Activities for Childhood Anxiety
Anxiety in children is a common mental health concern that can impact daily activities, relationships, and emotional well-being. Supportive and structured activities for anxiety can help children manage stress and build lasting coping skills. This blog offers actual strategies and fun activities that support children through the experience of anxiety using creative, sensory, and physical approaches.
Understanding Childhood Anxiety
Anxiety in children can appear as fear, worry, or avoidance of daily tasks. Some children face clinical-level anxiety, such as separation anxiety, social anxiety, or anxiety at school. For others, it may be occasional nervousness or stress in challenging situations. These experiences can trigger physical sensations like rapid heartbeat, shallow breaths, or stomachaches.
Common Signs and Symptoms
Children may show:
- Restlessness or irritability
- Avoidance of social situations
- Disrupted sleep or eating
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feelings of anxiety before a stressful situation
- Complaints of headaches or stomach pain
These symptoms of anxiety can vary by age and personality. An anxiety symptoms checklist or anxiety thermometer can help caregivers track a child’s level of anxiety over time.
Causes and Triggers
Anxiety in our guide can result from:
- Big life changes
- School pressure
- Conflict at home
- Loss of a loved one or transitional object
- Excessive cell phone time or digital overload
Each child’s Worry Brain responds differently, so it’s important to understand their personal triggers.
The Role of Activities in Managing Anxiety
Activities for kids dealing with anxiety help by:
- Distracting from anxious moments
- Replacing shallow breaths with slow breaths
- Providing structure and focus
- Strengthening the Happy Brain
- Supporting healthy mental health habits
These activities act as an antidote to anxiety, giving kids tools they can use in everyday life.
Benefits of Engaging Activities
The right anxiety activities:
- Lower stress
- Encourage emotional expression
- Improve mental health difficulties
- Provide comfort through comforting objects or routines
- Reduce amounts of anxiety through repeated practice
How Activities Foster Relaxation
Hands-on activities use behavioral strategies and relaxation strategies to slow the body’s response. They also teach calm down strategies for future use.
Creative and Sensory Activities
Creating Worry Stones
Paint a worry stone or use a smooth rock as a transitional object. Holding it during an anxious situation can offer grounding.
Making Calm Down Jars
Fill a tissue box or jar with water, glitter glue, and food coloring. Watching the glitter settle helps with deep breaths and calm focus. See (www.firefliesandmudpies.com/glitter-timers) for DIY tips.
Crafting Homemade Stress Balls
Fill a balloon with flour or rice to make a stress ball. These are easy Coping Skills for on-the-go comfort.
Modeling Clay for Relaxation
Manipulating clay or putty helps reduce tension. Art in therapy can also enhance sensory regulation. Art in therapy helps children express emotions without needing words.
Mindfulness and Breathing Techniques
Flower and Candle Breathing
Pretend to smell a flower (inhale) and blow out a candle (exhale). This supports Belly Breathing and is a common relaxation strategy.
STAR Breathing Charts
STAR stands for Stop, Take a breath, And Relax. These visuals support deep breathing techniques and help children identify anxious triggers.
Visualization Exercises
Guide your child to imagine a favorite place or favorite books. Visualization lowers breathing rate and shifts focus from anxiety to calm.
Positive Thinking and Expression
Bibliotherapy for Children
Reading a comic book, coloring books, or a book for therapists with themes of courage helps children relate to characters with anxiety.
Positive Mantra Bracelets
Use beads and duct tape to create a bracelet with phrases like “I am safe” or “I can do this.” These Coping Skills build resilience.
Journaling for Emotional Processing
Journals support children from stress by providing a private outlet for thoughts. Encourage daily writing or drawing about challenging moments.
Physical Activities for Relaxation
Cat and Cow Stretch
This movement helps children regulate physical sensations and promotes slow breaths.
Glitter Jar Exercises
Shaking and watching the glitter fall provides visual comfort. Use glitter paint for extra sparkle.
Simple Yoga Poses
Yoga supports conscious discipline and builds awareness. The pretzel breathing technique is another great addition to a yoga routine.
Building a Calm Down Toolbox
Essential Items to Include
Add items like:
- A worry stone or balloon for security
- A small comic book
- A glitter jar
- Worry Cans or a worry box
- Calming music or Breathing Icons
These help during any anxious moment or challenging situation.
Teaching Children How to Use It
Model use during a calm moment. Teach deep breathing while holding a stress ball or using a worry box.
Strategies for Older Children and Adolescents
Encouraging Gradual Exposure
Help teens face feared situations, such as social situations, a little at a time to build confidence in real life.
Developing Personalized Coping Strategies
Older children may create their own list of anxiety activities or carry a transitional object to school.
The Importance of Supportive Language
Calming Scripts for Parents and Caregivers
Say:
- “You are safe right now.”
- “It’s okay to have a Worry Monster. Let’s talk to it.”
- “Let’s take a deep breath together.”
These help reduce severe anxiety and support mental health at home.
Effective Communication Techniques
Use open-ended questions. Avoid rushing solutions. Talk about mental health topics regularly to normalize emotion sharing.
Seeking Professional Help
When to Consider Professional Intervention
If your child with anxiety is avoiding school, losing sleep, or has trouble functioning, consult a mental health professional or child therapist.
Types of Professional Support Available
At Adolescent Mental Health, we offer:
- Support from social workers
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy focused on Skills for Kids
- Resources and courses for parents
- Advice about children from trained clinicians
We offer detailed advice, treatment, and mental health services to help children feel supported and empowered.
Spending time with your child and offering consistent support builds trust and safety. At Adolescent Mental Health, we help children with anxiety manage emotions and thrive through everyday challenges.
FAQ's
Activities that focus on breathing, movement, and creativity can help children calm down during an anxious moment. Simple tools like a worry stone, stress ball, or calm down jar can reduce physical tension. Breathing exercises such as flower and candle breathing or Belly Breathing help slow the breathing rate and ease feelings of anxiety. Art, journaling, and light yoga also work well to create a sense of safety and focus.
Mild anxiety is common, especially during new experiences or social situations. But if your child avoids school, loses sleep, has frequent meltdowns, or shows signs of severe anxiety that interferes with daily activities, it may be time to consult a mental health professional. An anxiety symptoms checklist or anxiety thermometer can help you track their level of anxiety and determine if outside support is needed.
Create a safe space using a calm down toolbox filled with comforting items like a worry box, sensory tools, and favorite books. Practice deep breathing techniques together and use calming scripts like, “You’re safe right now” or “Let’s take deep breaths.” These coping skills work best when practiced regularly, not just during a stressful situation. Staying calm yourself helps model self-regulation.
Yes. While younger children may benefit from tools like glitter jars or balloons with flour, older kids often need more personalized approaches. Encourage them to track their anxiety, build a custom plan using actual strategies, and try gradual exposure to feared situations. Talking openly about mental health topics and involving a child therapist or social worker can make a big difference in helping teens manage anxiety in real life.
