dd 4.

It's poo,wee,bum,booga city here. They're supposed to be going to sleep.

Last night at tea they had ice cream for afters 1 put his empty bowl on his head swiftly followed by the other 2. We ran out of naughty steps to put them on!!!!!!

We've had non stop rain so not been out much. Off to France Thurs(the cause of this weeks high jinks) staying with m&d and sister's family,just a leeetle apprehensive about the 2 day drive down and sharing a gite for 2 weeks with my poor family!!!!!!

[babaaa]

A bath with lavender oil worked for us .Toys in bath,down time ..

[cornsillk]

sleepy bunnys?
we used to play it and have sleepy worms etc - anything that didn't make a lot of noise!

[SlartyBartFast]

pretend to be a quiet mouse?
no, probably not.
i give up, you are on hols tomorrow? no wonder they are over excited.

[Mumcentreplus]

Sleeping Lions...'who can be the quiet the longest' game?

[NotanOtter]

i dont tell mine about wildly exciting stuff till near the time
they dont know about hols in a fortnight as i try to keep them calm
we have put a tent in the garden which has been a fab play pen this week

no screens for mine keeps them chilled

read to them all in one bed etc

[tethersend]

Have you tried counting backwards (from 10)? I know it sounds a bit weird, but if you keep a calm and quiet voice, sit down on the floor or something (ie the opposite of what they're doing) and set a competition, like, 'who can be the best statue' by the time you get to one, and reward them for it, they will get the hang of it. It gives them some warning to calm down too, instead of trying to get them to 'snap out of it' instantly (impossible!) It can buy you precious seconds in which to get a word in edgeways. Oh, and another good one is clapping in a rhythm; get them to stop and clap it back to you, doing increasingly complicated ones. Again, declare a winner. Divide and conquer. Competition can work wonders!
Once you have their attention, it's half the battle; just make sure you have a calm activity lined up to move them on to.

[midnightexpress]

Agree that changing the focus of what tehy're doing is often the key. And for us that usually means one of the following:

1 stories
2 go outside, even if raining. Splashing in piuddles often a good way of realeasng the energy.
3 TV (though would love to be like NotanOtter and not have screens, we have a no tv till 5 and are only allowed CBeebies or DVDs).

1. play-doh. It seeems to be quite therapeutic.

[mathanxiety]

At least the bowls on the head were empty. The poopy talk will continue with the boys until at least 16 (such has been my sad experience).
I used to counter the rising volume by speaking more softly -- I think it sort of forced them to quiet down so they could hear me. I also used to play a classical cd, about the volume of muzak. It helped me anyway, don't know about the DC's...