Preparing for Something New
Some anxiety for children is caused by not knowing what comes next or how things will be when they try something new. Whether it’s a trip to the doctor, or starting a new school year, children often fear the unknown. Learning more about how things will be, and what to expect, helps children feel more in control. Here are some playful activities for helping anxious kids prepare for what to expect when they try something new.
Play Pretend
Whether it’s with stuffed animals, or full-on dress-up, kids love to interact and learn through pretend play. If you are preparing for a trip to the doctor, try getting some pretend medical supplies and walking through the steps of what will happen. This playful engagement can help children feel more prepared. Remember to let the child take the lead in play too—this helps them feel more in control of the situation.
Read a Story
It can also be helpful to read stories that are similar to the event. There are lots of great stories out there that offer positive skills and solutions to common problems. “Sloth’s First Day of School” is a great example of a story that helps children prepare for an upcoming event.
Draw a Picture
If you can’t find an already-written story to help address a specific need, remember that you can always create your own! It doesn’t have to be complicated. Using a whiteboard and drawing stick figures can get a lot of information across as you visually walk through the steps of what happens. Remember that this visual element is often really important for children to be able to picture and process what is going to happen.
Expressing Worries
Sometimes putting words to worries can be hard for a young child. Children may not always be able to describe what is bothering them, or they may feel shy or embarrassed to share. Luckily, there are other great ways for anxious kids to share their feelings.
Draw the Worry
Sometimes children struggle to put words to their worry and find it easier to draw or write their worry. This tool can be especially helpful when children have bad dreams. Describing dreams can be complicated for a young child, but even for adults. However, drawing and a little imagination can help. Encourage the child to draw a picture of their worry. You can even ask them to add themselves to the page so you can see how big the worry is compared to them and how much it seems to be bothering them. Our free Alpaca activities offer activity sheets with prompts that encourage children to express their worries through pictures or words.
*Another good tip if your child draws a picture of the worry: See if they can draw a picture of a solution to the worry. Even if it’s playing pretend, it can help children feel empowered to imagine defeating their worries.
Play Out the Worry
Playing pretend is another way to help an anxious child express their worries. This usually works best if you simply engage the child in play, perhaps offering small prompts that would encourage them to play out the worry (ie., if they are worried about having a new baby sibling, try offering to play house with them). Children not only express fears through play, but they can resolve them that way too. Allow them time and space to play out worries, and join them in the process.
Ask Creative Questions
Sometimes children can benefit from talking about their worries, but may need help expressing themselves. When it comes to raising confident kids, this is where playful questions can help. No one likes feeling interrogated, so try thinking of interesting ways to ask your child about their worry. Some of my favorite questions are:
Soothing Anxiety
Sometimes, a child’s worries are big enough that they just need a bit of comfort. Although words of reassurance can be helpful, physical and concrete interventions tend to have a bigger impact on younger children and their feelings of safety and security. Here are a few anxiety activities for kids to try at home that can help relieve some stress-related feelings.
A Soothing Toolkit
Include the child in gathering supplies that feel soothing and comforting. These items can be used when you have a worried or anxious child struggling to express themselves. You can try using the Slumberkins Otter Heart to remind them of the ones who love them, or perhaps a calm down jar, or a comforting blanket, maybe something that smells nice. Put these items together in a bag or a box and label them for times of need. Let your child know that they can access these things whenever they want to feel soothed.
Build a Pillow Nest or Fort
Children often feel safe and comforted in small, cozy spaces. Help your child make a nest of pillows or a fort they can snuggle into on days they feel especially anxious. Maybe they want to invite their Slumberkins friends to join them or perhaps they want to invite you in too.
Try a Worry Doll or Creature
Our Slumberkins Alpaca supports Stress Relief and is designed to be a worry doll that children can whisper their worries to, and Alpaca will “hold” them. Having an imaginary “container” for worries is a useful tool. There are many forms of this activity to try, including having your child whisper their worries to you, and you can hold them in your pocket until they want them back.
Most children will experience difficult emotions and worries from time to time. These anxiety activities can be helpful for children with little worries and even children who struggle with significant childhood anxiety. If your child is showing signs of anxiety or stress that are not resolving, or if the worries appear to be impeding their life in any way, we recommend trying these activities in combination with professional support. In addition to these anxiety activities, consider one of our snugglers that can help your kids feel more comfortable, cozy, and relaxed at home.
We’d love to hear from you: Have you found success with any of the mindfulness activities above? Perhaps there’s a strategy that your family uses already? We at Slumberkins invite you to share in the comments below!
