Grounding is a classic method for calming anxiety that works with young children and adults alike. It can be done in a couple of ways: one is as shown in the graphic to the left. Another is to find just one of each of these items (one thing to see, one thing to touch, etc). Grounding should start with putting your feet flat on the floor and taking deep breaths.
If you are looking for a crafty activity to do together, I recommend making a mindfulness box. Items to include should center around the five senses and may consist of things like a smooth river rock to touch, an essential oil (like lavender), some mints, a stress ball, a beautiful and inspiring photo...let your imagination run wild! A mindfulness box can be kept in your child's room and they can take out the items whenever they're feeling stressed.
Another excellent activity is to do some calm, measured, deep breathing. Following the Figure 8 (which you can find online or just quickly draw yourself) allows you to slow down your breathing with a visual. Similarly, try taking deep breaths as you trace with your finger of your dominant hand through the fingers of your non-dominant hand. Again, the idea is to slow down your breathing while focusing on a visual.
A great way for kids to talk about their anxiety is to identify where in their body they are feeling their feelings. Ask your kid(s) to color in where they are stressed, nervous, angry, calm, excited, etc using a different color for each feeling. This can also provide an excellent conversation starter about feelings and what we can do with our feelings (take deep breaths, meditate on sending healing light to these parts of our body, and try to change our negative thought patterns).
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