How to Help a Child

Deep breathing with the child

1. Sit beside the child and gently explain that you’ll be breathing together.
2. Ask the child to take a deep breath in through their nose and slowly exhale through their mouth, using hand movements to visually guide them.

Alternatively:

1. Encourage the child to imagine themselves as a balloon, slowly inflating (deep breath in) and deflating (slow exhale).
2. Repeat this cycle five times, making calming down both engaging and effective.

Feelings map

1. Take some paper and colored pencils.

2. Ask the child to draw their feelings—perhaps an animal or object that represents their inner state.

3. Then, discuss what they drew to help them recognize and understand their emotions.

Making a stress ball

1. Encourage the child to make their own stress ball (you can use balloons filled with flour or rice).

2. Suggest they squeeze the ball whenever they feel stressed or anxious.

3. This creative process helps them relax and redirect focus

Color therapy

1. Choose different colors and ask the child to express their emotions through drawing.

2. Encourage them to explain how each color represents their feelings.

3. Drawing offers a safe way to express internal feelings.

Emotion jar

1. Create an “emotion jar”—whenever the child feels sad or angry, write down the emotion on a slip of paper and place it in the jar.

2. After some time, open the jar together and discuss these feelings.

3. This helps the child become aware of and understand their emotions.

Calm corner

1. Create a small calming corner at home with soft blankets, pillows, and the child’s favorite items.

2. Encourage them to go to this corner whenever they need peace and quiet.

3. This place can become a safe haven for them.

Nature walk

1. Take a walk with the child, encouraging them to observe trees, birds, and other natural sounds.

2. A gentle introduction to nature can help reduce anxiety and foster calm.

3. Nature walks improve emotional well-being and promote closeness.