7 Helpful Activities For Anxious Kids
As a mother to a child with intense anxiety, I was constantly on the lookout to find activities for anxious kids when my daughter was younger. Thankfully, over the years I collected quite a few options that really helped her. And I’ve also stumbled across some recently that I can no longer use with her (she’s now an adult), but that I still think would be helpful.
So I thought I’d share them all with you today, in case you’re also looking for ways to reduce stress in your children.
1. Coloring And Drawing
Kids and adults alike have found that the act of coloring or drawing can help calm them down. This could be due to many reasons; such as keeping your mind and hands busy, grounding yourself in the current moment, and releasing creativity which can result in more positive emotions.
And one great thing about this activity is that it can be implemented alongside other things as well. Kids can draw or color during a road trip, while they’re waiting for dinner, when the family is enjoying some tv together, etc…
Plus, it’s budget friendly (coloring and drawing supplies for kids are often affordable, and you can even purchase cheap printables online on sites like Etsy) and it helps kids build art-related skills! It could even result in a long term hobby for some.
2. Creating A Worry Box
This is an activity that I think is especially helpful for kids that suffer with specific and reoccurring worries… And it is to create a worry box! This is so simple, but I think it can be really powerful and a way to connect with our littles ones.
The idea is that your child creates (and customizes) a special box. Then, after the box is finished, you teach your little one how to write down their concerns and put them into the box. This allows them to feel more in control of their thoughts, and at the end of every day, you can look through the box together and address all of your child’s worries.
And once a worry is “solved”, your child can throw the paper away. Which will help make them feel even more accomplished and in control!
3. Blowing Bubbles
We all know that deep breathing can be a great tool for combating anxiety, but sometimes it’s hard to get young kids to sit still long enough to do it. So one great workaround is to have them blow some bubbles instead!
If you emphasize to them that if they breathe deeply, more bubbles will come out… they’ll likely be encouraged to do it. And the bubbles give them an instant reward for performing the action, a positive association with it, and a distraction from their thoughts as a bonus!
This is especially useful when you’re dealing with a very young anxious child.
4. Listening To Music
The next idea in our list of activities for anxious kids is actually just listening to music. Whether it be their favorite song, or a calming playlist that you find on YouTube.
This might seem like a simple solution; but music has been shown to lessen cortisol levels, release dopamine, and even produce brainwaves that promote relaxation. And because music is so diverse, you could choose anything from calming tunes to hype music (depending on your child’s current needs and mood). For instance, if your child needs distraction more than they need calming… you could suggest a singalong.
And the great part about this tip is that it can work for kids of all ages.
5. Exercise
Another great way to reduce anxiety is through movement, so it’s always a good idea to encourage your child to get the daily exercise they need.
This obviously doesn’t have to be anything strenuous, as in most cases, exercise for kids can come in the form of a game or fun activity. They could play tag with their friends, throw a frisbee around the yard, have a dance party, or take a walk with you!
The important thing is that they move every single day, and learn to use movement as a tool to combat anxiety. Since this is a helpful practice, even for adults.
6. Squeeze A Stress Ball
Now, throughout this post I’ve talked a lot about more time consuming activities for anxious kids, and I will continue to after this. But what about when you’re in a pinch? And you need help calming down your child quickly… In that case, I’d recommend that you try out a stress ball.
Stress balls are small, subtle, and usually inexpensive. So they can be a really great tool for your child to have on hand throughout their day. Whether they struggle with obsessive thoughts and need something to distract them, they have a lot of extra energy and they need to expend it somehow, or even if they have social anxiety.
This won’t work for every child, but if it does, it can really help them manage their anxiety on the go!
7. Journaling
One activity that could help your child manage their anxiety in the long run, is journaling. This is suggested a lot for adults with anxiety, and for good reason. But it’s so important to teach your children how to journal early on, so that they have this skill for later.
And if you’re child doesn’t seem to enjoy writing their thoughts down, you could always try alternative forms of journaling. Bullet journaling, for instance, could be a great way for more visual kids to keep track of memories with less writing. Or if your child prefers working through their feelings verbally, you could teach them how to keep a video diary of their thoughts.
As with all these other tips, the key is to find what works for your child. Then stick with it!
Final Thoughts About Activities For Anxious Kids
No two anxious kiddos look the same, so I don’t believe there’s a “one size fits all” activity that’s sure to help all of them. However, I hope this article provided you with plenty of activities to try with your kids, and that you find some success with at least a few.
Please leave a comment if you have more ideas! And as always, thank you so much for reading. (Plus, don’t forget to check out more of my content if you’re interested in running a home, managing finances, and of course… parenting! Like my last post, which will teach you all about kids closet organization.)
