Wellbeing activities - Support for Parents from Action For Children

If your child is finding things difficult right now, it may help to try some mood-boosting tactics.

Mindfulness means being aware of the present moment. These activities help children feel calm and present.

If your child feels worried or anxious, you can help them to learn some techniques to feel calmer and more in control.

Keeping a diary can help your child start to recognise when things go well, and what they’re good at.

A kindness chart can track acts of kindness and help teach your child how to be kind.

Teaching your child how to be kind can help them develop empathy and build self-esteem.

If your child is having nightmares, you can use guided activities to help soothe them and calm them down.

Here are two guided activities that work well for helping older children and teenagers feel calm and relaxed.

Try this activity in the hour before bed, as an alternative to phone, TV or computer time.

A glitter bottle can help calm your child when they feel stressed or overwhelmed.

This activity shows how thoughts, feelings and actions influence each other, and how to break the chain.

This activity helps children refocus, slow their breathing, and feel calmer when they’re feeling very anxious.

This activity makes it easier to review and release anxious feelings by looking at negative thoughts objectively.

Taking slow breaths can help soothe stressful situations. Try to encourage your child to make it a daily practice.

This activity is good for teenagers. It helps them see how different states of mind influence their reactions.

Encourage your child to take a walk outside when they face a stressful situation.

A soothing box can help your child feel safe, relaxed and grounded.

The worry tree helps children offload worries instead of dwelling on them.