3 Calming, Creative Activities to Help Ease Anxiety in Children
What’s Anxiety in Children?
Anxiety in children can be a natural, normal reaction to stress, but when those worries get too big or stick around for a while, they may affect everyday life. Some common worries children face are separation anxiety, social anxiety and a fear of failing.
Signs Your Child Might Be Anxious
Worrying a lot about everyday stuff
More frequent headaches, stomachaches, or having trouble sleeping
Avoiding certain activities, people, or places
Acting irritable, restless, or having a tough time focusing
Always needing reassurance from parents or teachers
How Therapeutic Art Can Help
Helps children express emotions in a healthy way
Supports mental health and emotional regulation
Encourages quality parent-child bonding
Provides alternative communication methods for children who struggle with verbal expression
Can be a calming and therapeutic activity for the whole family
3 Calming, Creative activities to try!
1.Box of good things (gratitude box)
A gratitude box is a really fun and easy way to help children build a positive mindset by thinking about what they're thankful for. It's a unique box where they can place little notes, drawings, or things that remind them of the ‘good stuff’ in their lives.
Here’s How It Works:
Find a Box – You can use a shoebox, a little storage box, or even a recycled tub.
Decorate It – Let children get creative with stickers, paint, collage and pens to make it their own.
Write or Draw Gratitude Notes – prompts can include, A happy memory of an event, something they love about family or friends, A favourite toy, book, food or activity, a thank you note .
During times of anxiety you can open the box and read together, bringing focus to all the positive and good things in their life.
2. Positive Pebbles
The Positive Pebbles painting activity is a fun and creative way for kids to build their confidence, and practice some self-care. They can paint kind words, personal strengths, or designs on small pebbles, which they can then use as little reminders to stay encouraged during times of worry.
Here’s How It Works:
You’ll need a selection of clean pebbles which you can then decorate with acrylic paint, paint pens or permanent markers.
Words to use might be personal strengths, such as, "loved" "strong", “kind”, “funny” or phrases like, "You’ve got this!" or "I believe in you!".
3. Happy/Helpful Collage
A Happy/Helpful College is a creative and expressive activity that helps children focus on positivity by collecting and assembling images, drawings, and words that make them feel joyful. It’s a great way to boost their mood, encourage self-expression, and think about things that help them when they are anxious.
Here’s How It Works:
Gather magazines, printed images or packaging and have fun cutting out images or words together that represent things that make them happy or that they find helpful. This might include; certain music or TV shows that are calming, kind words or images of nature/activities. Arrange and stick these down with glue onto a larger piece of paper or cardboard. Have it somewhere that can be seen as a reminder during times of worry or anxiety.
Prompts: What do you like? Let’s find things that make you smile! Should we look for our favourite things? What things make you feel happy?
If you are concerned about your child's physical or mental health, it is always recommended to contact your child's GP. They can provide guidance, assess any concerns, and help you access additional support if needed. Seeking professional advice early can make a big difference in helping your child navigate their emotions and wellbeing.
Most importantly ……
Have fun and enjoy the process together!
Georgina