Pandemic Project: Keeping Kalm

When Andrea Alley earned her master’s in education degree two months before the pandemic began, she looked for a full-time teaching job. She didn’t find one, but she did discover her passion.

“I took a paraeducator position at Brentwood Elementary,” she said. “I worked with special needs kids and I just fell in love with them.”

Many of the children she worked with struggled with anxiety and social and emotional issues and Alley wanted to find ways to support them. An online course about starting your own business became the launching point for a new career.

“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial itch,” Alley said.

When she discovered weighted lap pads for kids, she knew she’d found her niche.

“The lap pads help keep them grounded,” she said.

Alley decided to create and market kid-size weighted, microwaveable lap pads and named her business Keeping Kalm. One side of the soft pad is smooth, the other textured. The differing textures offer kids a choice of what feels most calming to them.

To enhance the appeal, she designed matching stuffed animals to go with the patterned pads. The plush toys are also weighted and can be microwaved for warmth.

“I bought the licensing rights to a sloth pattern, and I named him Salomon Sloth,” Alley said.

After Salomon launched, Alley added Pong Panda and Dayle Dolphin.

“I wanted to go with animals known for being calm and soothing.”

She found a manufacturer in China and by last April her first shipment arrived. The small pads roll up and can easily be tucked into backpacks. The weighted plush toys come in two sizes. The smaller size can be tucked into an exterior slot on its matching bag.

“I introduced the lap pads to my special ed kids and they loved them. Especially, my kids with anxiety,” Alley said. “Plus, they can be used at home or school.”

Brentwood special ed teacher Jennifer Frase is a big fan of the lap pads. She works with kids with learning disabilities, ADHD and autism.

“I have the weighted lap blankets available for any child,” she said. “I find that all types of kids enjoy them for both the weighted feel (calming) and the sensory need (they can touch the textured fabric). These aren’t just for younger kids – even my cool fifth-graders like the blanket.”

Recently, Alley added another component to Keeping Kalm products. She wrote and published Salomon’s story. The artist she licensed the design from agreed to do the illustrations and “Salomon Sloth Finds His Strength,” is now available for purchase.

“I knew I wanted to write Salomon’s story,” Alley said. “I knew he struggled with anxiety and self-esteem.”

Frase debuted the book in her classroom.

“My fourth-grade boys loved the story and emotionally grew from the content,” she said.

Pong Panda and Dayle Dolphin stories are in the works – each picture book will address another emotional or social issue common to kids.

Alley’s eyes well up when she talks about seeing children use the products she designed.

“I realized I had a passion other than teaching,” Alley said.

“This is something I created to help kids I care about – it wouldn’t have evolved if I’d been teaching full time. I feel like it was meant to be.”