Ways of Calming Anxiety in Children

Knowing different ways of calming anxiety in children can be helpful for parents and caregivers.

In this series of mental health tips, one common question from parents and caregivers was how can I calm my teen when they worry a lot and how can I calm my children when they are stressed.

In this blog, I will be providing some easy tips around calming anxiety in your children. However, keep in mind that the tips provided in this blog can be helpful for both young and older adults.

1). 54321 Grounding Exercise as a Way of Calming Anxiety in Children

This 54321 grounding exercise is a common and popular exercise as a way of calming anxiety in children but in most cases is not used as they are supposed to be used. This 54321 grounding exercise for calming anxiety in children involves uses the five senses to help children remind them of the present. This is a 54321 grounding exercise can help calm anxiety in children and get through stressful or hard situations.

2). Paper, Pencil, and Crayon

Having paper, pencil, and crayon have been effective in my practice in calming anxiety in children. Coloring has the potential to calm anxiety in children, reduce anxiety, build skills, create focus, healthy ways of managing emotions, and bring about more mindfulness.

3). Puzzles as a Way of Calming Anxiety in Children

Puzzles can serve as a great tools to calm anxiety in children because they can have an instant calming effect in children who are stressed, overexcited, anxious, or having a tantrum. Using puzzles as a calming strategies in children can help in concentration, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, self-esteem, memory, problem solving skills, and spatial awareness (where the child is aware of them in a space and how the objects relates to each other and them).

4). Fidget Toys for Calming Anxiety in Children

Parents/Caregivers keep fidget toys handy for children or even adults (hahahaha) and yes, you heard me right to hold in their hands to calm an anxious or stressed child. Fidget toys help with the child, teen, or adult focus and pay attention.

5). Imagining a Favourite Place or Activity

Asking the child or teen to imagine a favourite place or favourite activity can help to reduce anxiety in children. Asking the child or teen to say the place loud, describe it, and the feelings they are experiencing has a way to calm down an anxious or stressful child.

6). Stress Balls for Calming Anxiety in Children

Stress Balls are tools that I have laying in my office all the time. Like the fidget toys it helps the child or teen and sometimes the parents and caregivers focus and pay attention because of the feel in their hands.

7). Trampoline for Calming Anxiety in Children

Trampolines are great for movement in reducing anxiety in children and also a great tool calm an overexcited child or teen. You can go wrong with this tool.

8). Using Floppy Teddy Bear or Toys

Using floppy teddy bear or toys is a great tool to calm stress or anxiety in children. When using this strategy asks the child or teen to describe the color, feel, how they smell, and so on can help in calming the child and also create focus and attention.

Emem Iniobong, CCC is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents through various mental, emotional, and behavioral challenges.  Passionate about helping children and teens find their unique strengths, she develop skills so they can overcome whatever challenges they face and bravely navigate the world around them. Emem owns Bliss Counselling and Wellness Centre whose mission is to help you find your bliss and live confidently.