Activities to Reduce Anxiety
Milk Shake Bubbles Pour some milk into a clear glass and use a straw to blow air into the milk.
This will create bubbles. Encourage the young person to blow bubbles in the glass without having
the bubbles flow over the glass.
Bubbles Any good “bubble-blower” will tell you that the art of blowing bubbles is taking deep
breaths, which is an excellent way to reduce anxiety. Deep diaphragmatic breathing lowers the
heart rate, expands the lungs and relaxes the body, which in turn calms the mind.
Fun Dough Not only is fun dough (aka: play-dough) a great tactile activity, it can also relieve
tension and center the mind. Using fun dough with children who are overwhelmed by too much
stimulation centres them. Fun dough has a grounding effect for many children because it’s an
engrossing activity that also encourages the use of multiple senses. Use the dough to create a
shape that describes your strengths. Have the young person describe their strength and also talk
about what they experienced while using the fun-dough.
Chewing Gum The oral motor work involved when chewing gum can help children remain alert,
centered and calm. In order to maximize the effect, chewing large pieces of gum that require deep
chewing thus expending more energy.
Red Thoughts Green Thoughts Use red and green light sabres or red and green balls or red and
green balloons to think about negative thoughts and how to counteract with positive green thoughts.
Jump Rope Jumping rope, along with other forms of exercise such as running, walking or
swimming are excellent ways to stave off anxiety as these activities boost “feel-good” endorphins
and reduce Cortisol which is a hormone secreted when the body feels stressed. Jumping rope can
also be meditative, as it requires complete focus, which helps shift the mind away from stressful
thoughts and anxieties.
M&Ms Medication, Meditation, Mental health, and Moving forward – consider these M&Ms when
developing an overall plan for health and wellness to reduce anxiety.
Yoga Both yoga and marathon running have been scientifically proven to help with brain
development and increasing/developing neural connections.
Mindfulness-Meditation http://www.fragrantheart.com/cms/free-audio-meditations Taking the time
to be thoughtful and present in what ever activity you are currently engaged in rather than thinking
about past events or future events. Focus on current tastes, feelings, smells, sounds to regain
control.
Alexander Alignment http://www.imogenragone.com/self.html
Action Figures It’s time to bring out your old GI Joes and Darth Vaders because symbolic play is
an excellent way to work through anxieties and sort through their fears in a non-threatening
environment. For example, a child can “practice” asserting himself by having GI Joe stand up to
Darth Vader in a playful situation. Over time, the child will gain confidence and be more willing to
translate these skills into real life situations.
Imagination Since we know that imagination hijacks the brain to create anxiety, use imagination to
regain control! Play helps children develop symbolic solutions that can relieve anxiety such as
spraying a pillow with monster spray before bed, or tossing the “bad guys” in jail and then throwing
away the key!
Worry Zoo Draw various cages and draw worries as the creatures that students envision and
describe them to be. What are the tools and techniques needed to calm and placate those
creatures?
Worry Box Trap and contain the worries – leave them with a teacher.
Worry Time Schedule with worry time for exploring worries by choice in a more curious way.
Story-Telling Use of stories where the main character overcomes challenges. Act them out, paint
them, make a video, do a puppet show. “You have an amazing talent for creative worrying…” “You
have a wonderfully sensitive body alarm system (like a car alarm that goes off in the wind)….” That
creative imagination of yours went pretty wild, eh? This worry is acting like a bossy-know-it all…”
Do Repetitive Activities Go for a walk, sew, knit, crochet, drum, do a craft! All bring about a calm
and sense of peace that can reduce generalized anxiety.
Camping Trips Our modern lives are fraught with social issues vis-à-vis social media and issues
that are beyond our control. Go back to basics and take a camping trip! Doing so can teach some
basic survival skills and also reinforces the idea that one has the power to problem solve and control
one’s environment. IE – it rains, we set up a tarp; it is cold, we start a fire to warm-up. Think back
on your camping trips – some of the best memories are of the challenges that were encountered and
resolved. Teaching children that we can work through difficulties and not be victim to them creates
empowerment and an ability to be persistent in the face of adversity.
Gratitude Take time to think about a teacher or a loved one to whom you are grateful. Allow
yourself one minute to think about this person and their gifts and allow your heart to be filled with
gratitude. This helps to calm one’s thinking, breathing, and heart-rate.
Music Does not have to be paid/private lessons; can also be dancing around and singing to music
that everyone enjoys. Use old containers for drumming – look at examples such as STOMP and
Blue Man Group. Sing out-loud, whistle, create harmony together!
Movement Dance, active play, dancing with scarves, mime – get physical.
Martial Arts Learning attention, self-regulation, is an individual sport so does not have the anxiety
of group/team competitiveness.
Contact with Animals Caring for an animal of any species is helpful for ones’ mental health.
Grooming, feeding, walking, petting and putting another’s needs before one’s own are beneficial for
establishing routine and well-being.
Contact with the Elderly Playing cards, visiting, going for walks, doing crafts and learning from the
older generation are all helpful for reducing anxiety and increasing perspective on the world and life.
Activities as a Family Recycling, home cooking, screen off time, extended family, competency
training (chores). Interconnectedness and interdependency is beneficial to feeling part of a team
and developing a sense of mastery and belonging.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Learning to stay present to distressing sensations, feelings,
thoughts (tolerance, non-reactivity). Learning to choose more skilful responses.
Programs Mind Up, Roots of Empathy, Friends, Tame Your Worry Dragons, Circle of Courage,
Jump Start; Brown bag lunch rock concerts (admission is brining in their own brown bag lunch and
can enjoy the rock concert), community gardens, walking school bus. Remember, not all programs
come with a cost – get creative! You can develop a program with little to no cost through community
partnerships and volunteering and giving back to the community and something positive can really
life one out of a state of anxiety.
Self-Care Sleep, well-balanced diet, regulated blood-sugar levels. This will be particularly true
during exam periods and stressful times in one’s life.
Quotes
Whatever you are doing, ask yourself, “What’s the state of my mind?”
– Dalai Lama, 1999
If you want to be happy, be.
– Henry David Thoreau
The only journey is the journey within.
– Rainer Maria Rilke
Understanding that disturbing emotions are destroyed by special insight with calm abiding.
- Dalai Lama, 1999
Afflictive emotions—our jealousy, anger, hatred, fear—can be put to an end when you realize that
these emotions are only temporary, that they always pass on like clouds in the sky.
– Dalai Lama, 1999
My mental state, I think, is quite peaceful, quite calm. If there’s some sad news, some heart-breaking
news that comes, for a short moment, I am very disturbed, very sad, but then it goes. So like an
ocean, the waves come and go, come and go.
– Dalai Lama, 1999
Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself
– Alan Watts, 1957, p. 133.
Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today, it’s already tomorrow in Australia.
- Charles Schulz (in Zen Paths to Laughter)
The quieter you become, the more you can hear.
–Ram Doss
We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the
world.
– Kornfield [1996]
When you listen to the voice in your head, listen to it impartially. That is to say, to not judge. You’ll
soon realize: there is the voice and here I am listening to it, watching it.
– Tolle, The Power of Being, “The Power of Being Present”
When you listen to a thought, you are aware not only of the thought but also of yourself as the
witness of the thought.
– Tolle, The Power of Being, “Portals to the Now”
Las Munecas Quitapenas
“Worry Dolls” originated in Guatemala, but have since migrated to Mexico and other parts of the world.
They are tiny, colourful, handmade dolls that are made out of thin thread and wire. They are adored by
children everywhere.
The tale: When a child is worried about something, they are encouraged to tell the doll, and then place it
under their pillow when they go to sleep. The doll absorbs the child’s worries, so when they wake up they
are worry-free.
It is fun to make colourful muñecas quitapenas from embroidery floss, but they can also be made with
other materials such as clay or pipe-cleaners.
Make Your Own Worry Dolls or Toothpick People Materials Needed
Toothpicks - the kind that are square in the center but round at the ends
Embroidery floss in various colors, including flesh tones
Small bead with a hole that allows it to fit snugly over a toothpick
Scissors - the smaller the better
Tacky glue - the quick-set type is best, or use super glue
Tweezers (optional but helpful)
How to Do It
1. There are several possible ways to arrange toothpicks to make a worry doll; I found this one in an old
craft book and it seems to be pretty effective. The photo to the right
shows the pieces you will need. The sizes don't have to be perfect.
For reference, the piece in the center that will form the head and
torso is about 1 1/2" long.
2. Begin assembly by gluing the "legs" to the body, with the pointed
tips of the legs at the halfway mark of the body piece. You can use an
extra toothpick to apply the glue. If you feel clumsy with such things
and think glue might squeeze out, work over waxed paper.
3. The doll in this example is a girl, and she's going to be wearing a
skirt. Cut a length of embroidery floss about 18" long. It takes more
than you think it will! Dab some glue on the back of the doll, and
begin wrapping the string around it starting at the "waist." Add glue on the back as needed, and continue
down until the skirt reaches the length you want. If you want pants, just wrap the waist and each leg
separately. Let the glue set and trim the ends on the back.
4. Choose a shirt color and wrap each arm. Then glue the arms to the
outside of the legs, right at the midpoint of the body. Note that
the pointed ends of the arms become the shoulders. They will be
covered with more floss, so don't worry if they're not perfectly neat.
5. Let the glue set until the arms are fairly secure. Then glue and
wrap with the shirt color, beginning just above the shoulders. To
make the shirt go down far enough, you may want to adjust your
wrapping so it goes under the arms. Use a toothpick or tweezers to
help push the thread up under her armpits.
6. The bead will form the head. Slide it onto the toothpick and glue to
secure, leaving a short "neck." Let the glue set and trim any
protruding length of wood from the top.
7. Cover the head and neck with glue. Begin at the neck and carefully
wrap upwards with your flesh coloured floss. It's okay if the top and
back of the head are a bit messy.
8. Glue on some floss for hair in the style and length of your choice.
Helpful Websites (not yet posted on our plone site)
http://kidshealth.org/ http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/1652.asp http://www.stressmanagementtips.com http://stressfreekids.com Helpful Books
Greene, Ross “Lost in Schools”
Hawne, Goldie “Ten Mindful Minutes”
Huebner, Dawn “What to Do When You Worry Too Much”