Stress and anxiety are typically associated with adults living with the everyday challenges of the real world; the truth is that anxiety and stress can impact everyone, including children. Children can experience stress just like adults do.
Children have to navigate academic pressure, big life changes that may be happening at home or in school, as well as the relationships they have with friends and peers, and the drama that comes along with that.
As a parent, it can be extremely difficult to see your child struggling. The good news is that helping your child manage their anxiety doesn’t always have to mean sitting down and having a serious conversation with them. One of the best ways to support an anxious child is to engage with them by doing the thing they actually enjoy – playing.
Let’s learn more about play-based strategies. Here are some creative ways to help kids cope with anxiety.
Art and Drawing
Getting creative is a great, fun non-verbal way for children to explore and express what’s going on internally. Art and drawings help kids give shape to the emotions that they may not have the words for. You can let your child free draw based on how they’re feeling. Or you can try some of these activity prompts.
Collage
Using old magazines, you and your child can work together to put together a collage of images that can represent the different emotions.
Mood Color
Have your child put a color to how they’re feeling. The colors can represent their feelings each day, so you can watch how they shift over time.
Worry Monster
Help your child create a monster out of paper or clay to help them eat their anxious thoughts and feelings.
Movement
Physical movement is beneficial for one’s physical health, but it can also hugely benefit one’s overall mental health and wellness. Physical movement can help improve one’s mood as well as release stress and anxiety. Go for a walk with your kid outside. Take them to the playground so they can run around and burn off some of that nervous energy. You can also create a mini obstacle course in your house or backyard.
Sensory Play
Sensory experiences can be helpful for emotional regulation, especially in younger children. You can create sensory bins filled with beads, rice, or sand for them to play in. You can take this a step further by hiding either positive affirmation or calming objects inside.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is often recommended for anxiety, even for adults. It’s a great way to turn those worries about the past and future back to focusing on the present moment. You can implement mindfulness in child-friendly ways like deep breathing, body scans, mindful eating, mindful listening, yoga, stretching, or meditation.
Storytelling
Stories help children connect with the characters and feel a little less alone during tough times. With the help of books and storytelling, they can learn that these characters are facing similar obstacles and work to overcome them with the help of healthy coping mechanisms. Stories allow children to turn their worries into something more manageable.
Next Steps
Helping children cope with their anxiety doesn’t have to look like a standard therapy session. For children, the most effective anxiety-relieving strategies often include activities that they already know and love. By engaging in
play-based therapy and using the tools that they’re already familiar with, like art, imagination, movement, and stories, you can help your child express themselves while simultaneously building skills that will carry with them well into their adulthood.
If you are noticing signs of their anxiety worsening, consider
reaching out to a mental health professional for additional support.
Published: September 18, 2025 | Posted by Mary Ellen Benz
