Stress Reducing Activities For Anxious Kids

This is my all time, best list of stress reducing activities for anxious kids. 

One of the best tips I have for parenting a child with anxiety is plan ahead.

Rather than letting the anxiety catch us both off guard (you would think I would know better after fifteen years, but I still react sometimes like my boys’ anxiety is a surprise) having strategies in place ahead of time, before the anxiety increases and the panic attack begins, can be the difference between a meltdown and a relaxing afternoon.

Planning ahead and finding ways to help decease our children’s anxiety, gives our kids (and let’s be honest, their moms) a sense of control that makes even the worst anxiety attack easier to handle. 

How can you help your child handle stress?

Please know, affiliate links may be included below. 

52 Weeks Of Easy For Mom Activities

Every Friday this year, I am sharing an easy on mom, hands-on activity in an effort to help make this type of learning more accessible for all of us.

I have already talked a bit about having a “stash” of fun, easy learning activities available for days when homeschooling goes bad.  The same is true for helping my kids on days when stress seems to be a ruling force in our home.

Below are more than 40 ideas for activities that help decrease stress and reduce my boys’ anxiety.

An important caveat – not all of these activities work for all kids. Between my two boys alone, my oldest would never touch slime without gloves and my youngest is completely adverse to wearing headphones.

I pulled together this list in an effort to provide a variety of options for a variety of needs and sensory sensibilities.

I recommend picking one or two that you feel confident will work for your child, and keeping the ingredients on hand for when anxiety is increasing. For example, I know giant bubbles work for both of my boys, so my spice cabinet has everything we need for bubble making, right next to the Italian seasoning.

In an effort to help, here are my 40+ recommendations for activities that help reduce our kids’ anxiety.

Stress Reducing Activities for Anxious Kids

Make Slime (my all time favorite recipe) – Kara S. Anderson

Giant Bubbles – My Little Poppies

Flubber  – Look! We’re Learning

Listen To An Audio Book

Velcro! – Joy In The Journey

Plant Seeds or Flowers in Backyard Pots

Listen to Music with Headphones

Take a Bath

Finger Painting

Balloon Stress Balls

Activities for anxious kids can be hard to find. Luckily, my friend, Colleen, is an expert when it comes to parenting children with anxiety. She has an excellent new option to help!

With so many to choose from, I hope these activities bring a sense of calm and fun to your kiddos.

Happy Friday!